DESTIN — A popular Destin restaurant will close its doors in November after nearly 20 years of business.
Fisherman’s Wharf, located at 210 Harbor Blvd., is expected to close its doors Nov. 2. The restaurant, managed by the Southern Restaurant Group, was opened in 1995.
“They’ve been good tenants for 20 years and we’re sorry to see them go and certainly wish them the best,” said Mary Anne Windes, who owns the property with her husband Kelly.
“What we’re going to miss the most is their employees. Some of them have been with us for 20 years. They’re like family to us.”
Southern Restaurant Group had a 20-year lease for the property, which expired in July. The restaurant company and the Windes agreed to keep the restaurant open through the busy summer season and the Windes even agreed to grant them a one-year extension that would have kept the restaurant open through November 2015.
However, Windes said they were notified last week that the restaurant would close in November.
No decision has been made yet on how the Windes plan to move forward with the property. In addition to finding a new restaurant to take over the location, the Windes are considering tearing down the building and constructing a multi-story hotel that would include office space.
If they do keep the property as a restaurant, Windes said ideally they would like to find another seafood restaurant that would held draw customers to the charter boats.
“We’re exploring options,” Windes said. “We don’t know what direction we’re going right now. We’ve talked to more restaurant people at this point than anything else.
“The development is not out of the question, but it is less likely than another restaurant at this point,” she added.
Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.