Kat Piantka | Newsroom Manager & Head Editor
October 3, 2024
Beloved by many and seen as an iconic town staple on the historic Avenida Del Mar in our small beach town, H.H. Cotton’s Restaurant has always embraced a family-friendly culture, symbolic of life in San Clemente. It is known for serving a wide variety of delicious food, a lively modern bar, and outdoor seating, making it a hot spot in this close-knit beach town. H.H. Cotton’s is also known for its live entertainment which it features every Friday and Saturday night as they strive to support local musicians in the community.
A key aspect of H.H. Cotton’s is not only serving good food and encouraging fun times with friends and family centralized around the City of San Clemente as four native families founded it—even the name of the restaurant as an underlying meaning correlated to the history of this small town. H.H. Cotton’s website reports that the restaurant was named after the two founders of San Clemente Ole Hanson and Henry Hamilton Cotton. The founders attempted to educate locals on the forgotten and even more crucial role Hamilton played in founding San Clemente, as he made purchasing this land possible and built the most famous residence in San Clemente: the H.H. Cotton estate later known as President Nixon’s “Western White House.” In this home, Hamilton entertained fellow Democrats including President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The restaurant is named after H.H. Cotton himself to embrace the often unknown history of San Clemente, emphasizing the importance of serving this small beach town and eventually becoming recognized as a staple throughout San Clemente.
Unfortunately, the news struck on September 16, that after nearly a decade, H.H. Cotton’s will be permanently closing as they served their final burgers on Sunday, September 29. This closure shocked many avid attendees of H.H. Cottons, such as sophomore Addison Carry because “every time [she] went [it seemed like] their business was popping.” Not only did she enjoy the positive environment but also the comfort of their American cuisine. Many alike, are sure to share a comparable amount of disbelief at the news as the restaurant played an essential role in the community for roughly a decade.
San Clemente Times reports that H.H. Cotton’s was a “stopover for guests” who attended SCHS’ Homecoming Parade, Puttin’ on the Glitz, Senior Graduation Walk, and many other events. The restaurant also prides itself in serving nearly 200 Marines “each Thanksgiving,” and for being the venue of numerous other events which will be greatly missed. Junior Myla Pert believed H.H. Cotton’s created a “lively space for her friends and family” to spend time with one another and eat enjoyable food. She further loved the uniqueness of the live music on weekends as it “differed from other restaurants in that area,” proving that the closure is not only affecting attendees but local live bands who relied on H.H. Cotton as a venue.
This end of an era brings awareness to another issue on the rise in San Clemente, the skyrocketing rents that are often unobtainable for business owners to afford, resulting in the failure and closure of restaurants and boutiques on Avenida Del Mar. The average rent currently in downtown San Clemente ranges from $3,000 to $4,000 depending on the square footage and location. If this trend of rising rents continues to exponentially rise, this fate will surely befall other businesses.
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