Simmzy's Closes Two Locations: Path To Profitability 'Too Long'
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The Venice and Burbank locations of Simmzy's, which opened its first location just blocks from the pier in Manhattan Beach, have closed their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, said restaurateur Mike Simms, who founded the gastropub with his brother Chris.
View this post on InstagramIt’s Thirsty Thursday! Go find yourself a patio spot at Simmzy’s!
A post shared by Simmzy’s Restaurants (@simmzys) on Jul 23, 2020 at 3:11pm PDT
"Due to reduced seating capacity in Venice and the studios in Burbank not coming back to work anytime soon, the path back to profitability was sadly too long for us to continue to hold on to them," said Mike. "The great news is everyone that wanted a job from those locations is currently employed. That was my biggest concern in shuttering them," he told Manhattan Beach Patch.
For now, the Manhattan Beach flagship location has been spared from shuttering. "Fortunately, the city of Manhattan Beach has been very proactive in helping the restaurants by extending the restaurants into the parking spaces," he said, referring to the outdoor dining spaces businesses have been allowed to create where street parking once was. "That has saved us for now. Sadly, they are still requiring us to have everyone off the decks by 10 p.m., which effectively closes our restaurants at 8 or 8:30 p.m. The sales we are missing out from 10-11:30 p.m. would allow us to stay afloat even longer."
View this post on InstagramIt’s Tips Up Thursday! Swing by Simmzy’s for crowlers and bottles of fresh Simmzy’s beer! We’ve created Tips Up Thursday for your convenience. It’s hard to keep the days of the week straight lately. If you ever look down and see a Tips Up IPA in your had, there is a 1 in 7 chance it’s Tips Up Thursday. You’re welcome. We remind guests that a food purchase is required with beer, wine or cocktail purchase. For the safety of our team and yourself, we kindly request that you wear a face mask. Shirt and shoes optional.
A post shared by Simmzy’s Restaurants (@simmzys) on May 14, 2020 at 2:44pm PDT
View this post on InstagramIt’s shaping up to be a beautiful weekend. Enjoy a meal by the ocean or follow the link in our bio to reserve a table!
A post shared by Simmzy’s Restaurants (@simmzys) on Jun 12, 2020 at 12:10pm PDT
Mike says he will ask the Manhattan Beach City Council to address modifying a pre-COVID noise ordinance for the downtown area. He noted, "The neighbors are opposed to expanding because of their fear of noise issues, but in actuality the downtown has never been so quiet now that bars are closed and people are staying at home. I've taken noise readings when the decks are at full capacity and there is no issue with noise. Cars passing by make more noise."
Simms Restaurants is the entity behind several of Manhattan Beach's most famous dining spots. Their restaurants include The Arthur J, MB Post, Fishing With Dynamite, Tin Roof Bistro, Simmzy's and Lil' Simmzy's on the Deck. All of these popular dining destinations are in Manhattan Beach with the exception of Lil' Simmzy's in nearby El Segundo and Simmzy's in Huntington Beach and Long Beach. All of their Manhattan Beach restaurants have outdoor dining patios. While Tin Roof Bistro always has had an outdoor dining area, the four other establishments in downtown Manhattan Beach have built dining decks where street parking used to be.
This article originally appeared on the Manhattan Beach Patch
