- December 4, 2025
Owner Brent Bruns added Guinevere's Gastropub to his restaurant, The Shape of Water. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Shape of Water restaurant in The Hammock, owned by Brent Bruns, could open by the end of 2025. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Shape of Water restaurant in The Hammock, owned by Brent Bruns, could open by the end of 2025. Photo by Sierra Williams
After years of work, The Hammock’s The Shape of Water restaurant could be opening by the end of 2025.
“I’m going to try to make it this year,” owner Brent Bruns said.
The Shape of Water is a themed destination restaurant Bruns was first inspired to open back in 2016. He has spent years working with an artist designing and building a water-themed grotto at 5047 N. Oceanshore Blvd., complete with waterfalls, mood lighting, music and winding rivers.
Bruns said he was inspired to create The Shape of Water after he met artist Jennifer Butler who created the life-like tree sculptures that decorate the grotto, using concrete. The two worked together to build The Shape of Water’s rivers, bridges, trees and waterfalls.
When all is said and done, he said, The Shape of Water will have the capability to serve 300 people between the indoor and outdoor seating, though Bruns said he will need to purchase a neighboring property to expand the parking first.
“I’ve reached that point that I can probably open with 40 [seating capacity],” Bruns said.
Bruns said he hopes to build a restaurant that is an experience, from the atmosphere to the food to the service.
“I want to give them something that they haven’t received in a long time,” he said.
THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS
The main holdup on opening The Shape of Water, he said, has been twofold: finding a restaurateur investor and getting the property hooked up to sewer with Palm Coast’s utilities.
Most properties in The Hammock area have a septic system to handle sewage on the properties. But septic systems limit how much outdoor space can be used, as the properties are required to keep the septic fields clear.
For Bruns to build his outdoor grotto and expand his seating to more than 40 occupancy, the county said he needed to connect to the city utility system. The problem, Bruns said, was that it would have cost him between $300,000 and $400,000 to extend the city’s sewer lines far enough to connect to the restaurant.
But after years of discussion with both the county and the city, the problem could be solved in just a matter of months.
Palm Coast began extending its sewer connection service into The Hammock at the beginning of 2025, according to an email from Palm Coast Communications Director Brittany Kershaw and Utility Development Manager Stephen Flanagan. GPS Civil is the project’s contractor, and CPH is the design engineer.
Phase 1 of the project — which is along State Road A1A, from Jungle Hut Road to MalaCompra Road — is around 75% complete. Phase 2 — from MalaCompra to the southern town limits of Marineland — is in design.
The project should be completed by the end of 2025, the email said, and businesses are able to begin the connection process now. All residential and business connections will need to pay impact fees to be connected to Palm Coast’s utility lines.
Bruns and Palm Coast have been in contact for several years about connecting his restaurant to the sewer system. He said he will need to pay around $56,000 in impact fees to get his business connected.
Beyond the sewer connection and finishing the permitting with Flagler County, there is not much work left to do before he’s ready for the grand opening: The commercial kitchen needs to be finished, some equipment installed and Bruns will sooner than later need to purchase a neighboring lot to expand the available parking space.
To expand the property, Bruns said he will need an investor and he’s begun the search to find the right person willing to get involved.
‘FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION’
Despite all the hiccups and obstacles, Bruns said he never once considered giving up his restaurant.
“That is my motto: Failure is not an option,” Bruns said. “You only fail the last time you try.”
Instead, as he continues working toward opening day, Bruns dreams of how The Shape of Water will grow and expand. He said he hopes to be able to build other Shape of Water restaurants in St. Augustine, Jacksonville and Orlando.
He’s designed the menu to be a French-inspired steak and seafood restaurant, even crafting his own recipes to add to it. He even recently added a gastropub, named Guinevere’s, that will serve a variety of appetizers and drinks.
In the meantime, Bruns said he is focused on spreading the word about The Shape of Water and building it into an experience customers won’t forget. The restaurant is open to private tours and, if they supply their own food, events. He said he’s also opened the space, for free, to one or two couples at a time to come in and enjoy a meal they provide for themselves.
Bruns said he is trying to create a unique, themed destination restaurant. Looking at the restaurants that have been around the longest, he said, it is the unique ones that last.
“It may be harder, but it guarantees your success,” Bruns said.
