Bartender honored for 50 years at Joe’s Cafe in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - He started washing dishes in 1970 at Joe's Cafe in Santa Barbara and Francisco "Frankie" Calvillo says, "there hasn't been a day in my life that I hated to work. Not one day."

He says, "it has become part of my routine."

There have been so many memories over the years.

"I have met people when they were young. Now they are married and their kids are coming here. I have met their kids when they are born. It is satisfying to me to have lived all those generations that have come here," said Calvillo.

He may not always know everyone's name, but "most of the time I know what they drink!" said Calvillo.

Being a regular at Joe's matters to Calvillo. "People feel special when they come to a place and see the same faces. You interact with them about life, about anything. People like that. They feel at ease when they know someone they can trust and just talk to them about anything."

At times, he admits, he can also be a therapist.

He's also learned a lot about what's happening in Santa Barbara from the variety of people walking through the door. "Maybe if I start to think about all the things I have learned at this place, I probably could write a book," he said.

During the pandemic, the regular customers coming in for lunch and dinner and the shoulder to shoulder crowds at night are not coming by as much.

"I miss interacting with people. I really, really do," he said. Sometimes he goes outside to the new seating area (since the inside is closed due to COVID rules ) and cleans tables, talks to the customers and says "It means a lot to me."

Watch tonight on KEYT NewsChannel 3, NewsChannel 12 and KKFX 11.

(More photos, details and video will be added later today)