Students at Long Beach State received heartbreaking news yesterday, as the CSULB Beach Shops social media accounts posted that the campus’ iconic Nugget Grill and Pub is closing due to “failing infrastructure.”
The Nugget has been a beloved hangout on campus for more than 40 years, since it opened in 1975 as one of the first on-campus bars, including just the second in California. The brainchild of Douglas Richie Sr. at 49er Shops, the Nugget became iconic not just as an on-campus hang between classes or after finals, but as a legitimate music venue that rivals any other bar in Long Beach.
In its infancy the Nugget hosted Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, Emmylou Harris, and John Prine, and more recently its hosted famed Long Beach and SoCal bands like Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and No Doubt.
It had already been planned that the historic location would close at the end of the semester as part of a three-year rebuild of the University Student Union, but “unforeseen building damage caused by failing infrastructure” forced it to close early, according to the CSULB Beach Shops social media post.
While that post directs students to other on-campus food options, students have taken to social media to complain about a frustrating experience so far this Fall, with both the Student Union and now the Nugget closed down and not scheduled to re-open until an extensive rebuild is completed in Fall 2028. The two locations were the most heavily-trafficked student hangout spots on campus–that and the usual parking woes to start the school year have led to students voicing dissatisfaction with the experience to start 2025-26.
The Beach Shops post has received thousands of shares and hundreds of comments, many from students venting their frustration.
“The entire school is just a construction zone,” wrote ava.rainwater. “Just close the whole school atp bruh,” wrote kayubby.
Images via CSULB Facebook pages
