LA seafood restaurant owner plans new location where Ruby's Diner was on Huntington Beach Pier

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- The owner of a popular Los Angeles seafood restaurant plans to open a fourth location at the site where the iconic Ruby's Diner once stood on the Huntington Beach Pier.

Many were shocked in 2021 when Ruby's had to shut down after the owner of the chain filed for bankruptcy.

Barbara Powelson grew up going to the diner.

"I was kinda shocked to hear, 'Oh my gosh, Ruby's is going.' It's one of the biggest parts, in my eyes, of Huntington Beach," Powerson said.

Construction on a refreshed look and concept began where Ruby's once stood on Wednesday.

The new restaurant was a dream more than 15 years in the making, according to the owner and founder of Broad Street Oyster Company, Christopher Tompkins. It all started when he first ate at the old Ruby's on the pier while on vacation.

"Live in California and work for myself, which morphed into this idea called Broad Street Oyster Company," Tompkins said.

At first, Tompkins' company started as a roaming seafood pop up.

"It would be myself and a van and I would set up a miniature restaurant outside of breweries and wineries, and it was really just me shucking oysters, making lobster rolls, cracking open fresh sea urchin. And I did that all along Southern California," Tompkins said.

In 2019, that turned into the first permanent location in Malibu, then came Santa Barbara, and then Grand Central Market.

And now, Huntington Beach.

"I can't think of a more fitting location for a seafood concept and for Broad Street Oyster Company," Tompkins said.

Tompkins said he also plans to start a fifth restaurant in San Francisco.

He hopes to welcome customers to a casual and family-friendly atmosphere in Orange County by July.

"We want to do a refresh, make it fun, make it inviting and make it on brand with Broad Street Oyster Company," Tompkins said.

Marianna May who was was visiting the area for the Association of Volleyball Professionals Huntington Beach Open said she'd enjoy seafood on the pier.

"We could have some seafood and just look at the beautiful view. I think it'd be really fun," May said.

"The photos on the outside of the building look very enticing. I'm definitely gonna come by and and try," Powelson said.

Tompkins said he has an ice cream and coffee shop concept next to one of his other locations and plans to eventually bring that to Huntington Beach as well.