Bono's Deli and Orange Juice Stand.

15395 E Foothill Blvd., Fontana, CA
Phone:

East < GO > West

This Giant Orange Stand is located right next to Bono's Restaurant & Deli. This isn't the original stand here though, the first fruit stand was destroyed years ago when business dwindled. In the 1990s this one was donated to the local historical society and when it later needed to be relocated again Joe Bono agreed to have it moved to to this spot and and had it restored. The Giant Orange (a wood framework covered with stucco) was built by a Mr. Devries and originally located about 3 miles away.

Bono's opened in 1936 to serve Route 66 travelers and started as a produce stand. From 1936 to 1943 this was a simple produce stand with swinging trellis style doors in place of the large windows on the front and east sides of the building. Those doors would be swung open during business hours creating a covered open air market.

By 1943 traffic on Route 66 and business had increased so much that the produce stand was remodeled and enlarged into full-service restaurant. That's when the trellis style doors gave way to glass windows. Throughout that and subsequent additions over the years the original white stucco and light green tile style has been continued.

The increased traffic was due in part to people attempting to escape life in the Dust Bowl states in the 1930s and the increasing number of workers arriving to support wartime factory needs in the 1940s.

For many years the Bono family lived a house behind the restaurant. Another small house was been attached to the restaurant and used as a dining room and storage.

In the fall of 2013 or shortly after the whole building was picked up and moved several feet (20/30?) back from the street to accommodate widening of the road.

The restaurant was placed on National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Photo(s): 2013, 2019