Black Bear Diner is moving into Redwood City, taking over the former Applebee's restaurant site at 1135 Veterans Boulevard next to the Peninsula Boardwalk Shopping Center. Construction and hiring are already underway at the location, though the company has not announced when the doors will actually open.
The plans were reported by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, according to WhatNow, which cited the journal's reporting that Black Bear Diner would move into the former Applebee's space. According to that same reporting, the Business Journal said there's no target launch month yet for the Redwood City restaurant, and WhatNow likewise notes that a specific opening date has not been announced.
Despite the lack of a firm timeline, the hiring process has already begun. The new location is advertising for servers, line cooks and hosts, with job openings tied to the 1135 Veterans Boulevard address. Additional details about the restaurant are expected to emerge as construction and hiring progress, though nothing further has been released yet.
A Familiar Comfort-Food Menu Heads to the Peninsula
Black Bear Diner is known for serving breakfast, lunch and dinner built around traditional American comfort food, including burgers, salads, sandwiches, shakes and baked goods made in-house. Signature menu items at the chain include The Grizz, Bigfoot, biscuits and gravy, the bacon cheeseburger salad, the crispy chicken cobb salad, taco salad, Santa Maria tri-tip and island breakfast tacos.
The Redwood City opening would mark another expansion for the chain on the Peninsula, where Black Bear Diner already operates a location in Colma. The chain is based in Redding, California, and was founded by Bruce Dean and Bob and Laurie Manley in 1995 in Mount Shasta.
A Growing Chain With a Mixed Record on Size
Exactly how big Black Bear Diner has grown depends on which company account you check. A post from Black Bear Diner marking the opening of its Vista location put the chain's footprint at 170 locations across 13 states, while the company's own Black Bear Diner Franchise site has described the brand as having close to 170 locations in 14 states and counting. The Sacramento Bee, meanwhile, has reported a lower count of 166 Black Bear Diners nationwide.
The chain's growth has not been a straight line. Black Bear Diner Franchise materials note that the company was opening an average of 20 diners a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, a pace that slowed to just six new locations in 2020. The company planned three more openings in 2021, according to Black Bear Diner Franchise. Off-premises orders, which were not previously a major focus for the chain, had grown to account for 20 percent of sales as pickup and delivery habits shifted during the pandemic.
Other Locations Show the Chain Still in Flux
Black Bear Diner's California history includes both new openings and closures elsewhere in the state. The Vista restaurant opened at 605 W. Vista Way in a building that previously housed a Coco's Restaurant and Bakery, per Black Bear Diner. Meanwhile, in Davis, a Black Bear Diner location that had operated for 17 years at 255 2nd St. closed its doors, with the closure announced on March 29, according to The Sacramento Bee.
For now, Redwood City diners curious about the new spot near the Peninsula Boardwalk Shopping Center will have to wait for more concrete news. Construction continues at the Veterans Boulevard site.
