Fire on the Beach restaurant on the 900 block of Asbury Avenue closed its doors Sept. 14 after one season in business in Ocean City, NJ.
By Tim Zatzariny Jr.
For OCNJ Daily
After a successful first season in Ocean City, Fire on the Beach is moving inland.
The owner of the popular new restaurant, Charles Coburn, said in an interview Friday afternoon that various factors played into his decision to leave downtown Ocean City. Among them was the chance to serve alcohol at its new location in Somers Point, since Ocean City is a dry town that does not allow BYOB.
Coburn said he was recently approached by a group of investors who “came to us and said they want to see us in a much better location.”
Although he would not disclose the exact location because negotiations are ongoing with the current property owner, Coburn said Fire on the Beach’s potential new home is a bayfront property in Somers Point with a marina. There’s a possibility the sale of the property will include a liquor license, he said.
Fire on the Beach could open in its new location between mid-October and early November, according to Coburn.
The restaurant served its last meal in Ocean City on Sept. 14.
Faced with the prospect of slow business on the island during the fall and winter, “I decided it was better for us to close down and move rather than stay here in the off-season and struggle for the next two months,” Coburn said.
The restaurant opened at 949 Asbury Avenue in April and quickly became known for bucking typical shore fare such as pizza and subs in favor of an offbeat menu built on ingredients sourced mostly from area farms and dairies. (Read more: "
Fire on the Beach Burns Bright on Asbury Avenue").
Coburn said he and his wife Judy, who co-owns Fire on the Beach, were heartened by the support their restaurant received as the new kid in town.
“We love Ocean City,” he said. “If we make this transition successfully and another opportunity presents itself, I would have no problem opening a seasonal restaurant in Ocean City. The people were great to us.”
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