Lumberyard is Serving Exactly What Laguna Beach Wants

What started for a 16-year-old as a part-time gig bussing tables and cleaning dishes to pay for his first car (a Camaro convertible) has become a full-fledged career. Cary Redfearn, Owner and General Manager of Lumberyard in Laguna Beach, grew up in West Los Angeles with a love of dining out. He regularly tagged along on his parent’s date nights and slowly but surely worked his way up the hospitality chain. Today, he focuses all he’s learned about the restaurant business -- from back-of-the-house processes to customer service -- to ensure anyone who walks into Lumberyard feels like family.

Stepping inside the restaurant feels as cozy as expected from the cottage-esque appearance. With dark wood, gray walls, and red accents, Lumberyard is a place to sit, sip, and stay for a while. “My hope was to host an experience at Lumberyard that is both welcoming and fun, but one that also operates at a very high level with respect to food and service quality,” Redfearn says.

“Walking into Lumberyard should be like putting on your favorite pair of fuzzy slippers, or perhaps -- being in Laguna -- your favorite flip flops.”

And, with a brunch, lunch, and dinner menu that serves up American classics like bananas foster french toast, BBQ baby back ribs, and even a half-pound Angus Chuck cheeseburger (with fries!), you can rest assured that it is.

Even if there is no occasion but a hungry stomach, Lumberyard welcomes guests and then invites them back again by extending them an environment that’s both casual and comfortable, with a food menu that’s inclusive of different diets. “My wife and I wanted to create a timeless and lasting feel, look, and menu that would endure as a local go-to restaurant for Laguna Beach,” explains Redfearn. “It was important to keep our menu accessible to as many guests as possible by offering choices of high quality food at a reasonable price.” The restaurant also looks to push the envelope with their daily specials and continued menu development by regularly adding new items, techniques, and flavors. Their latest goal is to include more greens, grains, and vegetarian/vegan options for their visitors.

Those who dine at Lumberyard, whether once or frequently, can feel the “home-cooked meal” vibe the neighborhood restaurant emits. “I consider myself fortunate to own a restaurant and work in the town in which I live and love,” says Redfearn. “It’s where I married the love of my life and raised our kids.”

This obvious love of his city and its inhabitants, mixed with his admiration of the industry he’s been in since he was a child, gives an intent to his restaurant that can’t be feigned. He’s made his restaurant a place where his guests can come to celebrate life’s precious moments -- whether it be a first date, a 50-year anniversary, or just a regular Tuesday night out.

So put your name on the waitlist, take a seat, and enjoy the second home that is Lumberyard.

Kaitlynn Labit is the Los Angeles editor at LOCALE Magazine. Whenever she sits down at a restaurant she crosses her fingers that they have a gluten-free menu (allergy, not preference). Get in touch with her at kaitlynnmlabit@gmail.com or on Instagram at @kaitlynnlabit.

Photos by: Grant Puckett.

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