Romancing the Bean was started in 1993 across from the Warner Brothers Studios in lower Burbank. Kerry Krull started the coffee shop with no experience running a business and wanted to create something lasting for her children. After multiple jobs in the restaurant industry, the entrepreneurial spirit pulled hard toward creating the new coffee shop.
Early customers included the cast and crew of “Friends”, shooting across the street. While the new venture was getting started, Ms. Krull kept working at a local restaurant to keep food on the table. Early on, there were some difficult lessons to learn based on the on-the-job business education she was receiving first-hand.
Later on, Romancing the Bean moved to the Magnolia Park part of Burbank next to a hair salon. After that, in a subsequent move, the coffee shop moved to a much larger space in downtown Burbank on San Fernando Rd under a major condominium development. Business was good until the Great Recession struck in 2008, which led to Ms. Krull losing everything. This was a challenging time for her and the company, but she responded in typical form by enrolling in culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu, Hollywood.
Kerry Krull went to culinary school to better understand putting together a comprehensive menu. This knowledge was precious in 2015 when she purchased the New Deal Diner. Ms. Krull said the focus at New Deal is on “elevated comfort food” like Mama’s Meatloaf “served with butter mashed potatoes & buttery green beans with almonds.” Their menu stays pretty static due to the fact that each dish is quite popular after being honed and perfected for years.
During the pandemic, The New Deal Diner survived by erecting tents in front and back of the building, complete with cozy seating and heaters near every table. The outdoor dining combined with a massive shift over to take out orders helped the restaurant and coffee shop survive Covid-19. Ms. Krull stated that the outdoor dining area in the back of The New Deal was very popular for parties, with guests frequently trying to line up the entire space for their celebration.
The New Deal
3501 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505
☎ (818) 861-7731
http://www.thenewdealrestaurant.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thenewdealrestaurant
hospitality@thenewdealrestaurant.com
Romancing The Bean
3413 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505
☎ (818) 845-2326
http://www.romancingthebeancafe.com/
https://www.facebook.com/romancingthebean
beankrull@yahoo.com