Dave’s Haight Ashbury, Veggie Sub with Provolone Cheese, Herbs, Romaine Lettuce, Roasted Red Peppers, Green Peppers, Sliced Banana Peppers, Marinated Tomatoes, Onions and a zesty Cosmic Sauce took me way back to my crazy younger days! Yes, Aunt Gertie was a hippie and ran off to San Francisco in a red V-Dub Bus to be a Flower Child during a special time in history and I loved every minute of it! I still can hear Janis Joplin singing, “I Got Dem Ol’ Kosmic Blues Again Mama!”
In 2015, Larry Drum opened The Original Dave’s Cosmic Subs restaurant after going to Ohio, to meet David Ross Lombardy. Lombardy was a musician, singer, songwriter, actor and hippie! He left the music industry, went back to Chagrin, Ohio and in 1997, created his successful franchise.
Larry has five people working for him, including his autistic son Ryan, who lives independently and rides the bus every day to work at his father’s business, located in the Pavilions parking lot on Pacific Coast Highway. Ryan was quite fascinated with Aunt Gertie and I was delighted to talk to him after seeing him on Main Street many times.
Larry had a 25 year career as the team physician for Long Beach State College and also was a doctor for the Olympics three times. He was born and raised in Long Beach, graduated Wilson High School in 1975, and attended medical school in Illinois.
Larry met his wife, JoAnn in our lovely town and they were wed at Grace Church with their honeymoon in Napa, California. They’ve enjoyed living here for 20 years in the Tiny Crown Jewel of the Southern California Coastline! Stop in for a delicious sub and tell ‘em Aunt Gertie sent you!
Karen Hadley, creator of Aunt Gertie, can be reached by surface mail at Karen Hadley, PO Box 34, Seal Beach, CA 90740 or email at Yodelon@aol.com.
