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Eater
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
Classic Redondo Beach Steakhouse the Bull Pen Is a ‘Cheers'-Style Hangout in South Bay
Friday at 4 p.m. marks the hour when the work day ends and socializing begins, at least in Redondo Beach. The Bull Pen has a handful of regulars dotted throughout the bar side of the restaurant as servers ready tables, line cooks ferry produce to the kitchen, and servers field calls and check handwritten reservations in a timeworn book. Rudy, one of several bartenders who has been with the restaurant for over 30 years, pours a fresh cup of coffee for a customer, David, who has occupied a corner bar stool every week at this time for 28 years. Regulars Renee and Bob take a high top towards the back; Rudy brings them their usual order (a Manhattan for him, a French 75 for her). The esplanade may be a couple of blocks away, but inside the Bull Pen, it's dark, cool, and utterly welcoming. The interior feels firmly rooted in the early 1980s, with cushioned, pintucked black vinyl booths, Tiffany-style lamps with etchings of caravel ships, a mix of wood-paneled and red brick walls, and bull-themed decor. The low ceilings, mirrored back bar, and rows of glasses hanging overhead look like Cheers incarnate but with dimmer lighting. There's a patina on everything, which makes the Bull Pen feel lived in and comfortable. Cliff Miner, a long-time Redondo Beach resident, first opened 24-hour coffee shop King Cole's Bull Pen in 1948 on the corner of Diamond Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway. (Rumor has it that Miner and Nat King Cole were friends.) Food and taking care of people were his love languages, says grandson Joshua Norris, who now manages the restaurant. Miner was a self-taught chef, baker, and bartender, and operated the restaurant with his wife Mona. It relocated twice to slightly larger locations before settling into its current spot at the southern edge of Redondo Beach in 1978. After Cliff passed away, Mona ran the Bull Pen until she died in 2010; Cliff and Mona's sons Rodney and Donald then took over the restaurant and kept it humming along. Rodney and his wife Shelly managed the operations side of the business, and with the help and support of Mona's five grandchildren, plus a handful of loyal employees, they maintained the original menu, look, and feel of the early days. 'The only thing we change around here is the lightbulbs,' says Norris. In a city where beloved culinary landmarks are dwindling year after year, there's something rare and wonderful about keeping what works. As the oldest family-owned and operated restaurant and bar in Redondo Beach, the Bull Pen thrives on consistency and continuity. 'It's an old-school place,' say Bob and Renee. Old-school could denote old-fashioned or dated, but at the Bull Pen, it's a term of endearment. Live music has been a steady draw for the restaurant: the second location and iteration of the restaurant emerged as a candlelit supper club, complete with a piano bar and jazz singer. When Rodney took over the business and the restaurant relocated for the third and final time, he wanted to shift to a more rock-and-roll venue. 'It became a huge hit,' Norris says, and the Bull Pen hasn't looked back. Mike Forbes and the Explosion Band, the original group hired in the 1970s, still plays '70s and '80's rock-and-roll hits most Saturday nights, the tiny dance floor packed with generations of patrons. 'This place checks a box that doesn't exist anywhere else. This is a dying breed.' The Bull Pen's small menu hasn't changed much since the late 1960s: charbroiled steaks and seafood; classic steakhouse sides like baked potato, garlic mashed potatoes, and sauteed vegetables; a tableside salad preparation; a rotating array of soups; and a handful of crowd-pleasing appetizers, like shrimp cocktail and spinach artichoke dip. Every meal comes with soup or salad and a side. The cocktail menu includes all the highlights, like martinis and Manhattans, and Norris notes that the bartenders tend to pour heavy. There's a beef prime rib with creamy horseradish and au jus served Thursday to Sunday; any leftovers get turned into a weekend-only, off-menu prime rib melt. The onion rings and clam chowder are Miner's original recipes: the onion rings are hot and crisp; the soup packed with fresh clams and potatoes. The Bull Pen burger helped put the restaurant on the map; it was such a hit when it was first rolled out in the early 1970s that it sold in limited quantities of just 30 a day and only after 10 p.m. The setup is pretty classic: lettuce and tomato, onions grilled or raw, a handful of pickles and a big swipe of mayo. It now has a permanent place on the menu, alongside other new dishes that Norris has introduced through quarterly specials, such as the chicken piccata. The restaurant has adapted over the years to dietary preferences and restrictions, but the focus on quality and fair prices has always dictated its direction. Yet the real charm of the Bull Pen is found in the ways its legion of regulars have customized those dishes to their liking, and how servers remember those individual orders. Anyone who has returned here a few times gets a warm welcome back. By now it's 5 p.m., and Bob and Renee's friends Kara and Dean — better known as KaraDean — have joined them. They've been coming here for 20 years, since their second date. Kara has had everything on and off the menu at least twice, including the infrequently ordered beef liver and onions. Bob has been a patron since 1971, back at the previous location, when he was fresh out of the military and in search of a bar to call home. When Bob walked in that night, Rudy already knew his order: a Bull Pen burger with mashed potatoes and gravy. The Bull Pen's regulars like to customize dishes to their liking, and servers always remember. KaraDean, Bob, and Renee launch into a series of recollections, from stories of 'Mona the Owna at table 11,' to the elaborate happy hour spreads in the 1970s, to the old-timey popcorn machine that used to be in the back ('Oh, I forgot about the popcorn machine!' Renee chimes in.) 'When we first started coming here, everyone was older, but now everyone is younger,' Kara says with a laugh. The energy of the foursome goes beyond enjoyment and fond memories to something more like pride. 'There's something just very special about this place,' says Dean. He and Kara bring gifts to every Bull Pen employee over the holidays, and they recall fondly how the restaurant gets filled with twinkling lights and stockings for employees past and present. A fresh round of drinks shows up for the group. 'Remember how they used to have phone jacks in between the booths?' Dean recalls, which prompts peals of laughter from Renee and Kara. 'If you got a phone call, they'd bring the phone over to you and plug it in.' Few restaurants can boast the kind of kinship at the Bull Pen. Norris could point to a regular who spent their entire stimulus check in 2021 on a restaurant gift card, coming by or ordering out every few days to keep employees in business. 'It shows the support that people are willing to offer us because they find us so special,' Norris said. Cissy, a favorite Bull Pen server, passes by Jeff and Lindsay DeLarme's table; they prefer the high top toward the back right side of the bar. They've been coming most Fridays for nearly 10 years; it's where they decided to celebrate when they found out they were pregnant. Cissy knows to bring their now six-year-old daughter Addison a Shirley Temple with six cherries. She also knows that Lindsay gets the burger plain except for honey mustard for the fries, and that Jeff will probably get the coulotte steak with the Cajun sauce. 'It's the best people watching because it's a very eclectic mix,' says Jeff. 'This place checks a box that doesn't exist anywhere else. This is a dying breed.' 'We started coming because it's kitschy, but we stay because it's family,' adds Lindsay. By 6 p.m., the restaurant and bar are packed. Cissy greets everyone by name, as does Norris. A group of four comes in with a reservation for three, but Norris just knows to pack another chair into the already small space. KaraDean move to their favorite booth; Bob and Renee have split off to join a different group of friends. A pair of 40-something couples walk in, a little dressed up, and Lindsay waves to the crew from her barstool as they're getting seated. Behind them, a much older couple wanders in looking for their friends. There isn't a single seat available; the restaurant buzzes. Leaving feels a little like walking out of a reunion — you are full of conversation and stories. The Bull Pen will be the same upon the next visit, and the visit after that — the same quality, conviviality, and care. That's the point. Regulars will recount the same stories, and they'll order the same dishes and drinks from the same servers whom they've come to love. Everybody does know your name at the Bull Pen, and that's what makes this place a Redondo classic. The Bull Pen is open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Monday to Wednesday, until 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 10 p.m. on Sunday. It's located at 314 Avenue I, Redondo Beach, CA, 90277. Sign up for our newsletter.
Vancouver Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Sold (Bought): Breathtaking views, spacious layout among attractions of West Van house
Article content Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver. Article content Size: 5,058 square feet Article content B.C. Assessment: $4,005,000 Article content Listed for: $3,900,000 Article content Sold for: $3,820,000 Article content Sold on: Feb. 25 Article content Days on market in this listing: Eight Article content Listing agent: Phil LeGree PREC at Oakwyn Realty Article content Article content The big sell: This mid-1980s home features breathtaking ocean and city views from its elevated position in West Vancouver's Westhill district. The two-level home has a reverse floor plan with the principal reception rooms on the upper floor alongside two of the five bedrooms, all of which take advantage of the panoramic vistas. The grand living/dining room has whitewashed wood-panelled ceilings, a fireplace, and feature brick and stone walls, while the well-appointed kitchen displays high-end appliances by Garland and Sub-Zero, and the primary bedroom has been finished with a fireplace, a skylit ensuite bathroom, and a windowed walk-in closet. The lower level includes a capacious recreation/family room with a bar, fireplace, and views. Outside highlights include a four-car garage plus additional parking, and landscaped grounds with an entertainment-sized deck and patio. Article content Article content Article content Article content B.C. Assessment: $3,262,400 Article content Listed for: $3,888,000 Article content Sold for: $3,565,000 Article content Sold on: Jan. 27 Article content The big sell: This large characterful three-level house sits on a 50-by-125-foot lot in the heart of Kitsilano. It boasts substantial accommodation with a total of eight bedrooms, three bathrooms (one on each level), two laundry rooms, two fireplaces, a top-floor suite, and a bonus 860-square-foot unfinished attic accessible from the upper floor that could provide an additional living area. Built in 1920, the 105-year-old house is packed with original features with high ceilings, wood floors with beautiful inlaid accents, wainscot panels, sash windows, a Tiffany-style pendant ceiling lamp, and crown moulding. The rear yard is mainly laid to grass and bordered by a high stone wall, with a double garage and lane access. The property falls into R1-1 zoning which, as listing agent Bob Bracken explains, offers the potential for six or more units to be built, or the buyer has other options such as adding a laneway house or restoring the home to its former glory.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TGI Fridays has just 85 restaurants left in the US
TGI Fridays, the bankrupt casual dining chain, has only 85 restaurants left in the United States, according to its website. It's a sharp decline of the once-iconic restaurant, which had about 270 US locations at the beginning of last year and has only seen its store count rapidly decline since. TGI Fridays' parent company filed for Chapter 11 late last year and had 164 locations open, but it has kept closing locations during the bankruptcy process, with an additional 30 locations shuttering over the past month. TGI Fridays didn't respond to CNN's request for comment about the closures. When it filed for bankruptcy in November 2024, the company said in a statement that fallout from the pandemic was the 'primary driver of our financial challenges' and it will use the Chapter 11 process to 'explore strategic alternatives in order to ensure the long-term viability of the brand.' Since then, the company has sold dozens of restaurants to franchisees, including to Ray Blanchette, the former CEO of the chain, who returned to TGI Fridays in January to lead the beleaguered brand. Blanchette is planning to reveal a revamped menu next month, with a focus on items that Gen Z love including 'swicy' trends, fusion foods and a bigger emphasis on fresh-grilled steaks. In an interview with Business Insider, he also cited the chain's strong international presence, which has about 400 locations, as a sign that TGI Fridays can still be relevant. Still, it will be an uphill battle for TGI Fridays in the US, which had about 600 locations at its peak in 2008. Casual dining chains typically cater to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, but diners are abandoning these companies as their disposable income shrinks. That has forced a number of chains to file for bankruptcy in recent years, including Hooters, Bar Louie, Buca di Beppo and On the Border. Plus, sales at Denny's, Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Red Robin and Cracker Barrel's are dropping, and they are collectively shuttering hundreds of restaurants. TGI Fridays got its start in 1965 in Manhattan as a place for singles to meet each other and was one of the first major chains to popularize the 'happy hour' concept. The menu features a wide array of American comfort food staples, including chicken wings, potato skins and hamburgers. Diners instantly recognize its kitschy interior with Tiffany-style lamps and big red booths, plus a big bar that's usually the focal point of a TGI Fridays. And its service staff wore 'flair,' or pins and other decorative pieces on their uniforms that became a joke on the 1999 film 'Office Space.' Sign in to access your portfolio
CNN
22-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
TGI Fridays has just 85 restaurants left in the US
TGI Fridays, the bankrupt casual dining chain, has only 85 restaurants left in the United States, according to its website. It's a sharp decline of the once-iconic restaurant, which had about 270 US locations at the beginning of last year and has only seen its store count rapidly decline since. TGI Fridays' parent company filed for Chapter 11 late last year and had 164 locations open, but it has kept closing locations during the bankruptcy process, with an additional 30 locations shuttering over the past month. TGI Fridays didn't respond to CNN's request for comment about the closures. When it filed for bankruptcy in November 2024, the company said in a statement that fallout from the pandemic was the 'primary driver of our financial challenges' and it will use the Chapter 11 process to 'explore strategic alternatives in order to ensure the long-term viability of the brand.' Since then, the company has sold dozens of restaurants to franchisees, including to Ray Blanchette, the former CEO of the chain, who returned to TGI Fridays in January to lead the beleaguered brand. Blanchette is planning to reveal a revamped menu next month, with a focus on items that Gen Z love including 'swicy' trends, fusion foods and a bigger emphasis on fresh-grilled steaks. In an interview with Business Insider, he also cited the chain's strong international presence, which has about 400 locations, as a sign that TGI Fridays can still be relevant. Still, it will be an uphill battle for TGI Fridays in the US, which had about 600 locations at its peak in 2008. Casual dining chains typically cater to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, but diners are abandoning these companies as their disposable income shrinks. That has forced a number of chains to file for bankruptcy in recent years, including Hooters, Bar Louie, Buca di Beppo and On the Border. Plus, sales at Denny's, Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Red Robin and Cracker Barrel's are dropping, and they are collectively shuttering hundreds of restaurants. TGI Fridays got its start in 1965 in Manhattan as a place for singles to meet each other and was one of the first major chains to popularize the 'happy hour' concept. The menu features a wide array of American comfort food staples, including chicken wings, potato skins and hamburgers. Diners instantly recognize its kitschy interior with Tiffany-style lamps and big red booths, plus a big bar that's usually the focal point of a TGI Fridays. And its service staff wore 'flair,' or pins and other decorative pieces on their uniforms that became a joke on the 1999 film 'Office Space.'
Scottish Sun
21-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Popular homeware store launches huge ‘everything must go' sale as it prepares to shut its doors for good
Scroll down to see some of the items up for grabs CLOSING DOWN Popular homeware store launches huge 'everything must go' sale as it prepares to shut its doors for good Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A POPULAR homeware store has launched a huge closing down sale as it prepares to shut its doors for good. The Ford Barns Country Store's sale promises incredible deals across a wide range of home furniture and accessories - but you'll need to act fast as once it's gone, it's gone. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The wooden side cabinet is one of the furniture items up for grabs in the closing down sale Credit: Facebook 3 Ford Barns Country Store is flogging an array of homeware in its 'everything must go' sale Credit: Facebook Ford Barns Country Store opened its doors for the first time ten years ago. Located in the idyllic Essex countryside, the store has long been a haven for savvy shoppers. Sadly, the beloved store has made the decision to close - but not before one final sale. Ford Barns Country Store announced the "everything must go" sale in a post on Facebook in March. The store wrote: "After many wonderful years, we've made the tough decision to close the doors of Ford Barns Country Store. "But before we go, we're giving you the chance to grab some fantastic bargains in our huge closing down sale! Once it's gone, it's gone! "A heartfelt thank you to all our loyal customers for your support over the years. "We've loved being a part of your lives and your local community." Devastated customers took to the comments to share their dismay at the news of the closure. One Facebook user commented: "So sorry to hear this. What a huge loss to you all and the community." Shoppers are racing to buy 'nostalgic' homeware from M&S - it's like being 'transported back in time' & looks 'designer' Another wrote: "This news is very sad - what a wonderful business you have and the staff are brilliant. Sad to see you go." The store posted a photo of a handy, wooden shelving unit this week with the caption: "Our shelves are looking emptier by the day — everything must go — including the shelf!" It has shared a number of reduced to clear products online over the last few weeks, with the latest being a charming wooden rabbit sculpture. Other bargains include a stunning Tiffany-style lamp, metal lanterns and colourful glass candle holders. The closing down sale will continue while stock lasts. Another popular homeware chain has launched a closing down sale as it prepares to shut its branch after just two years. Melbe Home, which opened in Watford's shopping centre in July 2023, is now offering discounts with signs proclaiming "all stock must go" ahead of its imminent closure. The store, known for its authentic Turkish and bohemian-style rugs and pillows, has attracted many customers. The store's unique offerings and the warm, inviting atmosphere made it a favourite for many, especially those looking to add a touch of boho-chic to their homes. But don't fear - Melbe Home's other stores in Hemel Hempstead and St Albans will remain open as usual. This comes as other retailers, both independent and industry giants, continue to struggle. Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets. Just a few months into 2025 and it's already proving to be another tough year for many major brands. Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
