LITTLE CURRENT—Business partners Braeden Macaluso and Jordan Stephens are pretty pumped about their latest project that includes creating a new (renamed) restaurant on the site of the icon Edgewater located on the Little Current waterfront. Plans include a takeout restaurant with partially covered outdoor seating on a greatly expanded deck overlooking the North Channel, a two-bedroom Airbnb with large windows also overlooking the channel and a small real estate office for Mr. Stephen’s business.
Plans to open the restaurant this year hit a few delays, including details of a lease from the municipality for the expanded deck, but the partners were philosophical about holding off opening until next season. The restaurant is planned as a seasonal business and would not operate during the winter.
The restaurant is envisioned as an upscale takeout. “There are a lot of places where you can get a burger and fries,” noted Mr. Stephens, adding he is personally looking forward to having oysters on the menu, something he must currently travel to Killarney to obtain.
Contrary to some rumours circulating in the community, the kitchen portion of the operation will not be in the basement of the building, but will be located adjacent to the decks with large bar-style open windows providing a connection to the customers being served.
Inside the building considerable renovations are taking place, with new walls separating the various components of the development and several large windows being installed for the rental unit.
“We realize that there is a need for more rental housing,” noted Mr. Macaluso, but both partners were adamant that they were not interested in dealing with the challenges that come with long-term rentals. The duo recently built a new motel in Little Current, located beside the Tim Hortons on Highway 6 (which they noted has been mostly booked steady since its opening) and have been very active in building new housing developments in Little Current—something the developers say they are continuing to do. “We have a couple of projects in mind,” said Mr. Stephens.
By holding off the opening of the restaurant, Mr. Stephens said they are looking to avoid developing the business in a rush. “We want to get it right,” agreed Mr. Macaluso.
In addition to an upscale menu, the plans are to have a licenced venue with light acoustic entertainment on some evenings during the summer.
As an eatery with only outdoor seating available to customers the new restaurant will be limited to seasonal operations for obvious reasons.
While some may be dismayed over the end of the Edgewater name at the location, the pair said that they felt the name change to Dockside was a good brand decision. “It was successful for many years, a long time ago,” noted Mr. Stephens, “but in recent years it wasn’t and we felt it was time for a fresh start.”
