North Shore Burgers Launch Delayed to August

The Hawaiian-style burger restaurant was supposed to open in mid-April

By Justin Chapman, La Cañada-Flintridge Patch, 6/27/2011

North Shore Burgers, a Hawaiian-style upscale sit down restaurant that was hit a few unanticipated snags, but La Cañada Flintridge City Councilmember Mike Davitt now thinks the store should be opening in the second or third week of August. Craig Bittner, Davitt and his campaign manager, Mike Powers, are co-partners on the project.
"We recently got our liquor license approved by ABC [Alcoholic Beverage Control]," Davitt told Patch during a phone interview. "One of our delays was waiting for our approval from the LA County Health Department. That took longer than anticipated. We received approval from the Health Department, but we're still
working out a few items with them. I'd call it tentative approval."
While they received a Conditional Use Permit from the city as well as the city's blessing to serve beer and wine last December, Assistant Planner Joanne Parians said that the city's Planning Department has not yet received an application for a business license.
"Typically business licenses are issued right before they're about to open," said Parians. "As of now, an application for a business license for North Star Burgers has not been submitted."
Davitt said he plans on submitting that application sometime next week. A couple weeks ago, however, he did submit plans to the Building and Safety Department for the interior work of the store, which is located in the United Artists Theatre complex on Verdugo Boulevard and was once occupied by Rice Garden. Davitt said the only exterior work plans pertain to the store's sign.
Parians explained that the city contracts with the county for Building and Safety needs and that the same staff is permanently assigned to work out of City Hall.
It's clear that the city is well in favor of the new burger joint, hoping it will attract more customers to the UA complex.
"Any time you have a new business come in with this economy, it's a good thing," Robert Stanley, the city's director of community development, . "Especially after another business leaves. We viewed it as a good fit."
Planning Commission Chairman Michael Cahill agreed, calling North Shore Burgers a "welcome addition" to the community. "It will be an easy place for family and our youth to enjoy good burgers and fries," he said. "Local eateries contribute to our community life, and we welcome this one."