Bon Air will celebrate 70 years of community at its best with a Bon Air Birthday Party, in partnership with the Kentfield-Greenbrae Historical Society on Saturday, May 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
An open invitation event, the free, family- and pet-friendly party will be a day of appreciation and commemoration, beginning with a proclamation of Bon Air Day from the City of Larkspur, and kicking off with center-wide participation and entertainment, including merchant specials, samples, trunk shows, treats and more. A few highlights include live music by Bread & Roses Presents, a cornhole tournament hosted by Gott’s Roadside and the Larkspur Chamber of Commerce, and the live painting of a mural showcasing the past, present and future of Bon Air created in partnership with The Canal Arts.
History
Bon Air began as part of a dream — it was Niels Schultz’s vision for a sustainable community in the heart of Marin. In 1952, that vision was realized when Bon Air opened its doors with its first merchant, Bon Air Super, the much-needed source of groceries for the growing community.
As the community grew over the years, its needs grew too. Philanthropy was a cornerstone in Schultz’s vision; he donated land to build a school, fire department, recreational field and yacht basin (now known as Marin Rowing).
A little more than a decade after Bon Air opened, Greenbrae Pharmacy replaced Bon Air Super, a place where Joe DiMaggio sightings were a regular occurrence, and a U.S. Postal Service satellite office was installed. Petrini’s opened its first and one of its most successful supermarkets in the location, which is now Mollie Stone’s. Pronzini’s Christmas Trees made its debut, and Meaders Cleaners and Luxton Optical — businesses still serving the community today — opened their doors.
Through the decades, four generations of Schultzes have remained committed to the community and giving back. As the past two years brought extremely difficult challenges to both the community and merchants, Bon Air management worked with merchants to provide a range of essential services for the community. A partnership with the Larkspur Chamber of Commerce and generous donation from Bon Air management provided grant money for businesses in need. Bon Air restaurants Gott’s and Mollie Stone’s donated and led food drives for health care workers, and Bon Air ran mask and PPE drives for health care workers.
2022 and beyond
Community by situation and community by definition, Bon Air remains the heart of downtown Greenbrae with its beautiful outdoor areas and year-round community gatherings. The center welcomes new merchants like sweetgreen, Bear Flag Fitness and Dance with E.N.A. Join us for a 70th Birthday Celebration that brings the community together. Its unwavering commitment to service and giving back to the community still holds steadfast and true from Niels Schultz’s original vision.
To learn more about Bon Air’s Birthday Party and its history through the past 70 years, please visit www.bonair.com or follow Bon Air on Facebook or Instagram.
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