In many cases, it can be difficult to bid farewell to a closing business.
This is especially true for the restaurants, cafes and bars where birthdays and graduations were celebrated and many more memories were made.
Some closure announcements came this year from eateries that have served Long Beachers for decades, while others came from newer ventures that simply didn’t pan out.
Here are some of the establishments that closed up shop in Long Beach in 2023.
Yasu on 2nd
The upscale Belmont Shore restaurant closed after a year in Long Beach, opting to move its business to Corona Del Mar. The family-run, globally-inspired restaurant offered everything from sushi to fried chicken. No updates have been provided on the business’s social media accounts as to when it’ll reopen in its new location.
Bar Envie
To the disappointment of many, co-owners Geoff and Karna Rau announced recently that Bar Envie was closing. The New Orleans-inspired bar in the Zaferia district opened earlier this year, but when the Rau family, who own many bars and restaurants in Long Beach, bought property in New Orleans, they wanted to be able to spend more time there. So, they decided to hand over their location to Long Beach Beer Lab to open a second taproom in that space.
Long Beach Beer Lab is at 4000 E. Anaheim St.
Pop’s Java
The popular nautical-themed and family-oriented coffee shop in Downtown’s East Village closed earlier this year. Owner Jake Allanach cited “personal reasons” for the decision to close and declined to elaborate further. The shop had its last day on Aug. 28.
Beachwood Brewing
Beachwood Brewing closed its flagship Downtown location on the Promenade earlier this year. The popular brand was a vital part of growing the craft beer scene in Long Beach when it opened its location 12 years ago. One of Beachwood’s original brewers, Ian McCall, co-owner and founder of ISM Brewing, has since taken over the space.
ISM Brewing is at 210 E. Third Street.
Prospector
The iconic Prospector bar and restaurant which served prime rib and fried chicken dinners at the corner of Junipero Avenue and Seventh Street shuttered earlier this year. The property will be split to hold two tenants, one of which will be a new bar and restaurant called MAZ.
Rascals Teriyaki Grill
Owners of Rascals Teriyaki Grill, a popular eatery near Cal State Long Beach, announced they would relocate to Carson earlier this year. The first Rascals opened in 1987 and has been serving teriyaki chicken, beef and curry to the South Bay for nearly 40 years.
The HipPea
Retro Row staple The HipPea announced its closure earlier this year. Owner Vered Azari opened the restaurant more than seven years ago to serve crispy falafel and other Middle Eastern delicacies like house-made hummus. Retroll Sushi, a fast-casual sushi spot, will take its place.
Retroll Sushi is at 2023 E. Fourth Street.
The Hangout
Another Retro Row hub, The Hangout, announced it will close at the end of this year. The shop and cafe, which operated on Fourth Street for six years, will move to San Luis Obispo, where founder Melissa Carpenter and her family own property. The Golden Garden, a shop located within The Hangout founded by Tanya Bartels, will continue to teach the Long Beach community about gardening and work one-on-one with clients. Similarly, Bel Canto Books, also located within The Hangout, will remain local and open at the new KUBO LB collective workspace in Bixby Knolls and continue at Steel Cup Cafe. Bel Canto will also open a new storefront on Fourth Street next year.
Pietris Greek Bakery
The beloved Belmont Shore Pietris Greek Bakery announced its closure earlier this year on Facebook. The shop served different types of traditional Greek pastries from savory to sweet like spanakopita (spinach pie) and baklava with Greek ice cream. But it wasn’t all about the baked goods, the eatery also had extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. After it closed, fast-casual chain Nick the Greek opened in its place.
Nick the Greek is at 5000 Second Street.
La Creperie Cafe
This dimly lit, cozy French cafe in Belmont Shore closed at the beginning of this year after serving Long Beach for some 20 years. True to its name, it had a large menu of crepe options, but it also served traditional French items like escargot as part of its dinner menu. The eatery also offered a full bar and a decently sized wine list. Northern Cafe, Belmont Shore’s only Chinese restaurant, opened in its place.
Northern Cafe is at 2911 Second Street.