Ruby’s Diner on the Seal Beach Pier is going the way of poodle skirts and twenty-cent shakes.
The iconic restaurant will close its doors Jan. 10 after the 25 years of slinging burgers for beachgoers. After the restaurant’s owner and city officials failed to agree on new lease terms, the 50s era restaurant notified the city that it would no longer operate on the pier.
“We hate losing piers. We love piers – there aren’t that many of them,” said Tad Belshe, Ruby’s executive vice president of operations. “It’s been a pleasure. We love these beach communities and serving the public.”
The 30-year-old Newport Beach chain, which has restaurants on the Oceanside, Balboa and Huntington Beach piers has no plans for further closures, said Belshe. The company is planning to expand with new locations in Orange County and San Diego malls and a new quick-serve model, Belshe said. The decision to close in Seal Beach stems from failed lease agreement negotiations between the franchise partner and the city, Belshe said.
Ruby’s 10-year lease with the city expired in October, and the owner had hoped to extend the lease and renovate the restaurant, said Belshe. However, the city sought to open up the process to bids from other restaurateurs eager to open on the pier, he said. The Seal Beach Ruby’s owner decided not to operate and renovate in the face of such uncertainty, said Belshe.
“That’s business,” Belshe said. “From a Ruby’s standpoint, we have had a wonderful relationship with the city, and I think they are moving in a different direction where they want to get the best option available.”
"We'll just have to look for another option on the pier," said Mayor Gary Miller.
Assistant City Manager Sean Crumby said he couldn’t speculate about Ruby’s reasons for leaving.
“We are in the process of moving forward with finding a restaurant for the end of the pier,” said Crumby. “We are just looking for the best fit for Seal Beach. Right now, we are looking at family restaurants.”
Restaurateurs looking to open shop at the end of the second largest wooden pier on the west coast can expect to shell out as much as $5,000 to 10,000 per month. Interested businesses should contact Crumby at 562-431-2527 x 1318.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS
Are you sorry to see Ruby's go? What would you want to see open in its stead?
beach town.. I'll take my TAX dollars somewhere else..
WE NEED CHANGE A NEW CITY COUNCIL !!!
The city was to be paid a $6,000 monthly base rent, along with 6 percent of the gross food sales and 7 percent of the gross alcohol sales. WHAT A SCREWING!!!!! What this comes down to is a current era where rents are DOWN, but SB wants to continue the rape. The total rent may have been as much as $10,000 per month assuming $60k of sales. Insofar as the restroom is concerned, it has an outside entrance and should be the responsibility of the CITY as it is a public restroom. SEAL BEACH should have given them a 5 year extension at $4000 per month and no percentage in view of the depressed market rents.
Are you kidding? Ralphs and Pavilions are both high, and " I WANT DELI "
What a sad, little creature you are. Have you no joy in your life sir? If you're so unhappy, perhaps you should put your money where your big mouth is and run for a seat on the city council. Maybe you could convince the voters of Seal Beach that what they really need is a bitter malcontent looking out for their best interests. Otherwise, why don't you pack your bags and go live where ever it is that cretins like you retire to.
You have quite the unrefined palate. The swill they serve at Ruby's is comparable to dog food. You're better off not ever eating again than eating the high fat, high sodium garbage that Ruby's passes off to unsuspecting rubes. I for one would prefer to see a higher-end restaurant open on the pier serving actual food; food that won't give me diarrhea and make my waistline expand and clog my heart. And how about they get a restaurant owner that makes some improvements to that ramshackle building and actually clean those disgusting bathrooms every once in a while.
1. They ran off the bus service with Long Beach Provided for those living in Seal Beach without cars. And racial overtones were part of the dialog.. 2. You can't rent a vacation cottage. 3. Fish from the pier 4. Residents dislike like families with kids... 5. Bitched about airplanes flying over their city 6. Do not want unrefined palates in the city 7 No new development in the Long Beach Marina area 8 Base their budget on Parking Tickets
There's a possibility that Ruby's might return to the Pier. http://losalamitos.patch.com/articles/will-ruby-s-on-the-seal-beach-pier-be-replaced-by-ruby-s
I could address every single one of YOUR erroneous complaints, but you have proven to be a delusional whiner, so I won't waste my time. If you hate Seal Beach SO MUCH, why don't you leave and never come back? I know why; then you wouldn't be able to partake in your favorite activity; complaining about Seal Beach!