A new restaurant and lounge is coming to Ripon and with it will be the opulence and luxury from the era of old Hollywood.

Falcon’s Lair will be the name of the new establishment. The name is a homage to the rolling Bel Air estate built by 1920s screen star Rudolph Valentino. When it opens it will be the materialization of a long simmering dream for Moe Willey.

Willey is no stranger to the restaurant industry and the hard work it takes to survive. At the incredibly young age of 13, she left home and for two years supported herself by bussing tables at different eateries in Humboldt County. She returned home for a short while, but it didn’t last and she went back to working at restaurants.

Over the years she has done most of the jobs associated with service, including owner. She and her husband Bob Willey own Gold Dust Pizza, which has locations in Ripon, Oakdale, Sutter Creek and Copperopolis and the Ice Cream Emporium. Their business has now grown to include their three adult children - Katie, Jeremiah and Hannah.

Willey’s idea for the establishment is an upscale vibe and look with budget-friendly prices. It will be an appetizer centric menu with lunch and dinner options and will be open seven days a week.

“It will be the type of place to come after work or out with friends to have some good food and drinks in a luxurious environment without having to pay Vegas prices,” Willey said.

The lounge will have a full bar and will feature cocktails that spotlight Ripon’s claim to fame as the almond capital of the world.

“I think it’s a place that will fill a void here in Ripon,” Willey said. “We wanted a business that wouldn’t take away from the realm of what’s already around and we think this concept does that.”

The interior will have lots of plush seating, crown molding details, opulent lighting fixtures and gold accents.

“That is my signature color,” Willey said with a laugh.

The location for Falcon’s Lair will be 1225 Canal Boulevard. The opportunity to purchase the building came to the Willeys and they decided to go for it.

The tenant, Canal Street Grille, was expected to remain at the site through Dec. 31, but the owners of that establishment recently announced on social media that they were permanently closed. Willey said the sudden closure has not changed their plans for a late February opening. The restaurant will have a staff between 60 to 80 employees when it opens.