Twohey’s diner has found a new home, but it won’t be in Alhambra
By KEVIN SMITH | kvsmith@scng.com | San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Twohey’s, a popular Alhambra diner set to close next week in the face of failed lease negotiations, has found a new home in South Pasadena.
The new location, at 424 Fair Oaks Ave., is in a retail plaza that also houses Orchard Supply Hardware, Winchell’s Donut House, Starbucks, ChefBox and Baskin-Robbins, among others. The space was previously occupied by Carmine’s Italian Restaurant and Bar, Sow House and most recently Craft Hill, which closed its doors just months ago.
Prepping for the move
Jim Christos, one of Twohey’s owners, said the eatery will be able to remain at 1224 N. Atlantic Blvd. in Alhambra on a month-to-month basis and keep its staff employed during the transitionsto its new home.
“We are deeply saddened to move from Alhambra and are grateful for the support from the community throughout the years,” Christos said in a statement. “The tremendous outpouring of love and loyalty during this time has been overwhelming, with legions of friends, family and guests sharing their unique stories of what Twohey’s Restaurant has meant to them. Though, it is bittersweet, we are excited for this new chapter and to continue the Twohey’s Restaurant legacy in South Pasadena.”
Christos could not be reached Friday for further comment and hasn’t indicated when the new location will be up and running.
A loyal customer
Carole Emanuelli of Temple City has been a Twohey’s customer for 55 years, and she has every intention of frequenting the new location, which is less than 2 miles from its current address.
“My favorite is the hot fudge sundae — they have the best hot fudge sundaes in the world,” she said. “I’ve come here and had them for dinner. The waitresses and waiters are very nice and they have very good food.”
Twohey’s Tavern
In November, the company opened a second eatery at 2835 E. Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena called Twohey’s Tavern. That location is smaller with a more contemporary look and a slimmed down menu. It also offers drinks and cocktails.
The original Twohey’s opened in Pasadena in 1943, and the restaurant moved to its current Alhambra location in 1951. Along the way, it became the go-to spot for hungry San Gabriel Valley diners. It’s known for its burgers, onion rings and, as Emanuelli indicated, award-winning hot fudge sundaes.
The restaurant’s signature Little Stink-O burger is another popular item. It features a clothespin and tears logo. It was trademarked after a woman said, “Oh stinko!” when a customer next to her ordered a hamburger piled high with pickles and onions.
Parking issues
Twohey’s announced last month that it was unable to hammer out a new lease with its landlords. But Tom Anderson, the restaurant’s director of operations, said then that the problems ran deeper than that.
“Given the difficulty with our parking and the success of In-N-Out, which shares the same parking area … we could see going forward that parking would continue to be an issue,” he said.
In-N-Out moved in about 16 years ago, Anderson said, and the shared parking area is generally full these days — so full that a special street lane was created that feeds directly into In-N-Out’s drive-thru.
“People who have been loyal customers of Twohey’s know the drill,” he said. “When they come in, they know they’ll probably have to circle the lot a couple times, looking for someone who is leaving. If they can’t find a space, there is some street parking, but there are street sweeping restrictions there on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And people living in the apartments and houses along there use the street parking, too.”
A good fit
South Pasadena Councilwoman Marina Khubesrian said Twohey’s will be a good fit for the community.
“I’m very excited about them coming here,” she said. “It’s the perfect kind of restaurant for South Pasadena. We’re in the middle of a general plan update and residents have been telling us that they want more family friendly restaurants. And they’ll have ample parking here.”