LONG BEACH, Calif. – On the corner of E. Wardlow Rd. and Norwalk Blvd., there is an abandoned-looking diner that was once known as Huff’s Family Restaurant, a small eatery that was a local hit for nearly 65 years. After closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became a boarded-up and shut-down building with a questionable future. There is still the classic-looking Huff’s logo on the front door of the restaurant building, but today, passers-by can also see a cartoon-style turtle holding a pizza, with the Instagram handle “@Mooneyspizza” painted on the windows as well. 

On the corner of E. Wardlow Rd. and Norwarlk Blvd., there is a brand-new pizza parlor coming to life. 

The masterminds behind this upcoming establishment are Paul “Hal” and Cindy Mooney, a Long Beach family who are putting in the work to make their dream come true. Cindy, a Los Alamitos High School alumna, has grown up in the community her whole life, while Hal, formerly from Illinois, brings culinary inspiration from the local pizza parlors he grew up eating at.

“There is some history here (at Huff’s). We just kept driving by this place (after) we moved in, and we’re like, ‘something should go in there, it would be so cool,’” Cindy said. 

In January of 2025, the Mooneys signed a lease on the old Huff’s Family Restaurant building with a goal to turn it into something new for the community. Being a beloved diner for multiple decades, the closure of Huff’s brought great sadness to locals everywhere. Today, Hal and Cindy are hoping to bring back that local, nostalgic charm with a fresh twist to both the menu and the design of the restaurant.

Since then, the Mooneys have been busy with demolition, construction and design planning for the restaurant, and despite the lengthy undertaking, the journey has been relatively smooth. With groups giving “pizza lessons” to help with the construction process, Hal said that the community has truly stepped up in support of the new pizza parlor.  

“There is a really strong pizza community, and I wasn’t aware of a lot of super dedicated craftspeople who are eager to share information, eager to help out, eager to create a community,” Hal said. 

The Mooneys are hoping to make their pizza parlor stand out with a tavern-style aesthetic and classic California flavors and ingredients in their menu. From frozen custard to a variety of pizzas to choose from, Mooney’s Pizza is aiming to bring something fresh to the local restaurant scene; they are also adding gluten-free and other dietary options to their menu so that everyone can enjoy their food. 

For now, Hal and Cindy are focused on wrapping up construction in the restaurant and finalizing setup plans before moving on to the design and culinary preparation. 

There isn’t much to see inside the restaurant building at the moment, but hints of both the old and new diner show through the dust and wood frames. The Mooneys have decided to keep most of the original design, including the original eating booths and bar, which saves both money and appeal.

“People loved Huff’s, so for us to be able to reimagine the space and still keep a lot of the charm – in fact, keep most of the charm – (is really cool),” Hal said. 

Even though Mooney’s Pizza isn’t anywhere near opening, it has still gained plenty of attention online through the restaurant’s Instagram account; behind-the-scenes videos of construction, design and other aspects give viewers an inside look at the pizza restaurant life. It’s the Mooney’s strive for authenticity that inspired videos like “Let’s build a pizzeria,” “Top five problems this week” and “How long it takes to open a restaurant.” 

“I’m more than happy to share who we are, what we’re doing, and how we’re doing it. And, you find it interesting, you know?” Cindy said.

Mooney’s Pizza is scheduled to officially open in January of 2026. Until then, Hal and Cindy will continue building towards their dream of creating a community-centered restaurant that brings something to the table for everyone. 

To learn more about Mooney’s Pizza, visit their Instagram page @mooneyspizza or their website, www.mooneyspizza.com.