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Photograph courtesy of the Campbell Historical Society
Sandwich History: The second-oldest Togo's location, shown here in a photo from 1999, has closed.
Sandwich shop is up for lease after 27 years in the business
The old Togo's was the second opened by chain's founder
By Erin Mayes
The second-oldest Togo's eatery in the United States, formerly located at 866 E. Campbell Ave., has officially closed up shop and is up for lease.
After the oldest Togo's, formerly located on William Street in downtown San Jose, was sold to San Jose State University's Jewish Student Union in January 1999, the Campbell Avenue location was distinguished as the longest-standing Togo's around.
Togo's founder Mike Cobler started his business in downtown San Jose when he was a college student in 1971. His investment was such a success that he opened the second location on Campbell Avenue three years later. Cobler's assistant, Charice Gillespie, said Cobler remembers every last detail, down to the date and time he opened the location--3 p.m. Jan. 17, 1974.
Now, for the first time in 27 years, the shop has stopped selling sandwiches. Gillespie said the store has been closed for a few months due to personal disagreements between Cobler and the franchisees. Since it was closed, the building has undergone renovations, which Gillespie said included some minor remodeling because no improvements had been made for quite some time.
The building that housed the sandwich shop for the last 27 years has more history than meets the eye, however.
According to information from Campbell's Historic Resources Inventory, the building's official historic name is the George Robson House, and it was built in 1926 during the Provincial Revival period. Robson was the treasurer of the Ainsley Packing Company, which was one of the fruit-packing giants during Campbell's dried-fruit heyday.
The house belonged to the Robson Estate until 1967, when Alan Sims, an insurance broker, purchased it.
Another family seems to have lived in the building for a number of years, but it is unclear when this was because the report from the Campbell Historical Museum, which was written in 1977, does not list the date.
The report also says that the building was home to two restaurants before it became a Togo's, but what these were is also unclear because the report is handwritten and difficult to read, and only one of the restaurants is listed. The name appears to have been "Poor Joriah's Pub," although Gillespie said that Cobler's recollection is that it was called "Yorky's Pub."
The house is on a list of 42 recommended additions to the city of Campbell's Historic Resources Inventory and has earned a score of 88. This means the building conforms to certain criteria, including a sense of history or an association with people, activities or events. The house's association with George Robson qualifies it in this category. Another requirement is that the structure must be built by a famous architect or builder, and the building has to illustrate the distinctive nature of their work.
It is unclear who the architect for the Robson House was, although a report from the museum lists it as a good example of architecture during that time period.
The building must also be in good condition, and alterations have to be well-integrated. It also has to be of significant age and must not have been adversely impacted by surrounding developments.
Togo's is currently headquartered in Massachusetts, and there are now 350 shops spread throughout the United States. Togo's began to franchise its stores in 1977. The company was acquired by Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants in 1997.
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Campbell, California
