The Ocean Pines Yacht Club will remain closed until March 12, while the Clubhouse Bar and Grille will offer dinner service starting in February, the Association announced this week.
Ocean Pines Director of Finance and Operational Logistics Steve Phillips said the move would save Ocean Pines about $25,000, mostly in labor costs. February is traditionally a month associated with losses at the restaurant.
Ralph DeAngelus, cofounder of the Matt Ortt Companies that runs Ocean Pines’ food and beverage operations, said the Clubhouse Bar and Grille will reopen next Thursday through Sunday, with winter hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Starting on Feb. 4, hours will be extended to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the restaurant open Thursday through Sunday and happy hour and dinner specials beginning. A new menu will be announced in February.
"The kitchen there doesn't have the availability to put together an entire [dinner] menu, but it can do the existing menu that's there and an additional five dinner-entree menu, each week,” DeAngelus said.
He said the Clubhouse will also house Thursday trivia nights, normally held at the Yacht Club, starting on Feb. 4.
"I think it's a win-win for everybody," he said.
The Yacht Club traditionally reopens for the Super Bowl, but DeAngelus said that would not happen this year.
"The Redskins are out, the Eagles are out, the Ravens are out, the Steelers are out," he said. "I don't see that as being a big loss at the Yacht Club" without any local teams playing.
If Ocean Pines residents do want to watch the big game, "they can watch it at the Clubhouse," he added.
General Manager John Viola said the new Clubhouse, opened last year, was designed with the thought that the Clubhouse Bar and Grille could run while the Yacht Club is closed, to help fill that void in the community.
"This definitely makes sense and it's a good opportunity to test this out," he said.
For more information on the Clubhouse Bar and Grille, visit www.oceanpinesgolf.org/dining.