Cheswick Bartender Memorial “Ride Out” for Shay Whitman
Shay Whitman, a bartender at Cheswicks on Newport, was killed in an accident on June 4th, while on the way to work on her motorcycle. A “Ride-Out” for her was held on Saturday, June 20th.
It was to go from OB to Kraken’s bar in Del Mar and back. Whitman had worked at the bar for about a year and half. And there had already been a memorial service for her out at Sunset Cliffs.
This section of Newport Ave has been hard hit lately, with the untimely deaths Kyle Witkowski and Mike Hardin and now Shay.
BBQ House Expansion
The expansion of OB’s BBQ House is really picking up pace. The owners had purchased the space vacated by Cow – which moved across the street – and have planned for an expanded dining area for quite a while. They’re now in the last several weeks of this project and had to close the main restaurant on May 26th in order to complete the “growing”.
Now it seems like it’s reality and the new opening is projected for around July 11th.
OB Hookah Lounge Now Wants to Serve Food and Drink
The hookah lounge at 4851 Newport Ave, after an uninspiring venture into being a late-night youth hang-out, is now moving on obtaining permits to enable them to serve food and drink. The applicant Dan Zzarnecki is seeking a Coastal Development Permit for a change in use of the existing retail.
If they obtain their licenses, the Hookah Lounge will join the OB Warehouse, Culture Brewing Co., Pacific Shores, and across the street – the soon-coming winery – in serving alcohol on this block of Newport Avenue, a recent development, as the block went decades without any alcohol-serving businesses – except for the famous Pac Shores establishment.
Voltaire Brewery Progress
There has been progress on the brewery slated to open at 4983 Voltaire Street. Next to the yoga center and right on the corner of Voltaire and Cable, the brewery will expand OB’s craft beer industry to the other commercial area of the community.
No word on when the opening is projected.
Sunset Plaza Towers Over Intersection
It’s now clear just how large the building at the corner of Sunset Cliffs and Voltaire will be. Sunset Plaza continues to be constructed at that busy intersection.
Someday soon, this section of Voltaire will have two vegetarian restaurants – the one coming in at the Plaza, Evolution, and the planned veggie cafe by People’s Food Co-op at the former Tiny’s site.
Just an FYI, according to the ABC application that was in the window on the old dog wash on Voltaire, a Mike Hess beer location is going in, and according to someone I spoke with that was on site over there, it will be a tasting room only, no brewing.
Looking forward to it opening as I imagine it will be a little more lively than the previous tenant.
dajohn, thanks for the update – will it be called Mike Hess Beers?
According to the urban dictionary’s top definition –
brewery
An adjective to describe ones house he is throwing an alcohol feuled party/shindig.
Dude1:”will there be much Beer?”
Dude2:”are you kidding! his house is like a fecking Brewery”
It was The Kraken bar, not kragen.
Corrected – thanks.