By Mary O’KEEFE

All eyes have been on the former location of Rocky Cola, 2201 Honolulu Ave., ever since it closed its doors about seven years ago. The 1950s style diner was opened in 1988 and for a long time had been the place to go for kids and adults. It was a hometown diner that was inviting to all but a poor economy took its toll and Rocky Cola shuttered its doors.

Questions of what would be done with the property of the former diner was on many minds as people walked along Honolulu Avenue. Then in 2017 it was announced that Rocky Cola had been acquired by restaurateur Tom Christopoulos, a longtime resident of La Cañada Flintridge, who announced he intended to open an eatery at the location. The new restaurant would be called Gus & Andy’s Montrose Grill.

Since then Christopoulos has been working with the City of Glendale, pulling permits and getting the restaurant ready, but it has taken a lot of work and a lot of time. As anyone knows who has worked to remodel, add on or build a home, getting permits is not a quick process.

“We have received several permits and have begun demolition of the interior,” Christopoulos stated in an email to CVW.

There are other permits that need to be obtained and other upgrades that are pending, so it is difficult to predict an opening date but the process is moving along.

Across the street from the incoming Gus & Andy’s is Benitoite, 2200 Honolulu Ave. The restaurant has been closed for some time.

“There is no record of any new tenant or any plans being submitted to the city,” according to Eliza Papazian, City of Glendale spokeswoman.

There are other buildings that have been empty for a while including the Pink Pig at 2325 Honolulu Ave. This is the former Montrose Bakery location, which closed in 2015, and was briefly the location of Café Rose.

According to Papazian, the Pink Pig electrical, plumbing and reroof inspections have been approved by the City. The owners continue to work on their final building permit.

The former location of Landry’s Sporting at 2271 Honolulu Ave. had briefly reopened as a uniform store and is now Kulhaus, which recently opened.

Farther west, the former location of Rest Farmhouse restaurant/bakery at 2420 Honolulu Ave. will soon become Shawarma Kingdom.

Longtime Montrose favorite Twigs and Things moved from the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue to 3806 Ocean View Blvd. Unfortunately another hometown staple, Needle in a Haystack, 2262 Honolulu Ave., has closed its doors. There is no information on what, if any, business will be opening at that location.

  Mary Okeefe