SOMERS POINT – The famous Anchorage Tavern has been an establishment loved by locals and tourists alike since 1874.
Located in Somers Point’s Historic District at 823 Bay Ave., the restaurant and bar has bay views and summer vibes all year long. This three-story building towers over the street making all who pass by stop and take notice.
With a large bar in the center of it all and many dining tables scattered about, Anchorage gives everyone the feel of a family-friendly local spot all should come and enjoy.
This restaurant and bar is the oldest continuously operated business establishment in Somers Point. While the overall appearance has been the same for quite some time, some major changes have happened inside the house within the last few months.
When they learned owner Don Mahoney was retiring, many regulars were surprised and wondered what would become of the restaurant.
In the fall of 2022 a mutual friend approached Mike and Tracey Fitzgerald, telling them Mahoney was looking to sell The Anchorage quietly and without any fanfare. The Fitzgeralds jumped at the chance. “The idea of owning the Anchorage was exciting and we could not pass up the opportunity,” they said.
The sale was figured out privately, but the liquor license proved to be a hiccup early on and the Anchorage closed for a brief amount of time. A special emergency meeting of Somers Point City Council had to be called on March 30 to approve a person-to-person transfer of the liquor license.
After the exchanging was approved at that meeting, plans to reopen moved quickly. On April 1, the Fitzgerald family stepped in and took over the daunting task of continuing the Anchorage Tavern’s legacy.
Tracey Fitzgerald said as a family they love the history and the spot’s importance to the city of Somers Point. The Fitzgeralds live in Northfield with their three children, Alexa, Madison and Michael, but were previously residents of Somers Point. As locals to the Mainland area, the family knew the business scene.
Along with purchasing the Anchorage, the Fitzgeralds own another spot along Bay Avenue – the former Dolfin Dock Marina. Their plans include renovating the marina, replacing docks and boat slips.
While the Anchorage has long been successful the couple is making improvements to some aspects. The restaurant is now digital and gone are the days of handwritten scripts and ticket orders. The staff now do ordering through Toast, a restaurant ordering system used by many other local spots.
A new audio system for live music and a lineup of live music acts now play consistently on the weekends. Fitzgerald said the family’s goal is to bring fun back to the Anchorage and live music is an essential part of that.
“The addition of live music almost every Thursday, Friday and Saturday is something new and exciting. Along with live music there is also a new late night menu full of small plates and special prices to accompany the music for the late night crowd,” Fitzgerald said.
This new late night bite menu will be continuously evolving. Fitzgerald hinted that maybe one day a random variation of the old 7 for 1 beer special will appear over the summer alongside the late nights.
The goal of all the improvements and enhancements made by the Fitzgeralds isn’t to change the nature of the Anchorage, just to add a little more modernization. No changes to staffing were made as everyone wanted to stay on board and Alexa, the Fitzgeralds’ oldest daughter, jumped at the chance to begin working there, making the family business even more intimate.
The Anchorage has always had a rather extensive menu and that has also not changed. The well-known homemade mozzarella sticks are available as are many other iconic dishes patrons have enjoyed for years. The bar continues to be well stocked.
With more consistent live music acts there is that push for the late-night crowd, but the Anchorage Tavern still opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday for lunches. Friday and Saturday patrons can kick back and hangout at the bar until 2 a.m. and until midnight during the week.
Mike Fitzgerald owned a business in the construction industry for 20 years and Tracey was a registered nurse before becoming a stay-at-home mom. With neither having much experience in the service industry, the transition was hard, but both were up for the challenge. Now after almost four months of running the Anchorage, things are running smoothly.
“This is a whole new ball game for me but I’m totally up for the challenge,” Tracey Fitzgerald said.
Going into this new adventure, the Fitzgeralds hope to make new relationships and meet everyone who resides here while also strengthening their own family bonds. As this whole transition continues, the Fitzgeralds say they know the hardest part is living up to the community’s expectations.
“We understand how special the Anchorage is to this community and beyond. We know that we can be the owners to follow in line and preserve its legacy,” Fitzgerald said. “The biggest adjustment is getting used to working later hours. There is no doubt it’s a lot of work but being around so many good customers and staff makes the job enjoyable.”
By DELANEY CRAWFORD/For the Sentinel