The building housing Scopazzi's restaurant has a long and colorful history. The building rewards us today with a look at fascinating times in Boulder Creek, California. In June of 1915, Joe Locatelli laid the foundation for a new hotel on Big Basin Highway in Boulder Creek. It first opened as a boarding house, called The Italia Hotel during the height of the logging industry to house the loggers who were working the surrounding hillsides. Later the Locatelli family knew there would be an evolving era of increased tourism and traffic with the opening of the northern route to Big Basin State Park, so plans were made to change its emphasis to a travelers hotel. With the opening of a movie studio in Boulder Creck during the silent film making days of 1914-1925, the hotel was frequented by many fans and stars of Hollywood such as Wallace Beery, Henry Fonda, Slim Summerville, Mary Pickford and Tom Mix who were making pictures in Boulder Creek and surrounding areas. The redwood windowed dining room and the patio on the east side, were added in 1924 and the establishment was renamed to The Locatelli Inn. During prohibition the site was known as THE place to go for the forbidden distribution from the local stills. The hotel & dining room was operated by the Locatelli's until 1955. It was then sold to experienced restaurateurs, the Scopazzi family, who converted the business to the
establishment that stands today. The family senior, John 'Nono' Scopazzi who operated the business, added the lounge and bar to the building but decided to discontinue offering hotel accommodation services. In 1986, the current owners, Paul Violante, a long-time chef and front-of-house manager Talal Janbay, who worked here as a busboy, purchased the restaurant and business name. The square, vernacular building, constructed entirely of wood, still has the full second floor. After 100+ years, Scopazzi's continues to offer the finest Italian restaurant in the area, with a versatile wine list, a full lounge, bar and banqueting facilities for up to 200 people