What to Know
- Ruby's Diner stood at the end of Huntington Beach Pier for decades before shuttering permanently in 2021
- The restaurant's red roof tiles were saved; now Melissa Murphy, also known as Melissa Murals, is transforming the tiles into art in support of local organizations
- $250 each; the tiles go on sale on Feb. 23 at 10 a.m.; visit the SurfCityUSA online gift shop to purchase yours (while supplies last)
Did you enjoy a milkshake and cheeseburger at Ruby's Diner, the red-roofed restaurant that stood at one end of Huntington Beach Pier for 25 tasty years?
If you're a fan of comfort cuisine and a truly spectacular setting, you likely enjoyed your share of shakes, fries, sundaes, and hearty mains at the eye-catching octagonal building.
The restaurant closed in 2021, leaving its disappointed fans with the good memories of meals savored at the edge of the ocean. But some good news arrived three years after the classic diner shuttered: Its devoted supporters will be able to purchase a bespoke souvenir, a keepsake that comes straight from Ruby's.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Specifically, the rooftop of Ruby's, which was covered in bright red tiles that could be seen, if not for miles, then from an impressive distance.
Several of those tiles were saved after the restaurant was demolished but they wouldn't sit in storage for too long; Huntington Beach artist Melissa Murphy, also known as Melissa Murals, has been turning each tile into an artwork in partnership with Visit Huntington Beach.
Those artworks are now going up for sale beginning on Feb. 23 and the money raised will support a few local non-profits, including the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, Huntington Beach Art Center, Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum, the Surfrider Foundation of North Orange County, and the Therapeutic Riding Center of Huntington Beach.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
The painted tiles are priced at $250; find yours at the SurfCityUSA website beginning at 10 a.m. on Feb. 23.
The tiles are limited, so this is definitely a "while supplies last" sort of event.
Did you have a first date at Ruby's? Consider this sweet souvenir a symbol of that terrific time. But any time you spent at the red-roofed restaurant was likely pretty good; after all, how often do we get to snack on fries and shakes with the surf crashing beneath our feet?
Sweet memories, indeed: Get details on the tile fundraiser now.
