Palm Springs restaurant fixture Rick’s closing original location, but it’s not going far

After nearly 30 years and countless servings of French toast and fried potatoes, Rick's Restaurant & Bakery in Palm Springs will soon be closing its doors.

But while the closure will mean a change in routine for the many Rick's regulars who have come to find something of a second home in its comfy booths, they won't have to go far to get their morning coffee and a fix of Rick's trademark fluffy cinnamon rolls.

The restaurant's founder and owner, Rick Seidner, told The Desert Sun on Thursday that he will be closing the physical restaurant by the end of March although the exact last day has not been determined. But the plan is to then move the breakfast and lunch business he operated there to his other restaurant, Rick's Desert Grill, which is less than a block away.

That restaurant, which opened 2008, currently only serves dinner but will now pick up where the first Rick's leaves off, serving the exact same menu.

"Nothing's changing but the location," Seidner said.

The restaurateur said he made the decision to close because a prospective buyer of the property hadn't committed to providing him a long-term lease like the one he had historically enjoyed.

"Some people have different plans about things, and I can't be in a position where in a year from now they could say 'We're closing, we're evicting you,' whatever," he said.

He added that the move will ensure a better and more certain future for his son, who is now running the businesses as the elder Seidner has moved into retirement (although he is still involved in the restaurants and can be found at them nearly every day).

Seidner said he personally is not too bummed about the closure, given that it will allow him to cut his responsibilities and costs while ensuring the Rick's name continues. He said customers he's told about the news have been a bit sad, but also glad one of their favorite spots will live on, just up the road.

"They're glad that we're not going to leave, because we do provide a good product," he said. "And when you've got employees that have been with you for so many years, you create a sort of a friendship and a first-name basis with your customers. And it's a really neat feeling to work like that, and none of that is going to change. It's going to continue."

He added that all of the employees at the old Rick's will move to the desert grill.

Still, the closure means the loss of the original iteration of one of Palm Springs' longstanding greasy spoons, with others including Billy Reed's, which has operated just down the road from Rick's since 1975, and John's, which opened in 1976. Together those restaurants have served what has proved to be an enduring desire for hearty eats served with a side of old school comfort even as tastes and the larger dining scene have shifted around them.

Those who have frequented both restaurants will recall that Rick's Desert Grill, while still casual, sports a somewhat spiffier atmosphere than the restaurant and bakery. However, Seidner said the team is working to create a different feel for the new breakfast and lunch crowds than what awaits during dinner. He added that the desert grill space also has certain advantages over the one to the north, including outdoor seating that cannot be offered at the older location due to heavier winds.

Then there is another possible change on the horizon that will likely be especially welcomed by customers.

"We're probably going to be able to lower our prices, because I own that building and don't have the overhead that I have at the (other restaurant)," he said.

Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs restaurant Rick’s to close original home, but move nearby