Local Business Spotlight | Gill Dawg, a local hidden gem with a Key West feel

By MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey

When it comes to the manner of living it up we seem to be doing the COIVD shuffle –  a dance of fits and starts that has us walking a fine line between what is good for us and what is good for us.

Staying hunkered down long-term might feel safe, but isn’t great for the psyche. For many, the best bet is to try and keep it outdoors.

Come the first Sunday of the month, you can find the blues wafting with the breeze at Gill Dawg Tiki Bar and Grill, a cool little gem of a place with a real Florida feel about a stone’s toss from US Highway 19 in Port Richey.

Nestled in a restaurant row of sorts on Miller’s Bayou where the Pithlachascotee River meets the Gulf of Mexico, Gill Dawg is a hodgepodge kind of entertainment center where the ultimate goal, according to its owners, is to stop on by and let go of all your worries for a while – and be sure to bring the kids and the family canine too, as Gill Dawg is, well, dog friendly.

On any given day you can take a seat at the tiki bar or a table overlooking the bayou, maybe order a sangria and shrimp tacos (for me), or a beer and a cheesesteak sandwich (for him) while watching kayakers launch from Hurly’s Scuba Outpost. Patrons are also welcome to lay out a lawn chair for special concerts held at Gill Dawg’s Wayne’s World Event Center, order a burger or some fish and chips, grab a beverage and sit back, and enjoy the talent.

Over a couple of lazy Sunday afternoons, the old man and I were happy to finally kick it up a little with the high-energy Memphis Lightning and Alex Lopez bands and sway a bit too, to the original tunes and soulful voice of New Port Richey’s own Julie Black, playing for the monthly Blues on the Bayou concerts. 

Since November of 2020, Gill Dawg has partnered with talent agent Sheree Englehardt and on occasion, Suncoast Blues Society to bring a Blues on the Bayou concert series to the Wayne’s World stage.

As a long-time community music activist from Dade City, Sheree Englehardt pulls together the line-up for Blues on the Bayou. For ten years she has also been letting folks know who’s playing where through the website GoTonight.com, where she aggregates a calendar of scheduled live music performances at venues from Fort Myers to Crystal River.

Gill Dawg has been a loyal customer for at least 8 years to GoTonight, Sheree said. “Their food, service, and incredible ambiance have been consistent since day one.”

Other past entertainers for the blues series have included Hector Anchondo, RJ Howson, Kid Royal, Rusty Wright, Alex Lopez, Victoria Ginty, Tom Craig, LC Williams & the Driver, Dottie Kelly, Joel DaSilva, Big D & the Dirty Deal, and JSanti. 

Upcoming on Feb. 6 is Americana-Roots of Blues, featuring Steve Arvey’s Cigar Box Fest , Kristine Jackson, and Stumpy Joe. Coming down the line are TBone Hamilton, Dockta D, Reggie King Sears, Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones, and Sarasota Slim. 

Being a blues lover, these concerts are right up my alley, but there are plenty of alternative genres meant to suit other tastes, said Gill Dawg owner, Erik Suojanen, noting that local favorites, the Bearded Brothers, appear pretty regularly on the last Sunday afternoon of each month.

“We’ve got to keep the live music going,” said Erik, adding that he employs an “it takes a village” business concept to try to make that happen.

During the busy season expect to hear someone singing live music four to five days a week along with the regularly scheduled open mic, karaoke and Bandingo nights, where patrons vie at naming songs based on the first few bars of a tune.

Gill Dawg also partners with Hits 106 FM radio station for several tribute concerts that are hosted there. Among the concerts coming up are tributes to Bon Jovi (Slippery When Wet), Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Sol) and the annual Johnny Cash Bash, which feature local bands that give a nod to the famed country singer who, once upon a time, vacationed at his in-laws’ Port Richey bungalow with his wife, June Carter-Cash. (Read more on that at Fivay.org).

Add to that annual fundraiser concerts and events for Back the Blue, Toys for Tots, and the Smile Faith Foundation, an organization that provides free dental work for veterans.

Musicians have been hit hard with the pandemic, especially early on, and outdoor venues such as Gill Dawg fit the bill for many wanting to find some sense of normalcy after a two-year slog.

“Gill Dawg is a great spot to hear live music, now more than ever,” said Julie Black, who performs throughout the Tampa Bay area with her band and as a duo with guitarist and partner, Dave Eichenberger.

“There’s lots of open space which allows concert-goers to choose how close they want to be to the crowd,” she said. ” I expect outdoor venues like this will end up being preferred by most people and offer a great opportunity to catch a live show.”

Gill Dawg makes room in the entertainment calendar for several local, live musicians, “side job” soloists and duos who stand at the microphone in the tiki bar strumming a guitar and singing cover songs.

“I love playing at Gill Dawg,” said Frank Calafiura, who we caught playing on a recent Saturday afternoon. “Outstanding food, drinks, service and atmosphere. It’s one of the “don’t miss” spots in the little city by the river.”

This year there are more tributes in the offing, Erik said, noting that about 1,000 ticket-holders attended the most recent concert.

“That pays the bills,” he said.

And that’s a must if you want to keep going and growing as Gill Dawg has.

“There was just an old house there,” Erik said. “We were just going to rent kayaks. Then we opened the sandwich shop, then came the beer and wine.”

As the business evolved they added a tiki bar and event center complete with the “Wayne’s World” boat stage, fashioned from an old relic the former property owners were supposed to move but didn’t.

“We were going to sell the boat or cut up the boat, then someone came up with the bright idea of making it into a stage,” Erik said, adding that a more recent addition, another boat bar, was constructed from a boat that sank and was abandoned on their property.

“We picked it up with a crane, dropped it in a hole, and made a bar out of it,” Erik said, with a chuckle.

Other added amenities include an outdoor tented area with a decorative waterfall that can be rented for weddings and other events, outdoor bathrooms, a covered audience area at the Wayne’s World stage and an adjacent open area for volleyball and cornhole activities.

“As a talent agent I found these additions to be a huge benefit to their live music entertainment,” Sheree Englehardt said.

Gill Dawg has also hosted Fourth of July events and an annual New Year’s celebration that in the last couple of years has carried on the tradition of an annual New Year’s ball drop started by the now-defunct Seaside Inn.

Business has been pretty good despite the pandemic, said Erik, noting that as with other hospitality businesses, Gill Dawg was shuttered for a time in March of 2020 and did close down for a short while in August 2021 due to a Covid-19 outbreak among the staff.

Even so, they really haven’t skipped much of a beat.

“Since we started the business we’ve seen steady growth,” Erik said. “People say it is a great family place that you can bring your kids to. A place with a Key West vibe that you can come to and maybe forget your troubles for a while.”

If you go:

Gill Dawg Tiki Bar and Grill is located at 5419 Treadway Drive in Port Richey. For more information – including their event calendar, outdoor events lineup, catering information and more, check out their website here or Facebook page here.

For more local events including live music, check out What’s What New Port Richey ‘Stepping Out | On the Town.”

Stepping Out | On the Town (Jan. 24 and beyond)

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