Were there other saints in Shirdi before Sai Baba's famous return?

Yes, Shirdi was already home to other holy figures before Sai Baba returned with Chand Patil's wedding party. Chapter 5 of the Shri Sai Satcharitra explicitly mentions this to provide context. The text states that before Baba's arrival, a saint named Devidas had already made Shirdi his home. Following him, another saint by the name of Janakidas Gosavi also came to live in Shirdi. This information establishes that Shirdi was a spiritually significant place even prior to it becoming widely known as the home of Sai Baba, setting the stage for his eventual and permanent stay.