By ELIZABETH LITTLE/Special to the Sentinel
STRATHMERE – Right off the bridge over Strathmere Bay is a historical treasure on the bay. The Deauville Inn, which has been in business for more than 100 years, had a grand reopening Thursday, May 20, to showcase the extensive renovation and expansion.
Located at 201 Willard Road, the restaurant has been a favorite among tourists and locals alike for generations. Established in 1881, The Deauville Inn has had three generations of owners, all with an undying passion for the establishment. The current owners, Dr. Tim Fox and Dr. Robyn Kjar, bought the Inn in 2019 and have completely renovated the facility.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 10 a.m., equipped with a proclamation by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, the highest honor an establishment can receive from the House of Representatives, according to his representative, Chris Chin, who filled in for the congressman.
“We are here to celebrate another small business …. It is a beautiful day,” Chin said. “So many businesses closed last year. It’s nice to be out and celebrate the opposite.”
Jason Brooks from state Sen. Michael Testa’s office was also in attendance, and he issued a citation for The Deauville Inn on behalf of Testa.
“There is nothing more Jersey shore than this beautiful day,” Brooks said.
Fox, who stood with his family and family members of the past generations of owners, offered his secret to a successful and happy life before they joined together to cut a ceremonial ribbon. “Just be nice,” he said. “Be a nice person. Have strength, courage, wisdom, understanding and compassion.”
Fox explained how important it is for him to “preserve what’s important to the town.”
During the restaurant’s renovations, he said he wanted to restore the restaurant to keep the Roaring ‘20s feel, but also to modernize it. This idea was obviously implemented by the mahogany flooring inside and the black and white tiling in the bathrooms, which is paired with beautiful red and black vintage printed wallpaper.
Fox and Kjar want patrons to feel the warm ambiance of a family establishment, see the attention to detail and get superb customer service. Kjar said she and Fox hunted down numerous photos of the inn, dating back to the turn of the 20th century. They plan to make the photographs into prints and display them lovingly around the restaurant and bars.
One such photo from 1910 pictures two men in front of The Deauville Inn when it used to be a hotel. By their feet is a whale. The picture is captioned “Whale — 2,000 lbs. Caught by fisherman from Whelen Hotel Corson’s Inlet.” The Whelen Hotel was the inn’s original name.
The renovated Deauville has extensive seating indoors and outdoors, including on the beach by the bay, with multiple bars, each with a different feel. Customers can arrive at the Deauville via boat, pulling up to its docks.
“We love bringing the boat, bringing friends and family, and we love the atmosphere,” said Crystal Schiemer, a friend of the Fox family.
“I like the atmosphere, cold beer and the wings,” Brett Schiemer said. “There’s great customer service, a beautiful sunset, and the kids play in the sand.”
The Deauville Inn hasn’t always been so glamorous, though. During the restaurant’s 140 years of existence, it has seen great storms.
“There was virtually nothing here,” said Gloria Carpenter, a previous owner of the inn. Carpenter took on the task of resurrecting the building after it was damaged by a storm. The Carpenter family owned the Deauville Inn for about 40 years before Fox purchased it.
Carpenter’s son, John Carpenter, was heavily involved in the resurrection phase. He said that when Hurricane Sandy came ashore in 2012, the Carpenter family was forced to entirely redo the kitchen.
He said much of the work was not visible, but was meant to make the inn a much sturdier building. “What’s behind these walls would rival a skyscraper,” he said.
After 40 years of ownership, the Carpenters said different people were interested in buying The Deauville Inn, but they were turned away. Nobody but Fox seemed to share the same passion and determination to take on such a huge project and take it to the next level with the extensive renovation.
“[When I met Tim] I instantly knew this was the guy that would take over for me,” John Carpenter said. “When he talks about being nice to people, it’s true.”
Even though the restaurant is no longer in the Carpenter family’s hands, they still enjoy going there.
“When I come in here, they treat me like I still own it,” Gloria Carpenter said.
After the ribbon cutting, Fox and Kjar delivered a toast, with Fox jumping up onto the railing to address the crowd that gathered around the deck by the raised bar. Everyone raised a glass of champagne, and cheered, “Hip hip, hooray! Hip hip, hooray!” as waiters served oysters and shrimp cocktail.
