Publisher's notebook

Joel Sanchez was working on a house in Clovis recently and came across an old purse with a metal coin inside.

"It said you can't go wrong eating at Al's Drive In restaurant," Sanchez said.

A quick search through the library's city directories and newspaper archives tells us this about Al's:

It opened in the late 1940s near Seventh and Thornton streets and was owned by the Sasser family.

Its advertising slogan read, "Service in your car as you are."

The restaurant sponsored local bowling and baseball teams through most of the 1950s. Newspaper ads included advice, such as "Good idea: Don't smoke in bed. It may be your ashes they sweep up."

Al's remained open until 1959 when its assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service, according to a legal notice published on June 3 that year.

Coming Sunday in The News

We don't know much about the life or death of Juanita Martinez Garrett, the first wife of legendary lawman Pat Garrett. But we know a friend called her "sparkling" and her family is working to keep her memory alive more than 140 years after her passing.

The Eastern New Mexico News is committed to telling the stories that matter to our readers. Do you have a question? A comment you'd like to see published? Or maybe a story idea for a future edition? Please email the publisher: [email protected]