Headquarters to celebrate 70 years

A local legend is going all out for a big birthday next week.

Headquarters Restaurant and Bar, which opened in 1953, will host its 70th anniversary celebration at its restaurant Saturday, Nov. 18.

Festivities will include live music, discounted meals, raffles and donations to local charities starting at 6 p.m. The restaurant will offer meals for just $10 per plate (entrees usually cost between $12 and $15), while kids 10 and under eat free.

At 9 p.m., the party gets restricted to adults 21 and over.

Half of all food and raffle sales will go to Hope Women’s Center and Maricopa Pantry.

Owner Alma Farrell said she’s happy the city has continued to embrace the restaurant.

“It’s been a long time coming,” she told InMaricopa. “I think people appreciate that Headquarters feels like an old-time place with homemade food. And for the longest time, we were the only place where people could gather, eat and have meetings and receptions.”

Headquarters is known for its extensive breakfast menu and Mexican-American fare, while the bar next door offers a divey vibe.

The restaurant became known as the occasional watering hole for actor John Wayne when he owned farmland in the area at the time.

In 1956, it burned down but was eventually rebuilt by the Farrell family.