The original documents are located in Box C3, folder “Mardikian, George M.” of the Gerald and Betty Ford Special Materials Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.

Copyright Notice The copyright law of the (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. GEORGE M. MARDIKIAN ENTERPRISES

RE PR.:'SIDENT HAS I l1,

November 10, 1976

Honorable Gerald R. Ford c/o Firestone Estate Palm Springs, Ca.

My dear Mr. President:

The enclosed article indicates that we have never lost faith in you, that you are still our champion. In spite of my wife's illness, we were glued to the televi­ sion until the final blow.

It was heartbreaking, but perhaps it was an act of God that saved you more problems. This will give you a chance to enjoy your wonderful family.

We were so proud of the First Lady when she read your message to President-elect Carter.

So whoever voted for him, in all my letters I write I tell them to prepare to eat nothing but "Carter sandwiches" - peanut butter and baloney. One place that will never be served will be Omar Khayyam's, you can be sure of that!

I just want you to know that every time I give a talk - one of which was just yesterday to a local Sons in Retirement branch - I have an even greater understanding of people's respect and admiration for you, which will never cease. As time goes on people will recognize what a tragedy it was to not have you as our leader for another four years. But maybe this will be a lesson f.or all those who are concerned about the future of our great country, that we should go out of our way to do everything humanly possible to retain this wonderful privilege left to us on a silver platter.

My whole family joins me in wishing you, Mrs. Ford and the children all that is best in this world - happiness, health and all the joys of life. May God bless you always. With great admiration, I remain,

Always affectionately,

George M. Mardikian

GMM: le Enclosure

e 240 STOCKTON ST., 4TH PLOOI e SAN PIANCISCO, CALIP. 94101 • (415) 986-0785-(415) 362-3903 •

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SATURDAY, FEBRl:ARY 28, 19i6

Patriot Boosts American Spirit

By KAREN GREENE Staff Reporter

Great Americans aren't Nearly penniless, he got a born. they're grown, contends job in Coffee Dan's, a San George Mardikian, an Armeni­ Francisco basement restau­ an import and superpatriot rant. and took home $12 a week whose flag-waving faith in his for his dishwashing labors. adopted country has never Other jobs followed until Mar­ waned. d ikian and his wife, Naz. Since taking root in San opened a small place called Francisco in 1922, Mardikian Omar Khayyam's where they has become one of America·s served Armenian dishes. classic success stories. Never ·After several other restau­ one to forget his gratitude to rant ventures. Mardikian On a recent visit of President Ford to , both Mr. and the "land of opportunity", he walked into the old Coffee Mrs. George Mardikian were invited to a reception as friends. Mr. spends much of his time travel­ Dan's in 1938 and 15 minutes ing cross-country, singing his later he owned it. This senti­ Mardikian (second from right) asked President Ford to meet his song of America. The noted mental location is presently "other President", Mr. Arch Monson, the National President of the author and philanthropist is in the base of the entrepreneur's Boy Scouts of America. This was a great meeting because all three Charleston this weekend to operations. speak at the annual convention gentlemen are Eagle Schouts; the hi1;hest .rank in Scouting; and, "There is, what I call, one all three are also wearers of the Silver Buffalo, Scouting's highest of the .South Carolina Home sacred table in the place,'' he Economists Assn. says, with a sly grin. "Even award. Mrs. Mardikian looks on, wearing her Nefertiti pin. A self-proclaimed trouble­ when the restaurant is full, Page 2, The Armenian Observer, March 3, 1976 ·maker, Mardikian explains his that table is empty. It marks surname means "son of a war­ the exact location where I rior". "My war is against pov­ washed dishes." erty and disloyalty. My main Besides managing his restau­ et," he jokes. "And, I've been an makes his opinions Known . objective in life is to go around rant. Mardikian has served as fooling them for 15 years." He is also author of "Dinner at the country and disavow the a food consultant to the U.S. A scout for more than 60 Omar Khayyam's" and "Song bearers of malcontent and ped­ Army from 1942 through 1954 years. Mardikian stresses his of America", his autobiogra­ dlers of gloom. That's why I'm and continues his active work faith in the vouth of America phy. still holding 30 pounds of extra with food-relief programs in and extols the virtues of voca­ His recipe for success lists weight," he says with a wink. needv countries. For his serv­ tiona I training, as well as liter­ hard work as the main ingre­ "When I step on them, I want ice. he is the recipient of nu­ ary know-how. dient. "First. have faith in them to feel it." merous awards, including the "Not all youngsters are born yourself. Put your utmost trust A veteran of his native coun• Medal of Freedom, America's to become doctors, lawyers or in America, the hope of the trv·s battles with the Turks, highest civilian honor. engineers," he observes. world and all freedom-loving Mardikian became a guerilla •·some want to work with their peoples. Add to this a faith in A favorite medal, he points God. Combine everything and at the age of 15. After a capture out, is the Boy Scouts' "Silver hands. Americans, · I believe, and subsequent escape, he left are natural mechanics." back it all with hard work - Buffalo" award. "It's usually you can't miss." Constantinople for America given to Presidents or those As a contributor to several only hours before the Turks who are about the buck- national publications. M:ardiki- came to re-arrest him. to kick Mon., Aug. 16, 197 6

"It is unbelievable what the first sight of that lady with the torch means to those who come searching, not so much for security as for something beautiful that hardly exists any place-human dignity. I can tell you that I fell In love 'It isn't with her then and have been carrying on an unashamed love affair with her for 54 years." enough to Mardlklan is a multi-mil­ lionaire now, owner of several working ranches, a string of radio stations, large parcels dream, you of metropolitan real estate, a have to ly Joan McKinney worlc'

valuable art collection and a whole collection of awards for humanitarianism. But he never wants to forget the days when it was not like that-the years in , when he saw his rather killed before his eyes and his people decimated by the Turks. And the post-war years when, after working for Tribune photo by ROBERT STINNETT Herbert Hoover's food relief program in the Caucasus re­ George M ardikian stands in fron t of the restaurant where he once :1lon, he finally escaped fur­ washed dishes and which he has owned now for nearly 40 years ther · attacks on Armenians 1nd boarded a Greek refugee ;hip bound for New York. To must Bay Area residents, George A bowl of American pennies Mardikian is known as the genial host of sits on the coffee table in Omar Khavvam 's, the restaurallt that has rront of a sofa In his office been dispensing the cuisine of his native overlooking Union Square. It Mardikian country, Armenia, since 1938. ;;hares pride of place with an American flag and signed pic­ To ex-servicemen of Wo rld War II tures of five Presidents (Hoo­ ver , Eisenhower , Johnson, and the Korean conflict, he is f ond{1 1 ~lxon, Ford) , the Shah of Iran remembered as the man who made the and the late King Faisal of difference in Army cooking, in his :,audl Arabia. Has Made capacity as food consultant. "Let me tell you the story behind those pennies, " says And to the manr thousands who have Mardlklan, a nattily-dressed read his books · ("Dinner al Omar septuagenarian in black suit Khai•vam 's." "Song of America.") anJ violet shirt ,rnd hantlkerchief heard him speak. he is the super-patnot wearing the Bicentennial sym­ His Mark bol and a Boy Scout tenderfool personi{ted, the tireless booster of the pin In his lapel, a silver buffa­ United States of America, which he .first lo (highest Boy Scout order ) saw as an immigrant in 1922. He still tie clip. likes tu talk about If.

------'I am the only immigrant who cannot say I came here without a penny,' laughs George Mardikian, who kHps some around to remind himself

"There was a Greek repa­ that if a man washes dishes vestment In Oakland, in prop­ whom he supports as he drl('s triot on that ship who gam­ for $12 a week, 12 hours a day erty. People don't realize, any Armenian who is willing bled with everybody . . . he with every other Sunday off, they think this guy lJ!Ust be a to work . approached me, but I had without knowing the lan­ nut, but I feel that some day After World War II. he was only $5 In my pocket and I guage, and he can make it, there Is going to be develop­ responsible, through the was not going to gamble that anybody can." ment there. .American National Committee away. The last night before for Homeless Armenians . fnr we arrived in New York-that "You know, the fortunate bringmg 21,000 displaced prr­ It was not. of course, an part of my business Is that I was July 24, which I hence­ overnight rags-to-riches story. sons to this country and, he forth made my birthday-he am never hungry for money says proudly, "I bet you don ·1 Mardikian, realizing that he and I have more patience than came back and said he ad­ would never learn English find 21 of them on the dole. anybody else. I had a building Because I told them 'if ~iu mired me for not gambling, washing dishes In a basement, over on Market Street for 37 but he thought I would have moved on to Compton's cafet­ like to work, this is your years-hardly get enough country. If you don 't, better problems In America because eria chain, took time out to from It to pay the taxes. Now I dldn 't speak English and serve as a steward aboard a stay where you are.· It isn ·t the city has decided to build enough to dream, you know , would not understand the dif­ ship on a round-the-world the UN park. there, they ference between the coins. So, cruise, and came back with you have to work in order to brought BART right in front succeed." he offered to exchange my $5 plans for his ·own restaurant of my building, so everyone for aOO pennies, so I wouldn't In his mind. will come there. No, I didn't Mardiklan has worked hard have any difficulty. know anything about It, but for most of his 54 years in He had, two years after his just common sense will tell America. Now he takes it a "I took it with gratitude, arrival, met Naz Ruzvanian at you. little easier-though his table thinking there was some kind­ a choral concert In the YMCA. is always kept waiting at ness in the man, even though "I was very much taken with "The only thing I am upset Omar Khayyam's, and he is he was a gambler. Then, her," he says, but they wer­ about is, they are paying over often there to see how things when I was on the train to San en't married until 1930. Part­ a million for that horrible are going, to meet old friends Francisco, where I joined my ly, says George now, "be­ monstrosity of a fountain-I and to point out to children older sister and brother, I had cause I was a stubborn Arme­ am . very conservative where that he once washed dishes to buy food from the vendors. nian. Although they telJ me art is concerned. there, many years ago. I would point to what I want­ that in this country the girl's ed, and they were so nice and "But you see, the problem '.'When people tell me there family pays for the wedding, with many people, they invest happy to help me choose in Armenia It is the reverse." Is no more opportunity ," he things, but when I gave them their money in property and says, "I think they must be the pennies they got very up­ they want to become rich out of their minds." set. I couldn't think what was The Mardikians have been overnight. You don't do that. the matter with these people happily married ever since, The reason I have been able that they got mad when you and the only cloud on the to accumulate wealth Is my paid them! horizon now is Naz Mardlkl­ faith in the futu;e of my an's health--fflle recently un­ country, my city and the city derwent surgey for lung can­ next door. "I asked my sister when I cer. arrived, and she explained "You know recently In your that they don't like carrying "The worst thing is," says own paper was a story that all those pennies around. For they found the house where the next 20 years I looked for George, "that she has been putting up with me for 46 Herbert Hoover lived in Oak­ that Greek to .punch him in land? If nobody buys it, I the nose, but for the 34 after years, and making me believe I am the rooster 1n the house, want to buy it and restore it Mardilcian is fondly remembered that, I didn't want to punch and give it to the city." him. You know why? We have and now I realize that I am 41 million Immigrants to this just a chicken alongside her Herbert Hoover, because of by GI'• as the man who tried to im­ country, and I must have outlook on life . . . she is one his food relief work in the prove on army food durtng·World talked to at least a million, of the greatelt girls in the Near East, was quite natural­ and almost every one says 'I world." ly Mardikian's hero long be­ War II and the Korean conflict came without a penny .' I am fore he came to the U.S. And Their first home was near he was, he says, "a Republi­ the only one who cannot say Lake Merritt In Oakland, that-I had 500 pennies! " can long before I became a where George opened the citizen" because of this tie. It ~mpton 's on Broadway at The story has been written was Hoover, too, who pro­ "13th. And, he recalls, "Joseph posed Mardikian for member­ many times of how the young R. . Knowland was one of my Immigrant got a job washing ship 1n the prestigious Bohe­ dishes In a restaurant called first customers. mian Club and his own Grove Coffee Dan's, and how he lat­ "I have always bad a very encampment, Cave Man's. er bought that same restau­ warm spot In my heart for George's son, Haig, has now rant and turned It into the Oakland, but I have always joined him In membership of high-1-y -successful Omar been concerned over the phi­ the camp, which has to be Khayyam's. losophy of Oakland people. among the best-fed at the "I want to tell you that They don't realize they have Grove. people who say sentimentality so much over us-weather­ His interest In art has been, doesn't pay dividends," he W{se, and now you've got the perhaps by osmosis, transmit­ says, "you just tell them port and you always had the ted to his daughter, Anita, where to head In. I'm a very /railroads. There. is room to who is now building her own sentimental person, and I j!Xp8Dd, which we don't have sculpture studio on Nob Hill. came and bought that place 1n San Francisco. Her father's coilectlon is an for no other reason than so I amalgam of old master's and could tell everrybody that this l· "Between YoU and me, I modern Armenian painters, is still a land of opportunity- have quite a considerable in- Honorable Gerald R. Ford President of the United States c/o Firestone Estate Palm Springs, Ca. I'

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