Longtime riverside hangout closing in Reedley. Here’s why and what’s next

Kelly’s Beach was an institution in Reedley.

From the 1980s through the mid-2000s at least, the single-room restaurant and bar was a go-to for both locals and out-of-towners looking for a bit of recreation (and/or libation) along the Kings River.

When the place sold in 2015, it was rebranded as The Wakehouse, which over the past next decade earned its own reputation as a craft bar, restaurant and camp-fire music venue.

The Wakehouse is now set for closure, as owners work through “the current economic climate, along with the growing need for repairs, upgrades, and operational changes,” according to a message on its social media on Sunday.

“We have reached a point where we cannot continue operating in a way that truly reflects our values.”

The closure is indefinite, general manager Justin Simmons told The Bee on Monday, as the restaurant works through needed facility improvements and cosmetic upgrades; things that can’t be done while the place is open. “The goal is temporary,” Simmons said, though there’s no timeline and on its social media the restaurant acknowledged “that the outcome is uncertain.”

So, there’s no guarantee it will remain The Wakehouse upon its return.

During its 10 years, The Wakehouse created a space for elevated food and signature cocktails (including one that was featured in the New York Times) and had a performers list that included Hawthorne Heights, Everclear, Shooter Jennings and Snoop Dogg (who did a DJ set there in 2018).

But the business has struggled recently, and the owners are taking the closure as an opportunity for a reset. The plan is to reopen as a different version of the Wakehouse, Simmons said.

“How different is kind of up in the air. It needs a clean slate.”

The restaurant has yet to announce a final service date, but Simmons expects it to early January.

Before that, the Wakehouse is hosting a final concert as a farewell and a fundraiser benefit for the staff. Information on the concert, and the restaurant final day will be shared on its social media in the coming days.

Also closed: Lum Lum’s Restaurant in Visalia

The Wakehouse joins dozens of restaurants that closed across Fresno and Clovis in 2025.

It also joins Lum Lum’s Chinese restaurant, which closed its location in downtown Visalia on Sunday after more than three decades. News of the closure was shared on a Central Valley foodie group on Facebook last week.

A picture in the post appears to show a note from the restaurant to its customers: “Our restaurant and bar have been a place for families, celebrations and countless shared meals. From birthdays, holidays and other special occasions, every moment with you has meant so much.”

The post doesn’t give an explanation for the closure, but the building that housed the restaurant (and the Hong Kong Restaurant next door) is for sale for $1.1 million.

According to a listing for the building, Lum Lum’s was opened in 1982 by the Lums, a family of longtime restaurateurs who operated a series businesses in Visalia’s Chinatown, including the Double LL Steakhouse and Saloon.

This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 7:30 AM.