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Who is the Godfather of the Pier at Redondo Beach?

Does the title sound ominous the term Godfather being used many times to refer to underground kingpins of crime? Don't be scared. The term Godfather of the Pier is used to refer to the late Tony Trutanich to whom the popularity of the Redondo Beach Pier is credited. Tony Trutanich lived from 1922 to 2007 in that span of time, he is believed to have contributed much to 55 years of the history of the pier.

Tony's Restaurant

Tony is the founder of Tony's Restaurant whose existence centered around being able to offer freshly-cooked seafood dishes to visitors of the Redondo Beach Pier. The idea seemed to click because from a pier location that was no bigger than a garage, Tony was eventually able to expand into the existing Old Tony's establishment and its sister restaurant, Tony's Fish Market.

The reason Tony is credited with helping enhance the popularity level of the Redondo Beach Pier is because even Hollywood personalities used to head for his restaurants just to sample his great seafood dishes and have their picture taken with Tony. Some would even invite Tony, whose background is Croatian, to visit their homes in other states just so he could cook his signature dishes for them. Tony was also able to make friends with owners of other establishments on the Redondo Beach Pier, helping them improve their businesses rather than treating them as hostile competitors. This is why when Tony passed away this 2007, many people in the community were deeply affected by the loss of such a great person.

The Redondo Beach Pier

Though Redondo Beach has a relatively small resort location population of just 65,000, it prides itself on being able to provide world-class amenities to visitors anyway, including over 1,000 rooms in the different lodging places in this area of California. The Redondo Beach Pier, in particular, is so popular with both domestic and international visitors that sometimes weddings are conducted right on the Pier itself. You may have to get permission for weddings (and any other activity with a sizeable attendance) to be conducted on the Pier but they are allowed provided you do not obstruct public access to the Pier in any way.

Events and Activities

On Thursday and Saturday summer evenings, you may be able to catch free concerts on the Redondo Beach Pier which are organized by the Redondo Pier Association. These are usually conducted from July to August every year. Although it is not permitted to ride bikes on the Pier itself, you can always take advantage of the nearby Bike Path. If you are on a bike, you may only walk your bike on the Pier.

The Pier itself is open to the public round-the-clock though establishments such as restaurants on the Pier have varying hours of service. Fishing by members of the public is permitted in certain specific areas which are clearly marked with signs. You do not require official permission to enjoy fishing from the Redondo Beach Pier.

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