HOLMES BEACH – Some businesses have had a hard few years with a lot of it due to ongoing construction at and around their locations.
Businesses in the S&S Plaza on Gulf Drive and along Holmes Boulevard have faced construction woes for well over a year as city and Manatee County projects have obstructed the roads around several businesses.
The city center project to enhance the intersection at Gulf and Marina drives closed primary access to the S&S Plaza and the Island Shopping Center for several months while work was completed.
Prior to, during and after that project, the Manatee County force main replacement also closed access to businesses behind the Island Shopping Center along Holmes Boulevard and to the S&S Plaza, particularly the western section.
That smaller section is where Just 4 Fun Rentals, Minnie’s Beach Café, AMI Health and Fitness and Edibles N More are located. For part of the time during construction, Minnie’s co-owner, Kathy Smart, said that some days, her restaurant was inaccessible due to the ongoing construction, particularly the force main replacement project that took several months longer to complete than it was initially projected to take and resulted in sections of Holmes Boulevard being repeatedly torn up and repaved.
Sean Murphy, owner of The Doctor’s Office, a restaurant and bar, sent out newsletters during the construction encouraging patrons to visit the establishment, noting that it remained open during the roadway construction.
Construction on the city center project was completed in the fall of 2023 with construction on the force main project completed in spring 2024.
Though the roadway construction is done and all the entrances to businesses are open, currently all the businesses in both sides of the S&S Plaza are struggling with ongoing construction related to the facade of the buildings being updated. Despite ongoing construction on the facade, all the businesses are open with normal business hours.
One of those businesses, Minnie’s, recently made headlines when owners Smart and Mary Doub took to GoFundMe to ask the community for help. After suffering business losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term construction, the couple asked the public to help with needed funding to assist in saving the café. The community, including visitors and locals who love Minnie’s and its staff, exceeded the $20,000 fundraising goal in less than 48 hours with a total of $26,850 raised at press time for The Sun.
HOLMES BEACH – The doctor is in at The Doctor’s Office, a local cocktail bar, and he may soon be serving up an expanded menu in a larger space.
Commissioners voted 4-1, with Commissioner Kim Rash dissenting, to approve the first public hearing of a proposed site plan amendment to turn the local bar into a restaurant.
Owner Sean Murphy, formerly of the Beach Bistro, presented a plan to Holmes Beach commissioners during an Oct. 11 work session asking for consideration to add a full-service restaurant to The Doctor’s Office operation in the adjacent event space known as The Doctor’s Garden. If approved by commissioners at a final public hearing, the new restaurant will have 66 seats, 50 inside and 16 outside, serving dinner nightly after 5 p.m. with lunch service available on Saturdays and Sundays.
Police Chief Bill Tokajer said during the Oct. 25 initial public hearing on the proposed site plan amendment that he’s spoken with representatives at West Manatee Fire Rescue who have given their approval of the requested number of seats for indoor and outdoor dining at the proposed restaurant space.
Rash was absent from the work session discussion but was present for the first public hearing on the site plan amendment.
Margie Motzer, a resident who lives near the bar, said she’s concerned about the impact on the neighborhood if the bar is allowed to expand into a restaurant. She said the increased indoor and outdoor seating added to the other nearby restaurants, bars and vacation rental properties could increase the noise and traffic through adjacent residential neighborhoods. Citing a section of the city’s comprehensive plan, she noted that city leaders are tasked with preventing the encroachment of commercial businesses in residential neighborhoods and she fears the restaurant could negatively impact nearby property values.
Resident Barbara Hines, a former member of the city’s planning commission, also spoke against allowing the bar to transition to a restaurant, noting the possibility of increases in traffic and noise.
Nancy Deal said she was concerned about parking for the restaurant, noting that she’s observed patrons and employees of the bar parking in inappropriate areas, such as across the street at a nearby laundromat.
Commissioner Jayne Christenson also expressed concern about parking because of the Doctor’s Office need for off-site parking contracts due to there not being enough dedicated parking onsite. She said that city leaders allowed off-site parking with the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club at the adjacent former
Wells Fargo site and, when the bank closed, the resort lost the ability to use that parking area. Murphy said that the off-site parking contracts have a 90- day cancellation notice clause that would give him time to find additional parking for patrons.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that he could see parking being a problem at the site.
Rash said he hasn’t had one resident call and tell him that they favored approval of the site plan amendment but that he’s had several calls from people who don’t want the bar to turn into a restaurant. He added that he feels it would create too much of an impact on an already congested area.
Murphy said his intent with the restaurant is to keep it as a small, intimate venue for patrons to enjoy a meal.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said that the site plan amendment application met every requirement laid out in the comprehensive plan. “I see nothing wrong with approving this site plan,” she said, noting that Murphy had met every requirement set out by the city.
The site plan will be scheduled for a final public hearing by commissioners.
HOLMES BEACH – While the debate over masks and vaccinations heats up due to the Delta variant of COVID-19, one Island business owner says he doesn’t want unvaccinated customers walking through the doors.
That’s the new policy at the nationally-renowned Beach Bistro and The Doctor’s Office cocktail lounge.
Owner Sean Murphy has gone to great lengths to keep staff and customers safe. The Beach Bistro was the first establishment in the U.S. to acquire state-of-the-art air purification units developed in Denmark that were specifically designed to destroy airborne viruses, he said.
“I called my cousin who is an anesthesiologist and works in a sterile environment. I told him I needed to purify the air in my restaurant, how do I do that?” said Murphy, who also owns The Doctor’s Office and the temporarily-closed Eat Here restaurant in Holmes Beach. “My cousin introduced me to two brothers in Denmark whose father specialized in viral air purification who developed a unit that uses a massive fan to move air which is filtered through ultraviolet light, a HEPA filter and ionization.”
In addition to the floor units, Murphy also upgraded the air conditioning in the restaurant to utilize the same technology and move inside air out and outside air in. All of the air in the restaurant is replaced every three to four minutes.
“My goal is to be the safest restaurant in America,” said Murphy, who hopes his efforts will encourage other restaurants to do what he is doing.
In addition to the air filtration, all of Murphy’s employees at Beach Bistro and The Doctor’s Office – which is following the same policies – have been vaccinated. The restaurateur brought the vaccinations to the employees at the establishment and rewarded each employee with a $100 bonus for getting the vaccine.
Murphy says diners have responded positively to the policy, with nine out of 10 people fine with it, he said. But the people who don’t like it have been especially unpleasant in their responses.
“There’s a nasty little streak on Facebook that’s calling us communists and fascists. One person even said they wanted to get COVID then come here and eat,” Murphy said.
The restaurant can’t legally ask for proof of vaccination, Murphy said. Under Florida Senate Bill 2006, passed in May and made effective on July 1, businesses are not allowed to require customers to provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination.
But Beach Bistro is reservation only, and when his staff asks if diners have been vaccinated and they say “yes,” Murphy said he believes they are being honest.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s (DBPR) decision to allow Florida bars to reopen at 50% capacity Monday is not expected to have an impact on Anna Maria Island.
That’s because five of the Island’s six stand-alone bars are already open and have been for quite some time.
On Sept. 10, DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears issued Executive Order 2020-10, which repeals the bar restrictions he set forth in EO 2020-09 on June 26.
No longer in effect, Beshears’ June 26 order said, “All vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises who derive more than 50% of gross revenue from such sales shall suspend sales for consumption on premises. Vendors also licensed as public food service establishments or restaurants may continue to operate for on-premise consumption of food and beverages at tables so long as these vendors derive 50% or less of gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption.”
Beshears issued his June order after the number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 increased significantly, especially among younger individuals.
“Some of these cases involving younger individuals are suspected to have originated from visits to bars, pubs or nightclubs,” his order said.
On July 1, Beshears amended EO 2020-09 and allowed bars with food licenses to resume the sale of alcohol for on-site consumption.
Beshears’ actions were preceded by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ March 17 executive order that prohibited bars from selling alcohol for on-site consumption. On June 5, DeSantis allowed bars to reopen at 50% capacity, but that allowance ended with his blessing when Beshears issued his own executive order in June.
Island bar openings
On July 16, Anchor Inn owners Darla and Bobby Tingler figured out a way to open their Holmes Beach bar at 50% capacity under their existing liquor license.
“With our 4COP license we have a pre-packed food license. That means we can serve any type of pre-packaged food. This was an existing part of our license that we weren’t aware of until this morning. We didn’t have to go get a food license,” Darla Tingler said that night.
Tommy Knockers in Bradenton Beach opened in a similar fashion later that day, followed later by the Drift In and the Sports Lounge in Bradenton Beach and Dcoy Ducks in Holmes Beach.
The Tinglers later obtained a DBPR-issued food license that fully secured their ability to operate at 50% capacity.
On Aug. 4, DBPR shut down the Drift In for not having a food license – an enforcement action taken in response to a complaint lodged by an unknown person.
On Aug. 14, the Drift In reopened for the third time since the pandemic began, this time with a DBPR-issued food license.
When contacted Sunday and asked about Beshears’ latest order, Darla Tingler said, “We’re thankful the other bars that played the loophole are now legal and won’t be shut down. But everyone still had to play by the rules and capacity limits.”
Drift In manager Doreen Flynn felt the same and said, “I’m waiting for him to say restaurants can be increased to 75% so I can put 12 more barstools back in our bar.”
At 50% capacity, The Drift In is operating with 28 indoor seats and a doorman who monitors capacity and ensures masks are worn when walking around or dancing inside the establishment.
Bartender Courtney McGough said Beshears’ latest order has no impact on the Sports Lounge: “We’ve been open. We enforced strict rules and followed them during every shift. We always stuck to 50% capacity, which for us is 30 people. We did not apply for a hospitality/restaurant license.”
Tommy Knockers bartender Courtney Call said, “We have been open with ready to eat foods and have been doing our best to keep to rules. We’re just hoping everything gets back to normal soon.”
Dcoy Ducks general manager Richie Brown did not respond to The Sun’s request for comment.
According to its website, The Doctor’s Office in Holmes Beach remains closed but is operating a “pop-up clinic” with a limited classic cocktail menu at its nearby sister establishment, Eat Here.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – On Friday, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) enacted an emergency order that once again prohibits bars, pubs, night clubs and other non-restaurant establishments from selling alcohol for consumption on premises.
In an effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order on March 17 doing the same, but lifted it on June 5.
On Anna Maria Island, the second round of statewide bar closures impacts the Drift In, Sports Lounge, Tommy Knockers and the AMI Moose Lodge in Bradenton Beach and the Anchor Inn, Dcoy Ducks and The Doctor’s Office in Holmes Beach.
Issued late Friday morning and effective immediately, DBPR Order 2020-09 says, “All vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises who derive more than 50% of gross revenue from such sales of alcoholic beverages shall suspend such sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises. Such vendors may continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for consumption off premises in accordance with Executive Order 20-71.
“Vendors who are also licensed as public food service establishments or restaurants may continue to operate for on-premise consumption of food and beverages at tables so long as these vendors derive 50% or less of gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages for on premises consumption,” the order says.
The DBPR order explains the reasoning behind these actions.
“Under Phase 2, bars and other vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises were given permission to operate at 50% of their indoor capacity so long as they provided seated service only.
“The governor directed the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to enforce restrictions in Executive Order 20-139. During the month of June, the number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 increased significantly in the State of Florida, especially among younger individuals, and some of these cases involving younger individuals are suspected to have originated from visits to bars, pubs or nightclubs who have disregarded the restrictions set forth in Phase 2 of the Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step plan for Florida’s recovery.
“Non-compliance by bars and other vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises is suspected throughout the state to such a degree as to make individualized enforcement efforts impractical and insufficient at this time,” the DBPR order says.
During his Friday afternoon press conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned the increased number of younger people testing positive for COVID-19 but he did not directly address the bar closures. He simply made a passing reference to an unnamed action taken that day by the DBPR president.
Local reaction
With no advance notice, Sports Lounge bartender Courtney McGough finds herself unemployed again.
“This is so devastating to bartenders and bar owners. We followed all the guidelines that were asked of us and we even hired a door man seven days a week to help us stay at 50% capacity. It’s just not fair,” she said Friday afternoon.
The Sports Lounge in Bradenton Beach was among those forced to close on Friday. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Anchor Inn owner Darla Tingler said, “There’s nothing to say except this is unbelievable.”
“I’m so upset I can barely comment,” Drift In manager Doreen Flynn said.
Flynn said Drift In owners Joe and Angie Cuervo were equally surprised and upset.
“Our employees are all texting me and they just can’t believe this is happening again. They are wondering how they’re going to pay their bills and whether they go back on unemployment,” Flynn said.
Flynn questions the fairness of restaurants still being allowed to sell alcohol while the bars are forced to close.
“This is not going to slow the spread of the virus. All this does is change where our customers go to drink,” Flynn said.
The AMI Moose Lodge reopened on Friday, June 12 – one week after the other Island bars reopened.
“I am very disappointed in our system,” Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton said. “It appears the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. How are we supposed to pay our employees and pay our bills? We just restocked our coolers and freezers and there’s a lot of money invested in the products we will lose.”
Jason Benn is the bar manager at the Anna Maria Island Beach Café at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach. That establishment remains open, but Benn sympathizes with others in the industry.
“With the spike in cases, I can understand taking steps to get the numbers back under control, but I do not feel it is right to take away one type of business. I think it is wrong for those to suffer who are doing to the right things and taking extra steps to be safe,” Benn said.
“I hope the bar owners and bar employees are able to get help and assistance much easier this time. I know some that have still not heard or got anything from the first shutdown. And the bars have only been back open since June 5,” he added.
DBPR order 2020-09 can be viewed or downloaded here.
