Summer brought significant change to Westwood, as several businesses were welcomed to the community, while others said their temporary and permanent farewells.

While many undergraduate students were away, Westwood saw the openings of Danny Boy’s Pizza, a New York-style pizza restaurant, as well as Le Phant Milk Tea Co., a specialty milk tea shop. Both businesses opened on Lindbrook Drive, with Le Phant arriving on the scene June 20 and Danny Boy’s officially opening July 17.

Saul Lopez, a co-owner of Le Phant Milk Tea, said the business distinguishes itself as a milk tea shop by brewing their tea leaves with an in-house espresso machine to achieve a stronger flavor and making their creamers by hand using real milk without any powders.

“We want to provide the best quality ingredients, and we want to do something out of the norm of what everyone else is doing, like fun drinks,” Lopez said.

Melisa Naibaho the store’s other co-owner, said Le Phant also emphasizes their customer service, adding that she and Lopez want to ensure their patrons have a memorable, personalized experience.

Le Phant began as a pop-up shop in the San Fernando Valley, but after gaining traction, the two co-owners decided it was time to establish a storefront, Lopez said.

Le Phant has a convenient location with close proximity to campus as well as the Hammer Museum, said Julia Naibaho, sister of Melisa Naibaho. She knew of Le Phant when it was just a pop-up shop and wanted to try out its new Westwood location.

“It’s very close to UCLA – that’s pretty good,” she said. “The Hammer Museum is right there, so they can have visitors from the museum, too. It’s a nice area.”

The shop is currently open Mondays through Fridays from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on weekends, but the goal is to expand their hours going forward, Melisa Naibaho said.

Also new to Westwood is Danny Boy’s Pizza. Daniel Holzman, the restaurant’s owner and head chef, said the idea behind Danny Boy’s was inspired by the pizza of his youth.

“We are a traditional New York City-style pizza by the slice joint, and we are authentic to New York City (in) 1996,” he said. “We tried to be authentic to the pizza of my childhood dreams.”

Holzman added that at Danny Boy’s, he hopes to create high-quality pizza that is affordable and accessible to everyone while also having fun.

“What makes us different and special is that we really believe in the goal and we treat each other like a family over here,” he said. “Our customers, our purveyors, our neighbors, … every single person on this team is as important as the last, and that’s it.”

Victor Bruni, who was visiting Westwood when he saw the restaurant’s sign and decided to try Danny Boy’s, said he enjoyed the pizza, appreciated the thicker style of pizza crust and was impressed by the quality of customer service.

The Danny Boy’s menu consists of appetizers, specialty pizzas and build-your-own pizzas. The company also has a location in Downtown Los Angeles, but the Westwood branch specifically offers grab-and-go sandwiches as well as beer, wine and merchandise, Holzman added.

While some businesses were making their Westwood debut, others, however, were on their way out.

In July, Regency Theatres’ lease ended with the Regency Westwood Village and Bruin theaters, causing the two theaters to close temporarily. However, the Westwood Village Theatre is set to reopen after a series of renovation projects are completed, according to KABC-TV.

Michael Russell, the executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, said the temporary renovations to the Village Theatre are mainly seismic work, in addition to the construction of new screening rooms, a bar and a restaurant. However, he added that because the theaters are not operating, this will also mean a temporary halt on the movie premieres that take place at the Village Theatre.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse – which served Chicago-style pizzas and pizookies – also closed its Westwood location’s doors July 2. Though the Daily Bruin could not confirm the reason for the closure, the chain did see a decline in first-quarter revenue in 2024 from 2023, according to its fiscal report.

[RELATED: BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse to close the doors of its Westwood location July 2]

Russell said although there are no concrete plans yet to fill the vacancy that BJ’s once occupied, the space has great potential with the renovations being undertaken in the theaters just next door.

“I think it definitely presents a unique opportunity with the theater (Westwood Village) being renovated, that somebody could come in there and really leverage some of this new interest, … this new investment in that building,” he said.

Russell said Westwood residents can also look forward to the other businesses that will be coming soon to the neighborhood – including Bruxie, a fried chicken and waffles restaurant, and Milksha, another boba and tea shop. He added that construction is underway for the new Raising Cane’s location on the corner of Weyburn Avenue and Broxton Avenue, and Westwood will soon also be welcoming 2nd Street USA, a Japanese-based clothing resale store.

[RELATED: Consignment store 2nd Street to open doors in Westwood Village this summer]

With the Olympics coming to Westwood Village soon, as well as the future opening of the Metro D Line station, Russell said these events make Westwood an interesting and exciting area into which new businesses can enter.

“I think people can see that there’s an opportunity for Westwood Village to really mature and grow in the future here, between all these things,” he said.