Cal State Long Beach's beloved campus bar Nugget Grill & Pub closes after 49 years

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Cal State Long Beach's beloved on-campus pub, the Nugget, has permanently closed its doors due to an electrical failure, several months earlier than its planned demolition. 

What we know:

The Nugget Grill & Pub, a long-standing campus institution that served Cal State Long Beach for 49 years, is now permanently closed. 

While the establishment was already scheduled for closure in December as part of a student union renovation, its timeline was accelerated due to "failing infrastructure." 

According to the "Long Beach Post," corroded water heaters leaked onto an electrical transformer, causing a power outage and more than $1 million in damage, which was deemed too expensive to repair for the short term. 

The university's website said, "We're sad to share that the Nugget Grill & Pub is now closed. Due to unforeseen building damage caused by failing infrastructure, this beloved campus spot can no longer operate."

What they're saying:

In a statement on the university's website, officials honored the pub's legacy, saying, "For more than 40 years, the nugget has been more than a restaurant to this campus. It has been a place where the beach community could come together for meals, music and memories."

"We were looking forward to one final semester in the space," Cyndi Farrington, chief business officer of beach shops," told the Post. "We didn't get to have that final curtain call."

What's next:

A new beer joint and restaurant is planned as part of the student union renovation, but it is not expected to open for at least another three years. 

The university is in the process of a major renovation of the student union, which will include a re-imagined Nugget Grill & Pub.