EDITORIAL:40 years of Ruby’s shooby dooby

Success stories in Newport-Mesa are certainly not rare. We are fortunate to live and work in an area that is brimming with talented entrepreneurs and winning ideas.

Among those talented entrepreneurs is Doug Cavanaugh.

Cavanaugh is the founder of Ruby’s Diner, and just this week that 1940s-style eatery celebrated its 25th birthday

Started in an old bait shop at the end of the Balboa Pier, Cavanaugh banked on an investment that yielded a mere $63 on its first day of business.

Two years later, that idea was raking in a cool million.

Ruby’s is now a vast enterprise with 44 stores in eight states serving up burgers, fries and shakes. Oh those chocolate shakes.

But Ruby’s is more than just a burger shop. Visitors to Ruby’s on the Balboa Pier can get a window seat overlooking the Pacific.

They are treated to good service and a friendly atmosphere, punctuated by the 1940s-style tunes pumped in.

Going to Ruby’s on the pier can often be a long wait, as it can be in the many Ruby’s restaurants in Orange County and beyond.

We can attest, it’s worth the wait.

So as Ruby’s is celebrated for all its success, so too should Cavanaugh, who named the popular diner after his mother, who still makes cameo appearances to the delight of the restaurant customers.

Congratulations, Ruby’s, and happy birthday to you.