City, PRC pick Bubba Gump to replace Boathouse
Santa Monica Pier’s oldest restaurant may be forced to shut its doors this week after a judge ruled that the city has a right to evict the family-owned Boathouse.
Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Diana Wheatley ruled on Wednesday that the Boathouse, owned by Naia Sheffield and her family for the past 50 years, owes the city $25,000 in back rent, plus attorney fees. Judge Wheatley also ruled that the restaurant must vacate the premises.
The latest decision comes after years of Sheffield battling with the city on the restaurant’s lease agreement. The city, which owns the pier, supposedly offered the Boathouse a long-term lease three years ago but instead only offered a month-to-month lease. The city gave the Boathouse until last fall to vacate the premises.
Boathouse manager Cindy Pfeifer said the Boathouse attempted to pay the city its monthly rent, but the city sent the checks back.
The Santa Monica City Council voted this past summer to enter into a contract with the movie-themed restaurant chain Bubba Gump after the Pier Restoration Corporation considered several bids — including the Boathouse — to occupy the 4,500-square-foot building located on the beach.
“The PRC and the city wanted to have a competition for the tenants on the pier where the Boathouse is,” said PRC chairman Michael Klein. “(The Boathouse’s) proposal just didn’t meet what we wanted.
“I bear no ill will toward them and I wish that their bid was a good bid,” Klein added.
As part of Judge Wheatley’s ruling, Los Angeles County marshals can take possession of the building this week. City officials say they expect to secure the building and take inventory on its contents in the next few weeks.
If the city takes possession this week, the building will remain empty throughout the summer — the pier’s busiest time of the season.
“It will be very sad to have this empty this summer,” Pfeifer said. “At sunset, that bar and patio is just packed because it’s the only view of the beach.”
Bubba Gump has 15 months to remodel the old, wooden building. The company, owned by Paramount, could spend upwards of $3 million renovating the restaurant. It’s expected to open next spring.
On Sunday, the Boathouse was hopping with patrons listening to musician Damian Joyce play to the crowd upstairs, while the basement was jamming with the weekly salsa event.
For the past five years, the Boathouse has held a salsa dance from 2 p.m.-10 p.m., which attracts hundreds of people, said Laura Canellias, the event’s coordinator.
While people were cutting up the dance floor and watching the sunset, most of them had no idea it may be the last Sunday afternoon for the Boathouse.
“It’s a great place to come for the afternoon,” Canellias said. “Right now, it’s up to the lawyers but I would hate to think we would be closed next week.”
Sheffield is suing the city in U.S. District Court, claiming it violated her right to due process, breach of contract, unlawful taking and that the city intentionally misrepresented the lease agreement.
It is unclear whether Sheffield will file an appeal on the court’s latest decision, which may grant a stay on the eviction.
“I hope they are not knocking on our door Monday,” Pfeifer said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 25, 2002. Read the original PDF.