Sam Ramirez, founder and CEO of The Naxon Group, plans to open three restaurants inside the former Hong Kong and Lum Lums building in downtown Visalia, marking another expansion for the hospitality company behind Sunny Hyde Up.
The nearly 10,000-square-foot Center Avenue project will bring contemporary American dining, an Italian-inspired deli and traditional barbecue to the historic property. Ramirez is targeting an early spring 2027 opening, with hiring and staff training set to begin in the coming weeks.
After Sunny Hyde Up opened in 2025, Ramirez said guests frequently asked about dinner, which didn’t fit the brunch-focused model.
“Seeing that space downtown sit empty for the last year has been difficult because it’s got such a great history,” Ramirez said.
Oakmont Kitchen and Bar will occupy the former Lum Lums bar and main dining room, serving steaks, handmade pastas, pork chops and seasonal farm-to-table vegetables. It will seat fewer than 100 guests and include a dedicated bar and lounge.
Olive and Oak Deli will open in the former Hong Kong space with its own Center Avenue entrance. The Italian-inspired, New York-style deli will seat about 30 and offer sandwiches, grab-and-go salads and catering for downtown offices.
Oak City Barbeque will open in the storage building next door, which will be repurposed or rebuilt. The fast-casual restaurant will seat 60 to 80 guests and serve brisket, tri-tip and pulled pork, with a full bar and planned outdoor seating.
Like Sunny Hyde Up, the menus will be built around locally sourced ingredients, with specials, chef series and pairing dinners planned.
The Naxon Group employs more than 100 people in Visalia. Ramirez, a Corcoran native with more than 25 years of hospitality experience, said running three concepts under one roof will let the company cross-train culinary staff, offer longer shifts and reduce operating costs.
Hong Kong Lum Lums was a gathering place for decades before closing in 2025. Payton Construction is handling the renovation and Sanctuaire Interiors, which designed Sunny Hyde Up, is leading interior design. Construction is waiting on city permits.
Some community members voiced concern on social media about changes to the vintage space.
“Change is hard, but the memories aren’t in the carpet, they’re not in the rug, they’re not in the glassware, and they’re not in the bar or the booths,” Ramirez said. “The memories are with the people that you were there with.”
Oakmont will nod to the past with modern takes on Lum Lums favorites, including braised short rib fried rice and the Dragon Lady and Voodoo’s Revenge cocktails, served in single-portion glassware instead of the original fishbowl.
Ramirez also plans to film a video tour of the building’s basement, which is tied to local legends of underground tunnels beneath downtown Visalia.
With the city building a new civic center a few blocks away, Ramirez said the location will serve residents as well as tourists heading to Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
“We’re trying to really provide three distinct options for people that are all connected by a basis of really great hospitality and service,” Ramirez said.
