By C. MacDonald

When a recent Edison High School 30-year reunion was about to take place, the organizers wanted alumni to re-taste their favorite foods and they turned to Jack Clapp, whose father started what is today Huntington Beach, California's oldest continuous business run by the same family, "Dwight's Beach Concession," south of the HB Pier. "They loved our World Famous Cheese Strips and wanted the delicacy for their reunion," Jack said. "My dad, Dwight, created this delicious item in 1939. It started off as tortilla strips and his special sauce, which includes vinegar, granulated garlic and several other secret items."

"People come here re-living their youth and introducing the strips to their kids and grandkids.It's really amazing to see," Clapp said proudly. "They come from all over the world to order it. Some want me to add chili to the cheese."

Chris Stewart, 19, an Arizona State University student, said he has been coming to Dwight's for 10 years to rent bikes and munch on cheese strips. "They're to die for," he said. "Whenever I get a rumble in my stomach, I order more. They put just the right amount of cheese on them and the sauce is unlike any other."

The creator of the famous strips and sauce also was the one who helped get the combination lifeguard station/food concession on the beach in 1932. "Dwight asked the city to build their first lifeguard station on the beach with a small area for food sales and the $600 structure was erected south of the pier right near our current business," said the man, who began working for his dad at age 10. "Hamburgers sold for 10-cents; Soda, 5-cents; Umbrellas were rented for 50-cents a day. It was a huge success."

"My dad worked in the oilfields in the Winter and ran the concession in the Summer. He ended up owning part of an oil well, across the street from Gustafson Brothers on Gothard Street."

In 1939, the first Dwights had became so popular that it was rebuilt three times larger nearby. "We started renting surfboards, backrests, fins and other items. We didn't have any competition at the beach until the mid-1950s. In 1967, we built a larger building on the beach at the same location (201 Pacific Coast Highway, between Main and First) and started renting wetsuits and bikes."

Dwight worked 35 years creating the legendary food and concession stand, until retiring, and selling out to Jack in 1975. The next year, Jack also started Jack's Beach Concession (near Pacific Coast Highway and Huntington Street), which is now run by his son, David. His daughter Laurie Knight, runs a Gift Shop attached to Dwights. He has two other sons, Ken, a painting contractor, and Richard,a building contractor. His wife of 64, years, Jeanette, has raised the family and been the inspiration for the Clapp's success.

Jack continues to carry on his father's beachside tradition, which has helped make Huntington Beach the famous "Surf City" that it is today. To find out more, visit dwightsbeachconcession.com or email Jack at dwightsbeachconcession@gmail.com.

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