Earlier this week I received a notice from the ABC of a “notice of intention to engage in the sale of alcoholic beverages” in the same building that the VFW wanted to move into last year. This is the building at 4705 Point Loma Avenue. Before jumping to conclusions as to what was going to move in I decided to do some preliminary sleuthing and am pleased that I did.
Many of us remember when that building originally housed “Sea and Shore Market.” Years later I still miss the convenience of having a market that close to where I lived. It later was purchased by the owners of “Rancho’s Restaurant” – yes, the same Rancho’s that is on Sunset Cliffs. That became the second Rancho’s in the neighborhood and it was delightful to have it there. It usually had many patrons, and that may have been the downfall of the restaurant because due to of lack of parking space it eventually closed.
Now, Chad and Maja Cline want to open an establishment called “Kodiak” on that very same site. I talked to Chad today and asked him many questions regarding this proposed restaurant.
According to Chad, the Kodiak will be a community establishment serving “comfort foods”, beer and wine. The proposed hours of operation Monday through Friday will be from 11:00 am to 12:00 midnight. On the weekends he will open early for breakfast –and with hopes that people coming to visit the Cliffs will stop in for a meal. He agrees that parking will be the biggest problem and is hopeful that something can be worked out with St. Peter’s Church for overflow parking. He intends to knock out the wall on Ebers Street, and make a patio on that side of the building.
When one of the residents of this area contacted Chad about the new restaurant, he answered by email – and this is his response:
Thanks for the email. Yes Ma’am, My wife and I have recently posted an application for a beer and wine on Ebers and Point Loma Ave.
Our intention is to make a community restaurant. We will serve American style comfort food. Even though I’m not a big fan of the word “Comfort Food.” It generally means unhealthy which is not necessarily the case. We call it “high value” food. Food that we can make really good for a price between $8 and $14 dollars.
We intend on being open at 8am for breakfast (on weekends) to midnight for later diners (Please keep in mind midnight means we are beginning the closing process at 11:30pm. Patios and windows closed at 10pm). During week days we will probably open at 11am.
We are not asking for anything associated with bars such as live entertainment, or full liquor, or open till 2am. I’m from San Diego, I know that area pretty well. It’s not my intention to make a place that would cause a problem for people. A community restaurant at odds with the community sounds like a bad business plan.
One of the questions I asked was just who is Chad Cline. Chad is a co- owner of the “Waterfront Bar” on Kettner Street. It is one of the oldest bars in San Diego. But it is truly that – a bar that serves food – and the Kodiak will NOT be patterned after the Waterfront.
He also is the new owner of the “Harbor Town Pub” that just recently opened on Rosecrans, where “Roseville” used to be. That restaurant has many televisions and the noise level is above average, but he assured me that the Kodiak will not be loud because it will cater to the neighborhood. I asked him if it would be child-friendly, and he assured me that it would be.
As a resident of the immediate area, I was very much opposed to the VFW moving into that space. I do not feel the same way about the Kodiak. A nice quiet restaurant, with normal working hours, good food, and ambiance is just what this area needs. There will not be stragglers at all hours of the day; after eating people will leave to return to their homes. They will not be dependent on the practically non-existent public transportation that might have caused trouble if the VFW had moved into the building. Chad was forthcoming; answered all my questions, and I think a true asset to our community.
I, for one, look forward to welcoming he and his wife Maja into the neighborhood commerce.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Let’s have dinner when they open!
You’re on. Want to try the new Thai place next to Pt. Loma Bagels?
That place is excellent – Pure Thai, I believe it’s called. We’ve had them deliver several times in the few months they’ve been open. My only complaint is for people who like spicy food (I’m familiar with your reviews Judi, so you shouldn’t encounter similar issues) is that they seem to rely a bit heavily on simple crushed red pepper like the kind you’d put on pizza to reach the level 9 I usually order food at.
I’d be curious to find out what the dining room atmosphere is like.
Was planning on reviewing it tonight but have someplace else I have to review instead. It is #1 on my list. Stay tuned.
Yeah!!!!! But please NO TV’s! just nice music :-)
I miss the old Mexican restaurant with grocery items and cool pottery etc!
They have my support! Wrap up that liquor license and get the renovations done and let’s eat!
AMEN!
Do you mean Ranchos? There is still one on Sunset Cliffs BLVD and on 30th in North Park.
No, Rancho’s had a 3rd restaurant on the corner of Pt. Loma Ave., and Ebers. They closed years ago. This new restaurant will be going in there.
I am glad to see a restaurant opening there and I wish them luck. I will certainly try it!
I was told today that there is a petition being circulated in the neighborhood to stop the opening of this new restaurant. I was not asked to sign the petition, and I am not sure what was said, but judging from what others have said, the protestors say that the wine and beer will bring in unsavory people; parking will be a problem for the residents that live in the area; there will be more traffic, etc. The information I received from the ABC merely tells what to do in case of protest; it does not say what to do if you support this endeavor. Be aware, however, that this petition is being circulated, and if when there is a meeting of protest, you might want to attend to present a different view point. If I hear more I will post it here.
Here is a letter I just posted on a Next Door Sunset Cliffs. The petitioners are out in force; telling untruths; using photographs of 18 years ago when a drunk driver plowed into the front door of a house on Adair. They are going to the homes in the area armed with petitions and ABC complaint forms. Before you sign, get the facts. You won’t get correct ones from them.
My letter:
Background: A year or so ago, the VFW wanted to move from their location on Newport to this building. The neighbors were adamant about it not going in there, and successfully fought it. Now they are fighting again – this time trying to prevent the Kodiak from opening up a small neighborhood restaurant serving beer and wine. Many of us remember how disappointed we were when Rancho’s closed after being in that same location for a short period of time. I do not remember anyone complaining about drunks then and they sold beer and wine. But the current opposing group is at it full bore, stating untruths; sending out pictures of a house on Adair that had a car run into the front door 18 years ago because the driver was drunk. That driver may have been drinking at home. To try and scare the neighborhood is unacceptable, and the proponents of this petition are pulling out no stops.
The proposed owner of Kodiak also owns the Harbor Town Pub on Rosecrans. The Kodiak is not going to be another Harbor Town. He also is a co-owner of the Waterfront Bar on Kettner – the oldest bar in San Diego. The Kodiak will not be patterned after that either.
The petitioners have stated that the Kodiak “posted a notice to sell alcohol”. That is right. Beer and Wine. It will not have a full bar. They said that “we are hoping that a nice restaurant will sit on the corner….. A place where we can have a quiet meal and a glass of wine.” What do these petitioners think the Kodiak will be. Just that – a nice restaurant where one can have a quiet meal and a glass of wine.
What ever Harbor Town is the Kodiak will not be the same. I urge you to look at all the facts before signing their misleading petition and protesting the liquor license to the ABC. They want a quiet place; they will have it with the Kodiak. And if the Cline’s decide not to continue with their application what will they fight next?
Sorry, petitioners – this time you do not have my support.
Hello All,
I have talked to both Susan and Rebecca at the ABC and this is what I have found out: There is not a “support” form available. (There should be.) However, for those of us wanting to see the KODIAK become a reality, it was suggested that we write letters of support and get them to Chad Cline, the proposed owner of the new restaurant. If – when – it goes to a hearing, the judge will look at the protests filed and check those protests against the written law. They stressed the fact that this takes some time – it will not be an “overnight” action. However, Chad is allowed to give the judge “support letters” from those of us in the community and can even ask some of us to appear and speak at the hearing.
This is what I propose: There are two ways of getting letters directly to Chad; we can send them to him directly, or you can send them to me – judicurry@cox.net – and I will be glad to compile them and then give them to Chad to use when the hearing is scheduled.
I asked how we would be notified of the hearing and I think it will have to come directly from Chad. The protestors are notified of the hearing; since there is no way for the supporters to even send in letters of support we cannot be notified of the hearing. I trust that Chad will want us to appear at the hearing if at all possible.
Chad’s email address is chad@harbortownpub.com.
As I hear more I will forward on at this site, or on my article in the OBRag.org, under the by-line of the “widder curry.”
Any other ideas are greatly appreciated.
Judi
UPDATE: November 24, 2013
OK – this is what I know about the meeting held today at 2:00pm at the proposed Kodiak site. First of all I want to say that I was not informed of the meeting. No reason I should have been, but it would have been nice to have been invited. Secondly, Chad Cline, the new owner was there, and told the group of about 15 what his plans were. Many of the people in attendance were favorably impressed with what he had to say. I did not hear from those that do not want the Kodiak there. I do know that a lot of the information being passed out is wrong – our property values will not go down in the Kodiak is there; in fact, if it is a success our property values might go up!
I was told that Chad was reasonable and open to suggestions. He answered any and all questions that were asked. He said that his wife saw the property one day while dropping off their children at Warren Walker and thought it would be nice place for a family restaurant. The comment by some of the proponents that it was too close to the school is almost negated by the fact that his children go to the school. One person said to a friend that they didn’t want a restaurant selling beer and wine there because they didn’t want their children to see anyone drunk. That is almost as ridiculous as sending around the picture of a car in the front door of a house on Adair that took place 18 years ago.
He also encouraged people to look at his website to see what they want to do with the building. If you check this site, you will see a letter he sent to one of our neighbors that sent him a letter questioning the Kodiak.
All in all, those people I spoke to came away with a very favorable impression of Chad Cline and the Kodiak. Don’t be swayed by those not wanting the restaurant to open. Make up your own mind. Call Chad. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. And..as always, as I hear more I will post it to this spot.
This seems like a classic case of Not in My Back Yard. I am sure that most of the people protesting would love a new restaurant in the area – if it were not right next to them. The fact of the matter is that these people purchased properties adjacent to a commercial district. Their properties were more than likely cheaper than properties a few blocks away because of that fact. They can’t have the benefit of cheaper properties without the cost of having businesses nearby. We have that district so that businesses can operate there. And changing the zoning would be a detriment to the rest of the area. This explains why that storefront has been vacant for so long.
How can this location become a restaurant when there isn’t enough parking? Don’t they have to follow the rules of the coastal/parking impact zone? And do they also want to sell alcohol until 12am? Other places in OB can only go until 11pm, how could a new license go later? And so close to a school? How are some people allowed to bend/change so many rules?
The plans for the Kodiak have been scrapped.
Just curious on your comment about being close to school. Does this mean a convenience store such as the one across the street should not be allowed to sell liquor? Kids are more likely to go into the convenience store unattended then a restaurant.
As for the scrapping of Kodiak…..a vacant building does not add anything to the neighborhood.
Amen!
My post was about the rules, and how some businesses seem to be able to maneuver around them. Apparently Kodiak was not able to, as others who have looked into this location. It’s been for rent by the Ranchos owners for years and they openly told interested parties that it could not be a full service restaurant. Just trying to keep it fair OB dude, cause it certainly ain’t in this world. FYI, I’d luv to see a restaurant in that location.
Me too, Bob.