Neil Mossberg, a seasoned American entrepreneur, has come up with a wonderful idea to cut down on the industry's costs and bills: a seafood restaurant without a dining room, which he hopes to keep open even during the harsh New York winters, with the simple help of tents and umbrellas on the East River.
The news
It is known that with the pandemic, habits have changed and many have become accustomed to eating outdoors, on tables scattered chaotically in public spaces. One did not expect, however, to start seeing dining room-free restaurants, as is the case in South Street Seaport, New York's old port district. Here Neil Mossberg, former creative director of fashion brand County Seat, a 600-store chain, currently leading Frank151 magazine and Nexwrk, which helps businesses connect, had another idea of his own.
This is Cobble Fish, a little place consecrated to seafood, opened in partnership with restaurateurs Victor Chan and Renee Lee, where precisely one sits exclusively under large blue umbrellas. In fact, the impression is that of being in the courtyard of a private home, dotted with sofas and long, serried tables that can seat up to 200 people directly on the East River. What is new here is that the formula will not change between lunch and dinner, summer, winter, fall and spring. That would seem crazy, given the city's climate, which is as rainy in the summer season as it is harsh around Christmas (though it has snowed very little for the past two years, perhaps because of climate change).
Mossberg cuts to the chase: for him, no risk, no reward. “We handle the rain with umbrellas and canopies, especially with a nice drink offering,” he tells Forbes. While rented tents are ready for private events. "If the weather is warm until the end of the year, we will stay open. If it gets too cold, however, the pipes will freeze, forcing us to close." Although the idea is to explore every possible strategy to keep the shutters open. The benefits are obvious: the bills for an outdoor restaurant are negligible, partly because they do not include air conditioning.
But for Mossberg, who lives in the area, and has chaired a nonprofit organization for its preservation, and is the grandson of a restaurateur who used to shop in the district, the appeal is also sentimental. It's about creating a quaint place populated by locals, marked by a true neighborhood atmosphere. "I like being an underdog because they are often undervalued. We are not a franchise, we don't have a big arsenal, but we can make a difference."
The menu consists largely of small dishes called “nibbles,” which are easy to take away; but there are also more substantial courses, such as fish and chips or lobster rolls, to be accompanied by beers or cocktails, often to the sound of a DJ set. The key to success with young people, tourists and business people? “Some great food and community connection, which is why we have salsa on Tuesdays and country western on Wednesdays.”
