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The first pair of customers came 26 minutes early, and their arrival Monday morning drew smiles of relief from the staff at Encounter, the iconic LAX restaurant that had been closed for repairs for eight months.
"Before we could open up our doors, we were getting customers," said operations manager Kenneth Merritt. "It's good to be back in business."
That was the sentiment of Steven O'Bryant of Azusa and his 16-year-old son Kyle, the first two in the door. O'Bryant had planned to drive to San Diego for the day, but when he heard an early morning radio report that the intergalactic-styled restaurant would reopen for lunch at 11 a.m., he and Kyle headed for Los Angeles International Airport. O'Bryant, 47, had last eaten there when he was 10.
"I didn't recognize it until I came in here," he said, pointing out the blobby, multicolored decor that might have been inspired by a lava lamp. "These might even be the same tables."
Encounter is housed in the Theme Building, which was completed in 1961 and designated a historic-cultural monument by the Los Angeles City Council and the Cultural Heritage Commission in 1992. The restaurant is operated by Delaware North Cos. Travel Hospitality Services. The observation deck has been closed since 9/11 for security reasons, but is expected to reopen once the exterior renovation is complete, said Nancy Castles, a spokeswoman for the airport agency.
Featured in many movies and tourist snapshots, the kitschy landmark was closed in March after a 1,000-pound piece of stucco fell from one of its spider-like arches. No one was injured, but inspectors assessed the damage, and officials decided it was safer to close the building while crews retrofitted the structure.