Topline:
Cook’s Corner, where a gunman opened fire Wednesday night, is often described as a biker bar in Trabuco Canyon. But the community ties run far deeper, stretching back to at least 1926.
How did the place begin? The original Cook family ran the business in a few different ways. It was a food supply for miners at first, then it shifted more to burgers, booze and spaghetti. The way it looked also changed. Originally a beekeeper’s house, Cook’s Corner is now housed in an old mess hall.
How has it stayed in business? For nearly a hundred years, the secret to its longevity seems to the community surrounding it. Cook’s has stood strong in the face of development, wildfires, and now a mass shooting, with a steady flow of clientele.
What’s a day at Cook’s like? Take your pick — there’s spaghetti night, a horseshoe game and pool among the choices. It’s one of the last road houses that many love for sticking to its old-style country personality.
“Cold beer. Good food. Children welcome.”
That was the sign that greeted you when you drove up the road to Cook’s Corner, which sits on the doorstep to the Trabuco Canyon community in southern Orange County.
The beloved hangout was rocked by tragedy Wednesday night when a gunman opened fire, killing at least three people and injuring six others. The jarring shooting is one of many tough times the tavern has gone through after more than nine decades in business.
“We’ve experienced major earthquakes, forest fires, floods, recessions and other disasters,” its website says. “We’ve gotten through all of them and came out stronger.”
This latest disaster has put Cook’s Corner in the headlines as the community grapples with how to process the shooting. Here’s what we’ve learned about the tavern’s impact.
How Cook’s Corner began
Though lauded by many as a biker bar, Cook’s Corner transcends that reputation. Nestled at the cusp of suburbia and nature, the roadhouse takes you back to country times.
The Cook family had the land stretching back to 1884. Its first known use was as a converted beekeeper’s cabin in 1926, across the street from its current location on the corner of Live Oak and Santiago Canyon roads, serving as a food supply for ranchers and miners. Then, after Prohibition ended, it was a burger joint with a full bar. When Earl Jack Cook bought a World War II mess hall from the Santa Ana Army Air Base, he moved it to El Toro Road in 1946 where the adored wooden building stands today.
Over the years, its clientele has gone from dusty miners to die-hard bikers and families with kids — all gathering for a good meal and a cold drink. But with time comes change as encroaching development has often threatened to take over. In 1987, Cook’s almost went belly up to make way for a new road.
“It’s the last real breath of mountain atmosphere left in this area,” historian Jim Sleeper told the L.A. Times then.
Then in 1996, another batch of developments risked changing the scenery forever from right across the street (the homes were ultimately approved, but the shopping area didn’t pan out). Cook’s Corner is situated right by canyons and lush trees — views that almost certainly would have gone away and affected business.
The place is one of Orange County’s most popular roadhouses, and community members say Cook’s Corner has stayed true to its roots despite ownership changes.
The community’s neighborhood bar
Janice Hooper, who’s been a regular at Cook’s when she’s in the area, started visiting in the late 1980s. Through her early twenties, marriage, and kids, Cook’s has remained a reliable and fun place for her to hang out.
“It had new ownership and those guys came in and kind of spruced it up a little bit and that brought in a newer clientele,” Hooper said. “But it’s still retained all of its old history with people still riding their motorcycles there.”
Cook’s is known for its events like poker runs and fundraisers, such as a motorcycle ride to raise funds for the Children's Hospital of Orange County.
There are trails nearby for biking and hiking. You can play horseshoe outside or try your skills at the pool table indoors. Bikers love the place with their hogs filling up parking. It’s still a spot that attracts families, suburban travelers and hard-knuckled bar lovers.
Picnic tables offer a spot to enjoy a pint of beer and nachos with a stellar view. Bands regularly play there and spaghetti night is a hit.
Hundreds of people have taken to social media to express their appreciation for the place.
Hooper, who learned about the shooting from a friend who lives nearby, says it’s been heartbreaking to see this happen in a place that “we know every inch of.”
“It's like your next door neighbor’s house.”
LAist correspondent Jill Replogle contributed to this story.
