- April 29, 2024
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It's been three years in the making, but Oceanside Beach Bar and Grill is almost ready to open its new location in Ormond-by-the-Sea.
Restaurant owner Johnny Lulgjuraj bought the former Betty's A1A Cafe building at 1900 Ocean Shore Blvd. in March 2021. Lulgjuraj, who opened the original Oceanside location in Flagler Beach in 2010 with his brother Tony, thought renovating the 3,000-square foot beachside building would be a quick venture.
"Initially, we walked through the place and it looked pretty good, but every stage of the building as you went back toward the kitchen, it got worse and worse," Lulgjuraj said.
It was challenge after challenge to get permits to get the building, which was built in 1970, up to date, said Lulgjuraj. He even wrote a letter to the County Council to ask for help. The fact that this took place on the heels of the pandemic and a time when construction material costs were rising also posed hurdles.
But three years later, the restaurant is in the final stages of inspection. Lulgjuraj said he hopes to be open by the beginning of May.
"We put our heart and soul into this place," he said. "Many neighbors have opened the door, peered through here. They've been patiently waiting. A lot of them already dine in Flagler and they know that we are locals."
Lulgjuraj is a second-generation restaurant owner. His father owned and operated Manny's Pizza in Flagler Beach for over 15 years. He also holds a personal tie to his new building in Ormond-by-the-Sea, as his mother used to work for Marco's restaurant in that location in the 1990s.
Lulgjuraj said that when he and his brother decided to expand their business, and saw that the former Betty's A1A building was for sale, it felt like a good fit. It was similar to their building in Flagler Beach, both in size and its oceanfront location.
"We're called Oceanside, so obviously we want to be on the side of the ocean, and there's not very many properties that are like this," Lulgjuraj said. "So when we saw it, we felt the need too."
Lulgjuraj drives down A1A regularly, as his kids attend St. Brendan Catholic School. He saw a need for a restaurant like Oceanside.
The restaurant, like the Flagler location, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offer a similar menu, including its Yuengling beer-battered fish and chips.
As he goes through the hiring process for restaurant staff, he said he's seeing a shift of more people returning to the service industry, particularly those who may have worked in a different sector during the pandemic. He's held two job fairs for the new restaurant and about 40 people have applied.
Oceanside, Lulgjuraj said, has been welcomed by the Ormond-by-the-Sea community. It's a shame its taken so long to open, he said, but he's satisfied with the renovation — the new stainless steel kitchen, dining area and
"I'll tell you what — anything great takes time and this place is the most significant place," Lulgjuraj said. "I'd put it up against anywhere."
