Norm's Diner Expanding in The Valley

The new Encino location is part of a broader expansion for the classic diner chain, which has been a Southern California staple since founder Norm Roybark opened the first restaurant near Hollywood's Sunset and Vine in 1949. The company's growth has accelerated since the Roybark family sold the business in 2014, breaking from a more conservative, debt-averse strategy. Norm's is famous for its "Googie" architectural style, a mid-century futuristic design that catered to Los Angeles' burgeoning car culture. Characterized by upswept roofs, geometric shapes, and bold use of glass and neon, this style was intended to attract motorists from the street. The most iconic elements, including the sawtooth pennant sign, were designed by the architectural firm Armet & Davis. The firm Armet & Davis is credited with designing over 4,000 Googie-style buildings, including many of Southern California's most recognizable coffee shops and diners. Their designs for Norm's were so influential that the La Cienega location, opened in 1957, is now a designated Historic-Cultural Monument. This specific location has been immortalized in popular culture, including in a 1964 painting by artist Ed Ruscha. The Encino restaurant, located at 16573 Ventura Blvd in a former Tony Roma's, is the chain's second outpost in the San Fernando Valley, joining a location in Van Nuys. While its opening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic from an original spring 2020 plan, the location is now open for business. This expansion into Encino is part of a larger growth phase for the company. In recent years, Norms has opened new locations in cities like Inglewood and El Monte. The company also opened a new location in Hollywood in late 2023 and has announced plans to open its first-ever restaurant outside of California in Las Vegas in the summer of 2024.