Pier sunset? Tony’s on the Pier struggles to survive Redondo’s attempt to revitalize its waterfront
Tony's on the Pier. Photo by Amy Theilig/amytphoto.com Against long odds, Tony’s on the Pier has always survived. The restaurant weathered the storms that have periodically wracked the Redondo Beach waterfront and persevered through the economic vicissitudes of an area that has seen dozens of other businesses come and go since a fisherman named Tony Trutanich came ashore and set up shop in 1953. Along with a handful of other businesses, Tony’s survived the massive fire that destroyed two-thirds of the pier 23 years ago and stood sentinel even as the pier was riddled with gang activity in the decade that followed. Trutanich came to be known as the “pier godfather” and the iconic two-story building he designed himself – capped with a octagonal crow’s nest where generations of local residents have sipped mai tai’s at sunset – remains a vibrant business even after its founder passed away four years ago. It has become unclear, however, if Tony’s will survive the city’s attempts at economic revitalization. As part of a strategy intended revive the pier and harbor area, the city has refused to negotiate new leases with Tony’s and most of the other businesses that are part of the…
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