LIGHTS OUT ORIGINAL LAMPLIGHTER CLOSING.Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Staff Writer NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Almost 29 years to the day after its opening, George Metsos will turn out the lights at his Lamplighter Restaurant tonight for the last time. The party's finally over at this popular east San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. eatery. It's being overtaken by progress, though it doesn't feel that way to Metsos and his 28 employees. ``We opened on my father's and mother's wedding anniversary, so I figured it would be a good time to close,'' he said Thursday. ``It's sort of depressing for me.'' In the restaurant founded by his parents, Peter and Elaine, George stared working opening day as a line cook. He's been there ever since. Metsos and his sister, Sophia Rohde, own Lamplighters in Chatsworth and Sherman Oaks; those eateries will remain open. Metsos also owns Pattie's in Toluca Lake and hopes to find work at the other facilities for the North Hollywood employees. His is one of many businesses that will be shuttered shut·ter n. 1. One that shuts, as: a. A hinged cover or screen for a window, usually fitted with louvers. b. in the coming months to make way for a 100-acre redevelopment that includes the Valley Plaza and Laura Plaza shopping centers shopping center, a concentration of retail, service, and entertainment enterprises designed to serve the surrounding region. The modern shopping center differs from its antecedents—bazaars and marketplaces—in that the shops are usually amalgamated into . This week the area, previously designated an earthquake reconstruction zone, was reclassified as a community redevelopment project, which gives the city much broader powers over the land's ultimate use. J.H. Snyder Inc. has the exclusive negotiating rights on the Valley Plaza portion of the property, about 17 acres. The company is already building NoHo Commons, a $200 million mixed-used project featuring residential and commercial units near the North Hollywood Red Line subway subway: see rapid transit. subway Underground railway system used to transport passengers within urban and suburban areas. The first subway line, 3. station. Snyder is in the process of acquiring the land but construction is probably at least a year away because the project still faces an environmental review process. Chris Goldstein Chris Goldstein is the producer and host of Active Voice Radio.[1] Based in the U.S. state of New Mexico for the last nine years he has worked in non-profit advocacy, aviation, public radio and eBroadcasting. , a senior Snyder partner, said the project is still in the design phase but it will probably be an open-air retail complex. ``It's hard to put your arms around the actual cost, but it's a substantial-sized project.'' Metsos has already sold his land and the business for what he said was fair market value. But today will still be a sad day. ``We didn't want to close this one. It's the very first one and sort of started the Lamplighter legacy in the San Fernando Valley,'' he said. Starting about 4 p.m. today, Metsos will host an open house for employees and regular customers. It will last into the evening. Waitress Trisha Thomas (language) Thomas - A language compatible with the language Dylan(TM). Thomas is NOT Dylan(TM). The first public release of a translator to Scheme by Matt Birkholz, Jim Miller, and Ron Weiss, written at Digital Equipment Corporation's Cambridge Research Laboratory runs has worked at the restaurant 14 years and will move to the Sherman Oaks location. ``I'm heartbroken heart·bro·ken adj. Suffering from or exhibiting overwhelming sorrow, grief, or disappointment. heart because it's my home,'' she said of the North Hollywood eatery. It's going to be a change, too, for Sandra sandra (sänˑ·dr  ),adj Kline and Dan Fine, independent fitness trainers at Gold's Gym Gold's Gym International, Inc. is an international chain of co-ed fitness centers (commonly referred to as "gyms") originally started in California by Joe Gold. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment and personal trainers to assist clients. , just three doors up the street. Both love the Lamplighter's fitness menu. ``I bring one of my customers here after we work out and she orders the food to take home to her 90-year-old mother,'' Kline said. Fine, also a competitive body builder and bass player in the L.A. rock band Paperback Hero, is at the restaurant six times a week. ``I can't even tell you how frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: and disappointed I am. I get the healthy food I need and I eat it right up until my tournaments.'' Metsos is thinking about opening another restaurant, though maybe not in the immediate area. There's too many memories for that to happen just yet, but this section of North Hollywood has treated him well. ``When a restaurant lasts for 29 years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time location was pretty good,'' Metsos said. While today is its last day, the restaurant already had a nudge nudge 1 tr.v. nudged, nudg·ing, nudg·es 1. To push against gently, especially in order to gain attention or give a signal. 2. from Mother Nature. The distinctive sign is no more. ``The wind blew it down last weekend,'' Metsos said. ``I think it was my Dad, so I just left it down.'' Gregory J. Wilcox, (818) 713-3743 greg.wilcox(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, map Photo: (1 -- color) Owner George Metsos is closing the Lamplighter Restaurant in North Hollywood today after 29 years of operation. Other Lamplighters will stay open, operated by his family. A mall will replace it. (2 -- color) With its sign blown down by recent high winds, the North Hollywood Lamplighter Restaurant will close its doors today after 29 years. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer Map: Lamplighter Restaurant Daily News |
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