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The Original Saugus Café, the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles County, has reopened under new management after shutting down last month, but the grand reopening was clouded by a lawsuit against the property owner. The reopening came on Monday, two weeks after the Santa Clarita restaurant closed after nearly 140 years. Alfredo Mercado, the previous operator of the restaurant, had not elaborate why he decided to shut down the restaurant last month. But according to the complaint filed by Mercado against the building owner, North Valley Construction, he is suing the property owner for breach of contract and trademark infringement. The Mercado patriarch had purchased the restaurant in 1998 after working for the business as a bartender for “many years,” according to the complaint. Mercado alleges that he began renting the restaurant space from Hank Arklin from 1998 after a “handshake, oral lease agreement.” But when Arklin died, problems began, according to Mercado, and eventually, the property owner forced Mercado out of the business. “Plantiff never had any intent to close its business,” the lawsuit said, alleging the property owner, now called North Valley Construction, verbally told the Mercado family to vacate the property in late December. Santa Clarita Dec 30, 2025 The Original Saugus Cafe in Santa Clarita to close after nearly 140 years in service Restaurants Sep 11, 2025 LA's historic Original Pantry Café to reopen on New Year's Day The Mercado family also said the reopening came as a surprise. “We truly thought that was the end of the Saugus Café,” Jessie Mercado, one of the former operators, said. The Mercado family also claims that it owns the rights to the Saugus Café name. “If they have interest in our name, we’re willing to sell it. It’s truly unfair that they’re using it without our consent, without compensating us,” Mercado said. NBC Los Angeles reached out to North Valley Construction for comment. The new operators, meanwhile, said they will do their best to live up to the Saugust Café’s historic reputation. “They gave me the opportunity, and I get it. I’m going to try and do the best I can,” Eduardo Reyna said.

Police Monday looked for a hit-and-run driver who struck and severely injured a man on a skateboard in Panorama City. The collision happened last Thursday at around 5:15 p.m. on Nordhoff Street near Lurline Avenue. Video released by the Los Angeles Police Department showed the skateboarder was traveling westbound on Nordhoff Street on the far right side of the road when when a four-door, gray Ford Focus swerved and struck the skateboarder. The impact of the crash pushed the victim off his skateboard, causing him to fall onto the street near the curb, police said. The driver of the gray car continued on Nordhoff Street then made a U-turn to travel the opposite direction on Nordhoff, the LAPD described. Source: LAPD “The driver failed to stop, identify themselves or render aid as required by law,” the police department said in a statement. The victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The LAPD asked the public to notify officials if they spot a gray Ford Focus with a light gray repaint on the front right fender, white tape around the edges of both rear headlamps as well as possible rear tinted windows.