Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurants of Newport Beach has a June 27 opening planned for Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill in Coronado, after recently acquiring and renovating the historic former Coronado Boathouse at Hotel del Coronado.
Financial terms were not disclosed for the acquisition of the property lease at 1701 Strand Way in Coronado, which was most recently operated under the name 1887 on the Bay. A Bluewater Grill spokesman said the company bought the location from its prior leaseholders, Boathouse 1887, led by Michael Baker and Marty Jensen.
The sale closed in early June, and the restaurant is opening under its new name following a preliminary remodeling, Bluewater Grill officials said. A more extensive remodel is scheduled after the summer season.
The company has retained all staff from 1887 on the Bay and plans to add 25 to 50 positions.
Bluewater Boathouse will be the company’s sixth Bluewater restaurant and its first in San Diego County. Operators said the Coronado restaurant will feature “hyperlocal” sustainable seafood and shellfish.
The restaurant is being designed to be a flagship for the company, patterned after an over-the-water Bluewater Avalon that opened last year on Santa Catalina Island. Steve Ewing is the new restaurant’s general manager.
The boathouse dates back to Hotel del Coronado’s early days and was previously the home of the Coronado Yacht Club and a Chart House restaurant.
Bluewater, founded in 1996, is led by co-owners Jimmy Ulcickas and Rick Staunton. The full-service, value-priced restaurants serve up to 40 varieties of seafood and shellfish.
Bluewater also operates its own swordfish boat, called Pilikia, which is based in San Diego and enables operators to catch locally harpooned swordfish in season, officials said.
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