Local Biz Spotlight | One year in and still standing

The new owner of Sip on Grand in downtown New Port Richey meets a bumpy first year with a silver lining

BY MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey

That the fine wine is still pouring at Sip on Grand and live music is wafting out onto the outdoor dining deck a couple of nights a week now is surely cause for celebration.

But as anniversaries go, eeking it through the first one came with the sort of subdued acknowledgement and relief that is a sign of the times.

A night at Sip before COVID-19, in downtown New Port Richey. February 2020.
PHOTO|MICHELE MILLER

Newbie restaurateur Sean Fulton had been around the place for a bit, but was still pretty green on March 1, 2020 when he took the keys to Sip, a fine wine and beer bar with a specialty in meat and cheese charcuterie boards that’s located in downtown New Port Richey.

It was the very same day that Florida reported its first case of COVID-19.

Fulton, who formerly worked in the health care field, eased his way into ownership under the guidance of former owners Lisa and Kris Bolster, who were planning a major move to Italy.

They built Sip from the ground up, gutting what once was an art gallery and reforming it into a trendy downtown haunt with an intimate, urban environment where black and white movies, such as The African Queen, are projected on the wall. There’s comfy couch seating along with more traditional tables and chairs, a very cool speakeasy room in the back, and an outdoor dining deck out front.

Fulton hosted a soft opening for the new Sip on Grand on March 4. A couple of weeks later, on March 17, bars and nightclubs were ordered closed. Three days after that, Governor DeSantis ordered the shuttering of restaurants, with the exception of takeout and delivery service.

In real time and retrospect, too, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

While downtown businesses around him were buoyed by PPP funding, Fulton received nothing because the deadline for newly established businesses to qualify for funding was was Feb. 15, 2020 – just a couple of weeks before he took ownership. Fulton did qualify for the Pasco County CARES funds, but had to dip into savings to keep things afloat in the interim.

Photo of Lia Gallegos by Majestic Soul Photography

“He paid us all out of his own pocket. He didn’t have to do that,” said Lia Gallegos, one of handful of part-time employees at Sip. Gallegos, who is part owner of an event company called Rock the Boat, is part of the wait staff and handles Sip’s social media accounts.

“We never thought (Sip) wouldn’t be here a year later. We’re all too hopeful for that,” she said. “But it was pretty challenging for awhile – especially with the state changing mandates every week for what was allowed and what was not allowed. There was a lot of having to pivot to meet the new mandates and make sure the customers and the staff were safe.”

Fulton brainstormed with his staff on ways to adapt and tend to customers, some who are still wary about coming out.

It’s not easy, Fulton said. “We still have a business to run and we are walking a thin line between being able to have a viable business and being able to operate.”

Some initiatives they came up with: Date-night takeout specials, where a bottle of wine and a charcuterie board could make Friday night feel like…well Friday night. A Thursday evening happy hour features smaller charcuterie boards for those just wanting a taste. Live music, typically of the acoustic sort, is offered twice weekly now. And while standard favorites are still on the menu, there’s also more keto-friendly foods with vegetarian options featuring locally grown produce in the works.

The 2020 Sip on Grand Deck Your Golf Cart Ride was held Dec. 13 in downtown New Port Richey.
Photo of 2019 event courtesy of Chris Jones.

Fulton also sponsored a couple of special events. A “Deck Your Golf Cart Christmas Ride” for the community brought out over 180 golf carts for a socially distanced street parade. A February “Palentine’s Day” event, open to a limited audience, featured a one-act play performed by actors from the nearby Richey Suncoast Theatre.

“We were just brain storming and when we do, we are always talking about collaboration with other businesses and arts groups,” Fulton said. “Someone brought up the idea for short, one-act plays. We had two show times and it was reservations only so we could control the seating so it’s not jammed packed.”

Fellow business owners also helped out, Fulton said.

“It’s been tough this past year, but surprisingly okay because of our loyal customers and downtown businesses. We all advertised for each other. Supported each other,” he said.

“There’s always a silver lining,” Fulton said, noting that while the slowdown was tough, it afforded him time to learn the ropes at an even pace. That, no doubt, has helped him troubleshoot and meet challenges as they arise.

“One of these days I hope to be able to pay myself back,” Fulton said, adding that the third stimulus and increasing vaccinations give rise to hope for better days to come.

Things, it seems, have been picking up.

“I’ve had several customers come in and mention they moved to New Port Richey before the pandemic and are just getting out now,” Gallegos said. “We’re seeing more new faces, younger faces.”

Signs of renewal and resilience.

Happy anniversary.

Sip on Grand is located at 6231 Grand Boulevard in downtown New Port Richey.

Health & safety: Mask required · Staff wear masks · Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits For information and hours of operation, upcoming events, check out the Facebook page or website.