Blue Dog Bar and Grill re-opens after hurricanes
Blue Dog Bar and Grill owner John Lynch was looking forward to how hectic the restaurant was likely to get upon reopening after being shut down for three days short of a month due to hurricanes Helene and Milton. He said the same great service and food should be expected as they are on the menu along with fresh stone crab claws he picked up from Barnhill Seafood Market.
“We are ready to go,” Lynch said.
With 47 employees, who mostly live on Pine Island, combined with crabbers, shrimpers and fishermen, whose catch often ends up on his menu, Lynch admitted he feels he’s doing his part in helping the wheels of the train to keep moving for the good of everyone involved and feels grateful to be a part of something he sees as an overall bigger picture.
“When you cast a wide net, you feel the ripple effect. When we’re open, it helps many others on the island,” Lynch said.
Many people these days are trying to get by, living paycheck to paycheck, he said, citing that to the best of his knowledge, restaurants and the hospitality industry are the single largest employer of single mothers. Not being open is too stressful for his employees who are counting on their jobs, he added.
“If it’s stressful for them, it will be stressful for us,” Lynch said.
With the Blue Dog’s 10th anniversary coming up, this was certainly not what Lynch thought this season might look like, but emphasizes that he is so thrilled to be re-opening, he’ll take it.
“This is not just a business for us — we live here. Our heart aches for the entire island. When restaurants and bars and businesses are shut down, they’re hurting and we’re hurting with them. This has been a challenge and any sense of normalcy is huge right now, for us and for Pine Island. I can’t wait for Miceli’s to open, for the Perfect Cup to open, for Yucatan to open, because it will make the community better,” Lynch said.
The Blue Dog Bar and Grill is at 4597 Pine Island Road in Matlacha. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.
Call 239-558-4970 for more about the restaurant.
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC / pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com, please email