MAIN STREET — The Ocean Park Omelette Parlor, a Main Street staple for almost four decades, will permanently close its kitchen Dec. 18, owner Bob Hausenbauer said.
"After 37 years of serving you and your family, the Omelette Parlor has no choice but to close our location in Santa Monica, as we are not able to come to equitable terms with the landlord," Hausenbauer wrote in an e-mail to customers last week.
A local favorite for omelettes, pancakes and burgers, the restaurant will offer discounted meals over the next few weeks to thank the public for their long-time support.
"A lot of people ... look forward to going there for breakfast and for lunch, so it's disappointing, it's discouraging," said Gary Gordon, executive director of the Main Street Business Improvement Association. "This is a pretty big loss."
The Omelette Parlor's closing comes after a long period of heated negotiations between Hausenbauer and American Commercial Equities Management, the company that owns the 2732 Main St. building of which the restaurant is a tenant.
After submitting an offer to extend the restaurant's lease last June, Hausenbauer said the property managers returned a letter saying they would not come back to the table and negotiate.
"I made them a very realistic offer based upon my business activity, and you know, what more can you do?"
An American Commercial Equities Management representative echoed a similar claim, stating that the company "tried to bend over backwards" to keep the restaurant on Main Street, but "they were totally unrealistic with their demands to stay in the space."
The only certainty is that the Omelette Parlor will no longer be a part of the Santa Monica community come Dec. 18. Hausenbauer said he is currently in talks to reopen the restaurant outside of city limits, though has no concrete plans for when or where that will be.
Their 3,910-square-foot Main Street property is currently listed on PAR Commercial Brokerage's website for $4.50 per square foot, with additional real estate expenses estimated at $1 per square foot: a $21,500 monthly total.
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