Save Graber Olive House – Don’t Let 130 Years of History Disappear
Save Graber Olive House – Don’t Let 130 Years of History Disappear
The Issue
NOTICE: You DO NOT need to donate any money for this petition. The money donated goes to change.org to help push the petition for more visibility which we do not need. Signing the petition is enough. Thank you!
If you feel moved to help, we invite you to contribute through the GoFundMe link below.
UPDATE: On 9/23/2025, another city planning meeting was held after neighbor Kim Flores submitted an appeal to further restrict events at the Graber Olive House. Despite overwhelming community support, the committee imposed new restrictions to appease Kim and a handful of others opposed to events being held at the Graber Olive House.
A potential buyer in attendance walked out after hearing more red tape was being imposed and even hearing comments from opponents threatening to “keep calling the police until events are shut down” if the appeal was denied. This behavior is shameful, especially when the alternative is a land developer tearing down our history to build multi-family housing, leaving neighbors with the very same parking issues and lower property values they claim to fear.
Please sign this petition, leave a comment, and email our city members to demand the red tape be removed so this historic site has a real chance of being saved and its legacy preserved.
Planning department:
planning@ontarioca.gov
City clerk:
smautz@ontarioca.gov (Ask to forward email to all council members)
Thank you!
UPDATE: AFTER the City Hall Meeting on 7/21 YOU SPOKE. THEY LISTENED. The Graber Olive House Is One Step Closer to Reopening! Thanks to your voices, the City of Ontario has responded with several positive revisions that move us toward a respectful and successful reopening. AFTER HEARING FROM YOU, NEIGHBORS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND SUPPORTERS, HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGED FOR THE BETTER: ✅ Olive Canning Operations • Hours expanded from 8AM–5PM to 7AM–10PM • Staff now allowed on-site after hours for prep and maintenance ✅ Gift Shop & Museum • Hours extended from 8AM–10PM to allow for more visitors ✅ Banquet & Events • Guest capacity increased from 100 to 150 people • Private events expanded to 6 per month • Low-volume outdoor music and acoustic sets now permitted • Event details and contact info will be posted publicly • Indoor weekend banquets now allowed Friday through Sunday, 8AM–10PM - Music and alcohol service must end 30 minutes prior to closing • Frequency of events to be an average of 6 per month, totaling 72 per year ✅ Alcohol Sales • The City is now allowing the Graber Olive House to apply for a permit to serve and sell wine and alcohol •Previously, submitting to upgrade the alcohol license was not permitted • Spirits may only be sold as part of Graber Olive gift sets (e.g., martini kits) ✅ Parking Solutions • City parking study confirms sufficient street parking • No reserved spots — parking remains open to all neighbors • Upon approval, major events (over 150 guests) will require shuttle service A WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY Because of your continued support, the Graber family is now closer than ever to reopening in a way that honors their 131-year-old legacy and fits respectfully within the neighborhood. WHAT’S STILL LEFT TO ADDRESS? 🔹 2.8A — Events must be allowed as an average of 72 total annually, and not restricted from month to month 🔹 2.19E — Indoor weekend banquets should be permitted Friday–Sunday, 8AM–11PM (instead of 8AM–10PM) with music and alcohol ending 30 minutes before close LET’S FINISH WHAT WE STARTED Your voice made this progress possible. Let’s keep the momentum going to ensure a full and fair reopening of this historic community landmark. Stay engaged. Stay vocal. Let’s get this over the finish line! Previous statement from 7/7 For over 130 years, nearly as long as our city has existed, the Graber Olive House has been a living, working piece of history. Generations of families, workers, and visitors have passed through its doors, sharing in the story of a place that has not only canned WORLD renowned olives, but preserved a sense of identity and tradition we rarely see anymore. Now, that legacy is at risk of being lost forever. A passionate, local investor, someone who has already proven their commitment to historical preservation with projects like the Claremont Packing House, Padua Hills, and the Redlands Public Market is ready to revive Graber Olive House. Plans were in motion to resume canning this October. The olive trees are ready. The community is ready. But the City’s newly imposed restrictions, limiting canning hours and allowing only four events per month would cripple this revival before it can even begin. If these restrictions remain in place, we lose not only the investor, but the last chance to save Graber as we know it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. And what comes next? Likely an outside developer with no ties to our city, no interest in preserving history, and no obligation to honor what Graber has meant to us. We’re calling on the city planning department to compromise, to listen, and to trust the Graber family and this new steward of the property. Reasonable accommodations can and must be made so this cornerstone of our heritage doesn’t turn into another “what used to be.” This is more than olives. This is our story. Our past. Our future. Join us in urging the City to remove these unrealistic restrictions and allow Graber Olive House to thrive once again for our community, our history, and the generations still to come. The Graber family, along with partner investor Jerry Tessier, are deeply committed to this community. They’re not only preserving history, they’re investing in its future. If you have questions, concerns, or simply want to learn more, they’re just a phone call or email away and are eager to listen. Their goal is to do right by the residents of Ontario and keep the legacy of Graber Olive House alive. TheGraberOliveHouse@gmail.com Please help us save this historic treasure, YOUR VOICE MATTERS! City Hall Meeting: Monday, July 21st at 2PM Location: 303 E. B st Ontario Ca. 91764 If you are unable to make the city hall meeting please email associate planner Elly Antuna and let her know you oppose of the restrictions and what Graber Olive House means to you at: eantuna@ontarioca.gov Please leave a comment here on what Graber means to you and your family and why it’s so important to keep Graber a part of our community for another 130 years! Let your voice be heard. Help us save Graber. #SaveGraberOliveHouse #PreserveOurHistory
3,261
The Issue
NOTICE: You DO NOT need to donate any money for this petition. The money donated goes to change.org to help push the petition for more visibility which we do not need. Signing the petition is enough. Thank you!
If you feel moved to help, we invite you to contribute through the GoFundMe link below.
UPDATE: On 9/23/2025, another city planning meeting was held after neighbor Kim Flores submitted an appeal to further restrict events at the Graber Olive House. Despite overwhelming community support, the committee imposed new restrictions to appease Kim and a handful of others opposed to events being held at the Graber Olive House.
A potential buyer in attendance walked out after hearing more red tape was being imposed and even hearing comments from opponents threatening to “keep calling the police until events are shut down” if the appeal was denied. This behavior is shameful, especially when the alternative is a land developer tearing down our history to build multi-family housing, leaving neighbors with the very same parking issues and lower property values they claim to fear.
Please sign this petition, leave a comment, and email our city members to demand the red tape be removed so this historic site has a real chance of being saved and its legacy preserved.
Planning department:
planning@ontarioca.gov
City clerk:
smautz@ontarioca.gov (Ask to forward email to all council members)
Thank you!
UPDATE: AFTER the City Hall Meeting on 7/21 YOU SPOKE. THEY LISTENED. The Graber Olive House Is One Step Closer to Reopening! Thanks to your voices, the City of Ontario has responded with several positive revisions that move us toward a respectful and successful reopening. AFTER HEARING FROM YOU, NEIGHBORS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND SUPPORTERS, HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGED FOR THE BETTER: ✅ Olive Canning Operations • Hours expanded from 8AM–5PM to 7AM–10PM • Staff now allowed on-site after hours for prep and maintenance ✅ Gift Shop & Museum • Hours extended from 8AM–10PM to allow for more visitors ✅ Banquet & Events • Guest capacity increased from 100 to 150 people • Private events expanded to 6 per month • Low-volume outdoor music and acoustic sets now permitted • Event details and contact info will be posted publicly • Indoor weekend banquets now allowed Friday through Sunday, 8AM–10PM - Music and alcohol service must end 30 minutes prior to closing • Frequency of events to be an average of 6 per month, totaling 72 per year ✅ Alcohol Sales • The City is now allowing the Graber Olive House to apply for a permit to serve and sell wine and alcohol •Previously, submitting to upgrade the alcohol license was not permitted • Spirits may only be sold as part of Graber Olive gift sets (e.g., martini kits) ✅ Parking Solutions • City parking study confirms sufficient street parking • No reserved spots — parking remains open to all neighbors • Upon approval, major events (over 150 guests) will require shuttle service A WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY Because of your continued support, the Graber family is now closer than ever to reopening in a way that honors their 131-year-old legacy and fits respectfully within the neighborhood. WHAT’S STILL LEFT TO ADDRESS? 🔹 2.8A — Events must be allowed as an average of 72 total annually, and not restricted from month to month 🔹 2.19E — Indoor weekend banquets should be permitted Friday–Sunday, 8AM–11PM (instead of 8AM–10PM) with music and alcohol ending 30 minutes before close LET’S FINISH WHAT WE STARTED Your voice made this progress possible. Let’s keep the momentum going to ensure a full and fair reopening of this historic community landmark. Stay engaged. Stay vocal. Let’s get this over the finish line! Previous statement from 7/7 For over 130 years, nearly as long as our city has existed, the Graber Olive House has been a living, working piece of history. Generations of families, workers, and visitors have passed through its doors, sharing in the story of a place that has not only canned WORLD renowned olives, but preserved a sense of identity and tradition we rarely see anymore. Now, that legacy is at risk of being lost forever. A passionate, local investor, someone who has already proven their commitment to historical preservation with projects like the Claremont Packing House, Padua Hills, and the Redlands Public Market is ready to revive Graber Olive House. Plans were in motion to resume canning this October. The olive trees are ready. The community is ready. But the City’s newly imposed restrictions, limiting canning hours and allowing only four events per month would cripple this revival before it can even begin. If these restrictions remain in place, we lose not only the investor, but the last chance to save Graber as we know it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. And what comes next? Likely an outside developer with no ties to our city, no interest in preserving history, and no obligation to honor what Graber has meant to us. We’re calling on the city planning department to compromise, to listen, and to trust the Graber family and this new steward of the property. Reasonable accommodations can and must be made so this cornerstone of our heritage doesn’t turn into another “what used to be.” This is more than olives. This is our story. Our past. Our future. Join us in urging the City to remove these unrealistic restrictions and allow Graber Olive House to thrive once again for our community, our history, and the generations still to come. The Graber family, along with partner investor Jerry Tessier, are deeply committed to this community. They’re not only preserving history, they’re investing in its future. If you have questions, concerns, or simply want to learn more, they’re just a phone call or email away and are eager to listen. Their goal is to do right by the residents of Ontario and keep the legacy of Graber Olive House alive. TheGraberOliveHouse@gmail.com Please help us save this historic treasure, YOUR VOICE MATTERS! City Hall Meeting: Monday, July 21st at 2PM Location: 303 E. B st Ontario Ca. 91764 If you are unable to make the city hall meeting please email associate planner Elly Antuna and let her know you oppose of the restrictions and what Graber Olive House means to you at: eantuna@ontarioca.gov Please leave a comment here on what Graber means to you and your family and why it’s so important to keep Graber a part of our community for another 130 years! Let your voice be heard. Help us save Graber. #SaveGraberOliveHouse #PreserveOurHistory
3,261
Supporter Voices
Petition created on July 7, 2025