Rudford’s Restaurant is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Serving San Diego since 1949 we offer an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu that satisfies every craving.
John Thomas “Tommy” Rudford purchased the restaurant in 1949 and did everything right in attracting patrons from all walks of life and age groups, as well as retaining the same staff and cooks for many years. Rudford’s prosperity was due to old fashioned home-cooked food prepared from scratch. They served breakfast all day and all night. The waitresses knew their customers and cared about them enough to visit them when they were ill. They even took them flowers in the hospital. Customer birthdays were celebrated with a lighted candle in a donut on their special day. Many patrons of the restaurant met there, married and continued to be a major part of the restaurant’s home spun flavor.
The early morning crowd included utility crews, blue and white-collar workers, newspaper route managers and people who worked in the area. The lunch crowd was very similar, but the dinner groups included families with children. More interesting people came about 2:00 AM after a night out. The waitresses made quick work of those who disrupted their tranquility by chasing off offenders. They also chased after those who tried to get away without paying their bill.
Tommy Rudford was active in many civic and fraternal groups such as The Scottish Rite Temple, Al Bahr Shrine, Fraternal Order of Eagles and Several San Diego clubs. He ran for mayor 1949 but was defeated. Mr. Rudford passed away in 1972. His daughters continued to run the business until 1983. Leon Gilman bought Rudford’s in 1983 and quickly drew media attention by firing all of the employees because he did not want a union. Some of the employees picketed and he rehired about half of them.
The restaurant continues to enjoy a wide and diverse clientele by continuing to provide home-cooked dining faire that has always made this North Park restaurant a popular gathering place for residents as well as patrons throughout San Diego.
For over 70 years, Rudford’s has been providing San Diegan’s with exceptional and traditional diner favorites. The retro atmosphere attracts all ages. Customers come to Rudford’s Restaurant to relive the good old days and enjoy home-style favorites. The nostalgic decor and past time memories are what makes Rudford’s a true American icon, it’s home away from home.
Rudford’s is living history of the Nostalgia Era in the United States, California and San Diego that people from around the world travel to so they can experience living history of the early years of the diner and everything they represent in lifestyle and culture.
I service entrepreneurs primarily in the USA, though I do handle international clients on occasion. My process allows me to work remotely or to travel to my clients when needed. I have a passion for helping others meet their goals, whether that means getting a bank loan, landing investor funding, or clarifying marketing strategy for their business.
- Masters In Business Administration (MBA) Magna Cum Laude
- Bachelors In Communications & Technical Writing, Summa Cum Laude
- Member of the Forbes Business Development Council
- Forbes Author & Contributor
- Authority Writer at Born2Invest
- Featured business authority on Entrepreneurs Television Network (ETVN)
- BBB Member & BBB Gold Star Certificate Recipient
- Resident Advisor for Business Plan Development for SBM Strategy Consultants
- Pitch Adviser for Entrepreneurs on Shark Tank inspired “Pitch Investors Live” platform
- Investor Pitch Adviser for Texas Investment Network, Florida Investment Network, Canadian Investment Network, New York Investment Network, California Investment Network, Georgia Investment Network, and more
As a parent with a young son and daughter (one of which who has special needs), to say that I stay pretty busy is a severe understatement! When I’m not spending time with my family, I try to stay active in local entrepreneur events and organizations and sponsor community events whenever possible, including the Houston version of Shark Tank by STARTHouston, Houston Area Urban League Entrepreneur series, and my local SCORE events. I am also the resident Pitch Consultant for multiple investment networks.
On January 20, 2017 I left the stability of my career with GE (General Electric) in Business Development as a Commercial Proposals Manager. I followed the next steps of my own business plan and launched full time as a Business Plan and Marketing Consultant, a side job I’ve been loving since 2009.
As a business plan and marketing professional, I constantly recognize great opportunities and have started and currently manage multiple businesses, including Written Success, plus a real estate company, car wash, and distribution businesses with my husband.
And yes, each of our businesses has a business plan and clear marketing strategy : )
Every endeavor we pursue allows me even more first hand knowledge in a variety of industries so I can better service my business plan clients.
Besides spending as much time with my family as possible, I also love to play the piano, like to read (hardcopy preferred over ebooks), and enjoy almost anything outdoors, especially bike riding and horseback riding. I am an INFJ personality type and by nature, tend to advocate for the success in others.
I completely empathize with my clients who have “taken the leap” into entrepreneurship. It takes guts to turn a passion into a day job. There is a mix of fear, exhilaration, and lots of unknowns. I feel so grateful that I am able to better support my clients with my similar experience. Most importantly, I love knowing that my business assists in the creation and success of countless other businesses.
For more about my career, including professional recommendations and accolades, feel free to check out my LinkedIn page.
I believe in being accessible and transparent. In order to support your success, I make sure you can access me directly at any time. If you would like to schedule time to talk with me about your situation and needs, feel free to schedule a free call with me – I’d love to hear from you!