ANNA MARIA – The group consisting of Brian Seymour, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham is the city commission’s top choice to operate the City Pier grill and bait shop.
During Friday’s emergency meeting, the commission favored the proposal Seymour presented over the proposal Mike Coleman presented on behalf of FP Growth Partners LLC.
Mayor Dan Murphy is now authorized to negotiate a five-year lease with Seymour for the group’s operation of a grill and bait shop in the smaller of the two city-owned buildings at the T-end of the new City Pier. The initial five-year lease will provide Seymour’s group with an option for one five-year renewal.
Murphy hopes to present a negotiated lease for final commission approval on Thursday, Sept. 24. If lease terms cannot be reached with Seymour’s group, Murphy will seek commission authorization to negotiate a lease agreement with FP Growth Partners.
Commissioners Carol Carter, Jon Crane, Joe Muscatello and Mark Short each said this was a difficult choice to make.
“I think both parties, both proposals were outstanding. We couldn’t go wrong, and it was a very hard decision,” Short said.
Two finalists named
Friday’s meeting was preceded by an emergency meeting on Tuesday that resulted in the commission unanimously naming Seymour’s group and FP Growth Partners as its top two choices. This eliminated from further consideration the proposals submitted by Harry’s Continental Kitchens and the father-daughter tandem team of Sherman and Sarah Baldwin.
Harry’s Continental Kitchens proposed paying $1,500 per month in base rent or a percentage-based rent to be negotiated. The Baldwins proposed $2,000 per month in base rent, plus up to 10% of gross revenues.
The mayor and commission expressed concerns about the risks associated with percentage-based rents and the four bidders did not address the commission on Tuesday.
Carter expressed concerns about Coleman’s public criticism of the city commission in a recent letter to the editor that ran in a local newspaper. The letter referred to an amended alcoholic beverages ordinance the mayor later vetoed. Carter said it’s important for the city to have a good working relationship with its pier partner.
Seymour’s group proposed paying $6,000 per month/$72,000 per year in base rent, with an annual 2.5% increase. Seymour’s group anticipates spending an additional $41,350 to complete its share of the interior buildout for the bait shop building.
Seymour is the owner-operator of the Anna Maria General Store & Deli on Pine Avenue. Mattay owns Dips Ice Cream, which shares space inside the general store. Graham manages Dips and he and his brother, Aaron, own and operate Graham Slam fishing charters in Cortez.
Seymour, Mattay and Graham are equal one-third partners in the Pine Avenue Bait & Tackle store that opened next to the general store earlier this year and the trio plans to form a similar partnership for their City Pier business operations.
FP Growth Partners proposed paying $5,500 per month/$66,000 per year in initial base rent or 6% of gross revenues, whichever was higher.
FP Growth Partners offered to take the bait shop building as is and complete the interior buildout at no additional expense to the city. Murphy said that could save the city $50,000 to $75,000 in upfront costs.
FP Growth Partners operates multiple Poppo’s Taquerias, including the Pine Avenue location.
In the mid-2000s, Coleman and restaurateur/businessman Ed Chiles completed the Pine Avenue Restoration (PAR) project along Pine Avenue that continues to provide retail, office and vacation rental/residential space.
Coleman presentation
On Friday, Coleman and Seymour were each given 10 minutes to explain and elaborate on the written proposals the commissioners reviewed prior to Tuesday’s meeting.
Going first, Coleman touted the success of the PAR project and Poppo’s Taquerias.
“If you want to find out what somebody’s going to do, take a look at what they’ve done already,” he said.
Coleman said his sons Casey and Patrick and Patrick’s wife, Rowen, founded Poppo’s.
“They own 60%. I own 10%,” he said.
Coleman estimated the pier grill and bait shop could gross up to $1.5 million per year and 6% of that would equate to $90,000 in rent for the city.
“The promise is $5,500. The opportunity is 6% of $1.2 to $1.5 million. As the business does better, the city does better,” he said.
Coleman reiterated the group’s willingness to take the bait shop as is and spare the city those buildout costs.
FP Growth Partners’ proposed menu included $3-5 breakfast sandwiches, $4-9 fresh ground beef burgers, $5-8 fried clam bellies, $8-12 wild-caught fish sandwiches, hand-cut fries fried in duck fat, seasonal soups, soft drinks with no high fructose corn syrup, $4-6 draft and local craft beers and $6 sangria.
Coleman said the menu items remained open to discussion, but his group would not compromise on Poppo’s quality standards and use of fresh ingredients.
Coleman also said FP Growth Partners spent the past 18 months testing an app-based delivery system and automated ordering kiosks.
“If you’re fishing halfway down the pier, we’ll bring the food to you. If you’re coming on your boat, place an order on your app,” Coleman said.
His group’s proposed bait shop offerings included live shrimp, frozen shrimp, frozen squid and possibly fresh fiddler crabs and pinfish.
Coleman addressed Carter’s previous concerns about his relationship with the city. He noted he previously paid for a half-page ad in which he praised the city’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t want my kids’ opportunity to be canceled because someone took a personal objection to something I said,” Coleman said.
He also noted his group’s willingness to also lease the larger pier building originally intended for use as a full-service restaurant.
Muscatello asked Coleman what he had in mind for the larger building.
“Our personal vision for that is more of a historic reminder of who we are. I think you could have a great, low-impact retail operation over there that’s both educational and profitable,” Coleman said.
FP Growth Partners proposed operating the grill and bait shop from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Murphy asked Coleman who would serve as the group’s main point of contact.
“I handle site selection, lease negotiation, financials, all that kind of stuff,” Coleman said.
He said once that initial process was complete, his office manager would be the main point of contact.
Seymour presentation
Seymour said his group plans to use approximately 36 square feet of the larger pier building for a portable refrigerator and a portable freezer. He said those two appliances would be on wheels and could be easily relocated if the larger building is leased to another tenant.
“We can do this because within a block of the pier we have our three brick and mortar businesses. And I have a massive walk-in cooler there already. We’re not going to run out of product,” Seymour said.
He also noted much of the grill prep work could be done ahead of time at the general store.
Seymour said his group is also interested in the larger pier building that could possibly provide additional indoor seating, but that was not the primary focus of the city’s request for proposals for a grill and bait shop.
Regarding his group’s proposed menu, Seymour said, “We have added items that are pier-friendly, keeping in mind that we are not a full-service restaurant – nor do we want to compete in the future with a potential full-service restaurant right next door.”
The proposed menu includes a $4 breakfast sandwich, a $7 American breakfast, a $5 yogurt, granola, fresh fruit parfait, a $7 City Pier Burger, a $3 Pier Dog, an $8 Cuban sandwich, chicken wings, chicken tenders, clam strips, shrimp, a wedge salad and more. It also includes $2 domestic draft beers, $3 canned beers, $4-5 craft beers and $4-6 glasses of wine.
The menu notes orders could be placed ahead of time by phone.
Regarding the pier bait shop, Seymour said, “We’ll build our own live well. We’re going to stock tackle that we know is going to sell – hooks, line, leader.”
Seymour said the bait offerings would include live shiners, shrimp and pinfish when available. The frozen bait offerings would include shrimp, squid, sardines and sand fleas.
“All the things we currently have – and we have that shop a block away to support that bait shop on the pier,” he said.
In response to questions from Muscatello, Seymour estimated $1.3 to $1.4 million in potential annual gross revenues, and said he planned live acoustic music from 5-8 p.m. and the installation of removable shade sails above the picnic tables and deck area behind the bait shop.
In response to a question from Short, Seymour said he envisions the window facing the shore for ice cream service, the windows facing the Rod & Reel Pier for the snack shop and beer and wine service and the rear window for the bait and tackle sales taking place mostly outside using a handheld point of sale device.
Carter asked Seymour about staffing. Seymour envisions three to five employees working at any given time and a total staff of 16-20 people, including some current employees who would like to work on the pier.
Seymour said the grill and bait shop would be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in accordance with the commission’s previously expressed desires.
Seymour said he would be the main contact, but Mattay and Graham would also be available.
“We’re not and have never been absentee owners. Our vision for the City Pier is to once again become the number one tourist destination and local destination for Manatee County. We promise to be good stewards of the pier and we’ll work tirelessly with this city,” Seymour said.
Short made the motion to select Seymour’s group. Crane said he was leaning toward Coleman’s group because of Poppo’s food quality and fresh ingredients, but he later supported Short’s motion. Sensing Carter’s support for Seymour’s group, Muscatello said, “To make it unanimous, I’ll say yes.” Carter then made the vote unanimous.
Final thoughts
“We’re looking forward to partnering with the city and quickly getting this pier back open seven days a week for locals and visitors alike,” Seymour said after the meeting ended.
“My goal is to be open before Thanksgiving if everything goes smoothly,” he said later.
“I’m excited to get this thing going,” Graham said.
“All three of us are excited about the bid we have for that pier and we’re going to make it a great place for everybody to visit,” Mattay said.
On Saturday, Coleman provided the following statement via text message: “We congratulate Brian and his team on their excellent presentation. While we sincerely believe we offered the best short- and long-term proposal for the city and its taxpayers, the commissioners, in their prerogative, selected Brian and his group, whom we respect and have supported for years. We wish them the best.”
