Imig Family Reunites at the Lafayette Hotel

Last November, Mark Jones, the great nephew of Larry Imig visited the Lafayette Hotel for the first time in his life. Larry Imig was the developer and original owner of the hotel which he built in 1946. He named it the Imig Manor. Mark decided to take his sister, who flew in from out-of-town, to visit the location his family once claimed as their own and capture the spirit of his family's enchanting past.

Luckily, Mark approached the staff of the hotel and let them know who he was. In the interest of gathering memorabilia and documenting the hotel's history, this visit marked the start of something significant. On January 13, 2009, several members of the Imig family returned to the hotel, and this time they joined the current owners and directors of the hotel to share pictures, stories and unfold several critical elements of the hotel which had yet to be identified.

What they discovered was that Larry Imig was one of eight children. The family grew up in Nebraska on a self-sustaining farm, producing everything they needed to eat except for coffee and sugar. Larry moved away from home to join the Navy, and from there, he swiftly climbed the ladder of success. In fact, when Larry was working for a car dealership, he traded a car for a fixer-upper home and that is how he got started in the housing business.

Larry's last remaining sibling and youngest sister Esther Anderson joined her family at the hotel this year. When she wasn't living on the east coast, Esther and her husband Eldon ran the Eldon's Sundries, which was located inside the hotel, where the Red Fox Inn exists today. Shirley and Larry Sieck, Imig's orphaned niece and nephew, were lovingly treated as if they were his own children. They spent the most memorable years of their childhood at the Imig Manor. The two had all the privileges of growing up in a first class hotel: food whenever they wanted, daily swims in the pool, dance classes and first class hotel service.

The Imig Manor was considered a city within a city. There was a barbershop, dance studio, ballroom, a luxurious outdoor heated pool and spa on sight. Larry threw lavish parties which welcomed people throughout Southern California including many Hollywood stars and starlets. His nephew Larry remembers the Arabian Night parties most because he was able to hold onto the swords once they were over. There were also fashion shows, evening pool performances, bingo nights and all sorts of themed parties with smorgasbords of food.

With such wonderful memories, it is amazing that most of the family members who gathered at the hotel early this year had not visited it since the early 1950's, after Larry sold the hotel. Hopefully this reunion is only the beginning of an effort to rekindle the enchanting history on this fabulous hotel.


About Lafayette Hotel

Since its grand opening on July 1, 1946, the newly renovated Lafayette has been the site of historical glamour. Among its famous guests were Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, and Betty Grable. Inside, the Mississippi Ballroom takes center stage where Hollywood's who's who came to dance the night away. Also, guests can take a dive into the Olympic sized pool designed by five-time Olympic gold medal winner, Johnny Weismuller.

Today, Hampstead Partners is restoring the boutique hotel. All rooms have undergone renovations including: new paint, new carpet, curtains, and new linens. Also, a new bar and restaurant, The Spotlight, is calling Lafayette Hotel its new home. In addition, the historic Red Fox, with its 16th century Tudor artifacts and piano bar, will continue to offer guests American cuisine in a unique atmosphere.

Lafayette Hotel is located on 2223 El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego, California 92104. For more information please visit www.lafayettehotelsd.com or call 619.296.2101.