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Downtown LA’s historic The Original Pantry Cafe will reopen its doors
Patron lined up around the block on the last day of The Pantry's operation.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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Topline:
Downtown L.A.’s historic The Original Pantry Cafe will reopen its doors to customers Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
Why it matters: The historic restaurant at the corner of 9th and Figueroa streets in downtown L.A first served plates of classic American breakfast in 1924, cultivating a loyal multi-generational base of regulars. When it first announced its closure in March, the restaurant saw fans flock to the greasy spoon for days to order one last bite.
Why now: UNITE HERE Local 11, the union representing the restaurant’s workers, announced Tuesday that The Pantry will reopen this week with its original staff. In a news release, the union said the group had reached a deal with the new owner and real estate entrepreneur Leo Pustilnikov.
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Neither the union nor Pustilnikov could be immediately reached for comment on details regarding the agreement.
The backstory: The previous owner, the Richard J. Riordan Administrative Trust, told LAist’s media partner KCAL News in March that the restaurant was never profitable and that selling the property would help keep the foundation’s charitable mission.
What's next: The restaurant is hosting a celebration to mark a new chapter from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday.
Go deeper … on what memories were made when The Pantry last served meals.
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