From Kismet to Davis Park, the Fire Island business market is looking strong this summer. Vacant storefronts rarely stay vacant for long in our communities, and this season is no exception. We spoke with the owners of several new businesses that will be opening for the first time this season or have recently opened.
TheDivebrand is expanding its reach in Kismet this season with the opening of Dive Taco at the Moonrise Motel, located at 177 Pine Street. Two years after opening Bar Aquatic in the same space, owner Frank Bragaglia is rebranding and refreshing the 17-seat restaurant’s offerings.
“We’ll be offering some of our most popular menu items from Dive Kismet and Ocean Beach,” said Bragaglia, “while adding a grab-and-go option for people heading to the beach.”
Some prepared meals are available, including custom-made tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls, and salads. Table service is also available. Dive Taco joins operator Standard Provisions’ portfolio of restaurants, which includes the Brixton and Courtside Sport & Social in Babylon and Standard Rec in Patchogue. Bragaglia also operates Lobby Boy Liquors, a liquor store, adjacent to Dive Taco.
Kismet Coffee owner Jackson Davis is planning to open a new coffee stand in Fair Harbor after expanding into a much larger space in Bay Shore. The location will be Kismet Coffee’s fourth, with business already booming in Kismet, Bay Shore, and Ocean Beach. The Bay Shore location now offers an elevated dinner menu and craft cocktails, a first for Davis. The Fair Harbor spot is pending approval from the Town of Islip, and an opening date has not been set.
Ocean Beach’s business district is booming, with a 100-percent occupancy rate among its many storefronts. This year, Nalu Dry Goods, a fixture in downtown Bay Shore, has opened an Ocean Beach counterpart. Hawaiian native Marie Fischer is bringing her coastal-resort lifestyle shop to Ocean Beach this summer. It’s been her dream to open a shop here for years.
“My coworker told me she had a listing for a space in Ocean Beach and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, yes,’” said Fisher. She came to New York to attend fashion school and ended up working as a sales representative for Hurley—and through mutual work friends, she met her husband, Chris, and never left. Her passion for fashion led her to open her first Nalu shop with Chris on Main Street in Bay Shore in 2013, followed by a location at Kismet Market last year.
Nalu’s Bay Shore store is located at 100 West Main Street. In Ocean Beach, their new shop is at 153 Bay Walk.
Jorge Cortez and his team aren’t exactly new to Fire Island, but they’re new to the Grove. After a few years in the Pines, his Good Head barbershop is moving to 159 Dock Walk in Cherry Grove this season. With business partner Edwin Pabon, Cortez operates two other shops in Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. With the move to Cherry Grove, the shop is bringing on Linette Prevosto, a fixture in the community. For the first time, they’ll be offering manicures, pedicures, and scalp massages, all thanks to Prevosto.
“We’re very excited to have her,” said Cortez. “She’ll be adding a whole new dimension to the business by providing nail services, and she specializes in longer hair.” Good Head’s three locations employ a total of 10 barbers, 7 of whom work on a rotating schedule at the Cherry Grove location. Cortez said that highlighting queer art is important to his team, and this season, the art of local artist Mark Short will be featured in their new shop.
Source: Fire Island News & Great South Bay News
