It will be a longer winter for locals in Strathmere after hearing that The Deauville Inn will close later this month until April.
The Deauville Inn, a landmark property since 1881 at 201 Willard Road in Strathmere, posted on Facebook Monday, saying they would close on January 26th to focus on the summer season.
While we believed deeply in the vision of year-round operations, the reality of the winter months on a sparsely populated barrier island has led us to embrace our primary identity- The Jersey Shore’s premier summer destination.
The restaurant filled in more details about its winter hibernation on Tuesday, posting that the Deauville will undergo off-season renovations.
Over the coming months, The Deauville Inn will be undergoing a significant and much-needed facelift. After 144 years, the wear and tear on our historic building has certainly taken its toll, and we believe our loyal guests and dedicated staff deserve the highest quality venue possible.
The Deauville Inn — A Colorful History
I first became aware of The Deauville Inn as a kid in the 1970s when I was invited to the Strathmere summer home of my Drexel Hill, PA., neighbors and longtime friends, Peter and Mark Griffin.
The Griffin family owned a beachfront home in Strathmere for many years, and the neighborhood gang got to tag along for occasional weekend trips.
1970s Strathmere was a beautiful place with a much different vibe than the other Jersey Shore towns that I had visited.
Ocean City was fun, and Wildwood was crazy, but Strathmere was like an oasis unto itself.
The Griffins knew all the local establishments — there weren’t many– and joked about The Deauville Inn being a rundown locals spot that was closed more than it was open.
Years later, while living in Margate in the early 2000s, I finally visited The Deauville Inn and got an appreciation for what a cool spot in a great location it was.
According to its website, in 2019, Dr. Tim Fox bought the Deauville Inn to restore it “to its original beauty and provide a more upscale experience for customers in Strathmere”.
He redesigned the property and put more emphasis on the menu.
Now, The Deauville Inn sounds like they are ready to up the ante again with these off-season upgrades. Here is the official word from Deauville’s Facebook post.
You can expect a rejuvenated dining experience both inside and out. We are particularly excited to share that dock service will be returning with major improvements. Additionally, we are upgrading the Sandbar and beach areas to create an even more relaxing environment for your visit.
I can’t wait to visit The Deauville Inn this summer, have a good meal, hang out on the deck, and see for myself.
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