SEAL BEACH : City’s Pier to Reopen on Saturday

Ramon Cedros has a routine he follows when the temperature rises: He drives to Seal Beach, plunges into the ocean for a swim and dries off with a long stroll along the city’s boardwalk.

But for more than a month now, Cedros’ routine has been altered in the aftermath of the Seal Beach Pier fire, which forced the closure of the historic structure.

The boardwalk is scheduled to reopen Saturday, to the relief of beach-goers like Cedros and Main Street merchants who rely on the pier to attract summer tourists.

“This is real beach weather . . . but it’s not the same with the pier like this,” said Cedros, 29, of Long Beach, as he watched work crews replace burned wood planks with new lumber. “It will be nice to see the end (of the pier) again.”

Those sentiments are shared by merchants who hope the reopening will lure crowds down to the Main Street business district.

Seal Beach business leaders said that many restaurants, bars and specialty shops on the street have reported steady business in recent weeks. They attributed the strong sales in part to the heat, which has drawn visitors to the beach.

“Every business is affected by the weather,” said Stan Anderson, president of the Seal Beach Business Assn. and owner of Coach’s Sports Grill on Pacific Coast Highway. “The better the weather, the better the business.”

Added John Baker, owner of the Nip n’ Stuff Liquor Store on Main Street: “People have noticed a slight increase (in business) with the warm weather.”

City officials and merchants hope sales will pick up even more when the pier reopens in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

No one is sure how many people have decided to stay away from Seal Beach because of the pier closure. Anderson and others speculated that some visitors might cut their trips to the city short if they cannot spend time on the pier.

“There is the perception that the pier is something that draws people to the city . . . and is helpful to the businesses,” said City Manager Jerry L. Bankston.

Some merchants hope to rebound from last year’s flat summer season, which was blamed on unusually mild weather conditions. While some restaurants reported little change in sales last summer, other Main Street stores said business was off as much as 30%.

The city plans to close the pier once again in the fall for a second and final phase of repairs. The May 21 fire, which temporarily trapped more than 100 people at the end of the boardwalk, caused about $350,000 in damage. No one was injured.