Restaurant staying open, to be renovated
MARMORA — Yesterday’s restaurant and bar on Roosevelt Boulevard in the Marmora section of Upper Township has changed ownership.
Following 46 years of stewardship, Jeff McIntyre and his family have sold the property to Tim Fox, owner of the Deauville Inn in nearby Strathmere.
According to a news release from the Deauville, the venue will undergo a renovation process over the next couple of months but will remain open throughout. Yesterday’s has a rich history dating to the founding of the area. History is essential to Fox and will be evident in the re-design of the venue, according to the release.
“That recognizable sign you know and love will be restored and a new identity will be given to the adjoining liquor store,” media director Paul Shust stated. “The renovations will be complete by summer.”
Fox and partner Robyn Kjar bought the Deauville Inn in 2019 and have completely renovated the facility at 201 Willard Road right off Strathmere Bay.
The Deauville Inn has been serving food and drink to seafarers and landlubbers alike since the 1900s. Located on the bay side of Ludlam Island — overlooking Strathmere Bay and just around the bend from Corson’s Inlet and the open Atlantic Ocean — the site of the future inn would have provided a safe anchorage for early explorers of the region, be they pirates or patriots.
The inn’s story began in 1881, when Irish immigrant James P. Carothers built what was originally known as the Whelen Hotel, back when Strathmere was still known as Corson’s Inlet. It was less than half the size of the current building and could cater to just 100 guests. The Pennsylvania Railroad made six stops there daily.
Now, 140 years later, Fox and Kjar are writing their own chapter in the history book of what is now known as Strathmere by the Sea in Upper Township.
The couple have invested countless hours, dollars and a commitment to returning the inn to its glory days while “radically updating and modernizing” the amenities.
The property extends from Bay Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue to the water’s edge, ending at Willard Avenue, making the restaurant one of the first things seen when entering the island from the north. It offers a long bayfront beach popular with boaters and sunbathers from around the region.
That same location made it perfect for catering to whalers and traders in the 1890s, when the local fishing industry was flourishing.
Fox and Kjar renovated and rehabilitated all aspects of the property with an eye toward taking full advantage of its beachfront location and historic reputation and qualities.
The restaurant now has a fresh look inside and outside, offering five different distinct areas (the Pub, Dining Room, Patio, Sand Bar and the Lawn) from which patrons can enjoy its new menu, enhanced service and fantastic sunsets daily.
One of the more involved projects was the Sand Bar, which was upgraded from a small bar built into a house to one of the property’s most popular features.
Now customers — whether they walked, drove or floated there — can enjoy lunch, dinner or a few refreshing beverages with their toes in the sand.
Inside, the restaurant got new flooring, furnishings, fixtures and equipment. The restaurant also maintains its nautical décor through the use of fishing nets, harpoons and other gear mounted to the walls.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff