Following a July announcement that Cole’s French Dip would close today after 117 years in business as the city’s oldest restaurant and bar, there now seems to be a glimmer of hope for the iconic eatery.

In a statement emailed to the Southern California News Group, restaurant officials said the restaurant — one of two historic L.A. spots that claims to have invented the French Dip sandwich — will remain open for another 45 days thanks to an influx of customers who have come to Cole’s ever since the closure was announced.

“This love and these rallying cries from the L.A. community have been so heartfelt during this difficult time — it’s not only extremely appreciated but truly eye-opening that, with enough noise and enough fight, change can actually be made,” the statement read.

Restaurant officials also credited local groups like DTLA Residents Association, Independent Hospitality Coalition, Historic Core BID, Central City Association and the DTLA Alliance for advocating for the restaurant.

In early July, Cedd Moses, founder of Pouring with Heart, which owns Cole’s, cited myriad reasons for its August closure, such as the global pandemic, the actors and writers strikes, overall crime, as well as the consistently rising costs of labor and goods, unsustainably high rents, mounting bureaucracy and legal exposure.

And after the news got out, customers began lining up to get into the downtown Los Angeles restaurant.

“Diners and imbibers have been visiting from all across Southern California to say their goodbyes, for which we couldn’t be more grateful. Though it’s likely not going to be forever, it is still a gift to keep the ovens on, the drinks flowing and our family of staff employed for a little bit longer,” the statement continued.

Located at 118 E. Sixth St., in the Pacific Electric Building, Cole’s was founded by Henry Cole in 1908, and in 1974 it was dedicated as a city Historic-Cultural Landmark. Cole’s claim to fame is inventing the French dip sandwich, which nearby establishment Philippe The Original has also claimed.

Cole’s was purchased by Moses and underwent a $1.6 million renovation that brought it back to its 1908 state, with original glass lighting and restored penny-tile floors plus a 40-foot mahogany bar adorned with old photos that depict the history of Cole’s and Los Angeles.