Point Reyes Light - November 10, 2004

 Nick's Cove owners ready to renovate

 By Jacob Resneck

Dormant for more than five years, Nick's Cove Restaurant and Bar on the north end of Marshall is planned to reopen as one of the most ambitious businesses on the east shore of Tomales Bay. A partnership calling itself "3 Sons" has cleared the planning permit process, winning approval from the county and the California Coastal Commission to redevelop the restaurant and surrounding cottages.

The partnership purchased the restaurant in 1999 from Ruth Gibson who had run the popular restaurant with her husband Alfred since the early 1970s. The planning and design process has taken more than five years, but Pat Kuleto, the most high profile of the three partners, believes work could be finished by late next year.

‘34 different groups involved’

"I think there are 34 different agencies and citizen groups involved, at least the last time we counted," restaurant designer Kuleto told The Light. "We’d never developed anywhere in West Marin, let alone on Tomales Bay. We were aware there could be difficulties, but we got together with the county and told them that we would like to restore Nick's Cove, and they have been supportive."

The partnership purchased the properties for $2 million dollars. Approved plans call for restoration of the restaurant, pier and boat launch, as well as renovation of several cottages on both sides of Highway 1 to be used as vacation rentals. The first work is slated to begin this winter.

In an agreement hammered out with the county and the California Coastal Commission, no new structures will be built. Water and septic, a sensitive issue for any development so close to Tomales Bay, will be provided by a neighboring ranch owned by Terry Zimmerman who will allow use of his septic and leach fields as well as water pumped from one of his wells to be used for the restaurant and cottages.

"This is the first type of project that will allow development to use water and septic to come from another property. And they’re only allowing us to do this because it’s to serve existing buildings," explained Kuleto who said the compromise allows the restoration of historic structures without adversely impacting the bay.

‘From hotdogs to the best seafood’

Chef Marc Franz, one of the project’s partners who also runs the Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco, said he plans to build a menu that is broad enough to satisfy a wide range of tastes.

"There’s a lot of great stuff going on here with the local fish and cheeses," Franz said, explaining that the restaurant aims to be a place where high-end dining can coexist with beer and barbecued oysters, cheeseburgers, and hotdogs. With a full liquor license, they hope to remain open as late as 10 or 11 p.m. on weekends. "Or in the bar’s case, when the last people leave," quipped Kuleto. The third partner in 3 Sons is Kuleto Restaurants’ chief operating officer Richard Miyashiro.

Aside from restoring the restaurant, several cottages on both sides of the highway will be renovated into 11 high-end vacation rentals with full room service. The back pier will be rebuilt, selling oysters and picnic lunches, even fishing licenses to those passing through or stopping to visit Miller Park, immediately next door.

The berths will be restored with room to moor four boats, added Kuleto, who said that all told, the combined resort will employ as many as 40 people, including a resident manager. The back pier will be open to the public during business hours for the general public to hang out or even fish in the bay, Kuleto said.

Nick's Cove: an abridged history

Nick's Cove was named for Croatian immigrant Nick Kojich who settled there in 1931. Kojich floated his holdings – a two-bedroom house, two wharves, and several fishing boats – by barge from White Gulch on the other side of the bay to the present site now known as Nick's Cove. The year after the depression, Kojich added a bar to the restaurant which remained in the family until his family sold to Ruth and Alfred Gibson in 1973. The Gibsons ran the business until Ruth Gibson sold out to Kuleto and his associates.

The property never went on the market, explained Kuleto, "A couple I know heard from Ruthie Gibson that she was interested in selling. I was here the next weekend and I guess I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse."

After a public hearing process, formal county approval was given in May 2003, with the Coastal Commission signing off the following December. The next step, explained Johanna Patri of the county planning agency, is for the project’s planners to submit their building-permit applications. With the bulk of the design and engineering work completed, the process should begin early next year, Kuleto said.

Kuleto declined to discuss the dollar amount of the investment, remarking only that it is, "Big. It’s the biggest little project in West Marin."

Point Reyes Light Cover | News | Coastal Traveler