03. Suhwaro Hotel

To the north of us, along Buffalo Street, where Cupid’s 50s Diner presently resides, you will see the distinctive façade of the Suhwaro Hotel—that’s spelled S-U-H-W-A-R-O—don’t ask me why!  The Suhwaro Hotel was originally built with the thought that Chandler needed a hotel for those who could not afford the opulence of the San Marcos.  The original owners were Will H. Robinson, author and advertising agent for the San Marcos, and Harry Collis, the San Marcos golf pro.  You’ll find a photo of Will Robinson on the back page of your photo guide. 

The Suhwaro was constructed in the summer of 1916 by Chandler contractor W.P. Pleasant.  It was two stories tall, constructed of brick and designed in the Mission Revival style, its front deliberately reminiscent of the famous Alamo in Texas.  The Suhwaro opened for business October 24, 1916.  Its life as a hotel was short-lived, though, as eight short years later in 1924, the building was leased by the San Marcos for staff housing, and it remained in the hands of the San Marcos until the resort closed in 1979.  The building saw other functions as well in the early years.  The dining room was a popular eatery run by a Mrs. Pinkham in 1924.  That same year, the Suhwaro became home to the Chandler Public Library, run by the local Woman’s Club.  Its shelves offered over 400 books that residents could check out.  Chandler resident Jack Henry (b. 1914) recalled that when he started school in 1921, his class met in the bottom rooms of the Suhwaro Hotel for two years, while completion of the Cleveland School was awaited.