By Larry Clinton, Sausalito Historical Society
The Trident/Ondine building, at 558 Bridgeway, is on the market for $12,800,000. That location has been part of Sausalito’s history for nearly 150 years.
PHOTO BY PAMELA WYCLIFFE
The Trident Deck is open for business
In 1873 the San Francisco Yacht Club moved from its small clubhouse across the Bay and constructed a new clubhouse on this site. It was the second yacht club in the U.S., according to historian Jack Tracy, and the first on the West Coast. That original Sausalito clubhouse was destroyed by fire in March 1897 but was rebuilt and reopened with a gala dance 13 months later. By 1926 the wake of large auto ferries, plus limited parking, caused the club to relocate to Belvedere.
After that, a series of waterfront hangouts occupied the property, including the Jazz Dock, a smokey dive bar with sawdust on the floor. In 1960, Kinston Trio manager Frank Werber procured the property for his clients. According to thetrident.net, he kept the Jazz Dock name until about 1966, when he remodeled the structure into a restaurant and renamed it the Trident. For the remodel, Werber engaged architect Roger Somers, who created hippie style curved railings and woodwork. Steve Elvin added a psychedelic mural on the ceiling; his art had been featured on posters for the top Bay Area rock bands, and he had created murals for singer Grace Slick and impresario Bill Graham, among others.
The Trident featured lots of local talent, including Vince Guaraldi, Jeannie Hoffman, George Duke, Flip Nunez, Don Scaletta and Denny Zeitlin. Other headliners included Jon Hendricks, Sergio Mendez & Brazil 66, Bola Sete, Willie Bobo, and Bill Evans.
Celebrities patronized the Trident as well. Janis Joplin had her own table, near a side door where she could slip in and out without being noticed. In 1974, Bill Graham threw an album release party for the Rolling Stones; legend has it that the tequila sunrise cocktail was invented for that party.
The club gained some notoriety in October 1971 when armed men in “in Scuba gear” entered The Trident from the water via a trap door, captured two employees, and robbed the safe of approximately $30,000 in cash. The caper became known as the Great Trident Frogman heist, but one of the captive employees, Patrick Pendleton, later explained that the robbers came across the Bay in an inflatable boat, dressed in wet suits for the wet ride, to stage their late night invasion. They were spotted motoring away from the scene of the crime and arrested. Pendleton was able to identify one of the suspects in court, and that perp was convicted.
By 1974 Werber started giving up most of his San Francisco business interests and moved away from the Bay Area. He suffered a stroke several years before his death in 2007. In 1980 the Trident closed its doors and became Horizons restaurant, presenting music only occasionally.
Bob Freeman, a founder of the wildly successful Victoria Station and California Cafe chains, leased the property in 2002. He operated it as Horizons until 2012 when he and his partner Ron Davis and Bob Freeman revived the Trident name and uncovered the long-hidden ceiling mural to restore the place to its 1960s patina. Along the way, they acquired the building as well as the Trident name.
Freeman hosted two memorable Historical Society fundraisers. In 2009 we staged a Trident Flashback, encouraging everyone to come in 60s regalia, and featuring music by some of the groups that had performed live there back in the day. Then, in January 2013, we helped Bob celebrate the return of the Trident name with a party that featured the World Premiere of "The Lion Sons," a trio put together by Josh Reynolds. Josh is the son of original Kingston Trio member Nick Reynolds and was raised in Sausalito.
Looking back on it all, Bob Freeman says, “It’s been a fun ride, but I’m not getting any younger, and it’s time for someone else to take up the reins.” He hopes that the restaurant will stay as it is and is even offering to continue operating it for a time for the new building owner. “I’m particularly concerned about taking care of the employees,” he added.
The Trident is currently open for outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery while we’re all sheltering in place.