By Jason Islas
Staff Writer

August 16, 2012 -- The City Council Tuesday night renewed the lease of Rusty’s Surf Ranch, a 20-year fixture of the Santa Monica Pier, for at least another 10 years.

Rusty’s was competing with the Quintessential Group, which owns the Happy Ending Bar and Restaurant in Hollywood, for the 4,309-square-foot space in the Billiards Building it has occupied since 1994.

Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis said that she supported renewing Rusty’s lease because of “its history on the Pier.”

“One of the things we do here in Santa Monica is honor our history and Rusty’s is part of our history,” she said.

Davis had another reason for supporting Rusty’s. “Quite simply, Rusty’s agreed to the minimum rent that our own consultants said we could get,” she said.

The staff report erroneously reported that neither candidate had offered the $200,000 annual rent the City had set as its minimum. The Quintessential Group had offered less than the $200,000.

Russell Barnard, the owner of Rusty’s, was glad that the City had renewed his lease.

Rusty’s “was the third restaurant I opened and operated by myself,” Barnard told The Lookout. And he has big plans for renovating the space.

“We made the commitment that we would spend at least half a million dollars,” he said, adding that it will like be closer to "three-quarters of a million dollars."

Included in the redesign is a new marquee, a sculpture element, a larger kitchen and new bathrooms, Bernard said.

The venue will include a larger stage, which Bernard said would allow for “more programming possibilities.”

He is also considering adding rooftop seating.

“Frankly, I was extremely moved by the outpouring of public support I received,” said Barnard. “I had customers sending e-mails, calling, offering to be there to support us.

“I could’ve easily brought a hundred people to the meeting,” he said.

Several people did speak in favor of Rusty’s at Tuesday’s meeting.

Abby Arnold, a grants writer and former City Council candidate, said Rusty’s was “integral to our community.”

Jeff Jarow, who is a neighborhood appointee on the Main Street Business Improvement Association Board, called Rusty’s “a local institution” adding that it is “owned and operated by a local company with deep family roots in Santa Monica.”

The new 10-year lease starts in 2014 and includes a five-year option to extend.