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When the Mayflower made its journey to the new world, it took a relatively direct route.
For Karl Heine’s new downtown restaurant, the New World Tavern, the route was a bit more circuitous, passing Tibet (the Namaste restaurant), China (Shangri-la), and the most culinary island of India (The Guru Grille).
This fall, Heine’s ship – featuring craft beers and pub-style food – is expected to land in the space at 56 Main that has been the site of all of those restaurants (in the past five years) and is presently the home of the Guru Indian Grille, Music and Bar.
The physical transformation – from Indian Grille to New World Tavern – will begin as soon as the state ratifies the selectmen’s transfer of the Guru’s liquor license. That could take anywhere from a week to more than a month and, in the meantime, the Guru is expected to stay open for business.
Heine appeared before the Board of Selectmen Tuesday to seek approval of that license transfer and obtain other permits.
Questioned by the selectmen, Heine acknowledged that, while he has no experience managing a restaurant, he does have 25 years in the “supply end” of the food service business.
In that capacity, Heine became aware of what he believes is a popular new trend in restaurant – establishments dedicated to (oftentimes middle-aged) fans of craft beers.
“I’ve seen that type of operation in Boston and other areas, and as far south as Weymouth,” Heine told the selectmen.
But more importantly, Heine told the Old Colony, he has not seen that type of establishment within 20 miles of Plymouth.
He further described his new venture as “an upscale beer bar” with simple food and entertainment suitable to customers in the 30 to 55 age group.
The plans submitted to the Board of Selectmen suggest there will be minor changes to the layout of the restaurant area, most notably the conversion of the Guru’s small bar at the front into a stage area and the creation of a long bar opposite that stage.
The space at the back of the restaurant, where the Guru’s management presently operates a kind of nightclub, would simply be function space for the new operation.
The selectmen were generally supportive of Heine’s plans and only asked him the standard questions about alcohol safety and his background.
Freshman board member Belinda Brewster, however, wondered aloud why Heine thought he could succeed in a location where others, many others, have failed.
When the Mayflower made its journey to the new world, it took a relatively direct route.
For Karl Heine’s new downtown restaurant, the New World Tavern, the route was a bit more circuitous, passing Tibet (the Namaste restaurant), China (Shangri-la), and the most culinary island of India (The Guru Grille).
This fall, Heine’s ship – featuring craft beers and pub-style food – is expected to land in the space at 56 Main that has been the site of all of those restaurants (in the past five years) and is presently the home of the Guru Indian Grille, Music and Bar.
The physical transformation – from Indian Grille to New World Tavern – will begin as soon as the state ratifies the selectmen’s transfer of the Guru’s liquor license. That could take anywhere from a week to more than a month and, in the meantime, the Guru is expected to stay open for business.
Heine appeared before the Board of Selectmen Tuesday to seek approval of that license transfer and obtain other permits.
Questioned by the selectmen, Heine acknowledged that, while he has no experience managing a restaurant, he does have 25 years in the “supply end” of the food service business.
In that capacity, Heine became aware of what he believes is a popular new trend in restaurant – establishments dedicated to (oftentimes middle-aged) fans of craft beers.
“I’ve seen that type of operation in Boston and other areas, and as far south as Weymouth,” Heine told the selectmen.
But more importantly, Heine told the Old Colony, he has not seen that type of establishment within 20 miles of Plymouth.
He further described his new venture as “an upscale beer bar” with simple food and entertainment suitable to customers in the 30 to 55 age group.
The plans submitted to the Board of Selectmen suggest there will be minor changes to the layout of the restaurant area, most notably the conversion of the Guru’s small bar at the front into a stage area and the creation of a long bar opposite that stage.
The space at the back of the restaurant, where the Guru’s management presently operates a kind of nightclub, would simply be function space for the new operation.
The selectmen were generally supportive of Heine’s plans and only asked him the standard questions about alcohol safety and his background.
Freshman board member Belinda Brewster, however, wondered aloud why Heine thought he could succeed in a location where others, many others, have failed.
“Have you done any studies, demographics, marketing studies that showed that your kind of restaurant would succeed at this location?” Brewster asked.
She made specific reference to a “brew pub” that went into that location with a great deal of fanfare over five years ago, but didn’t last.
But Heine did not appear deterred.
He responded to Brewster by differentiating his operation from a brew pub, offering the opinion that the brew pub at that location had been ahead of its time. He said he thinks Plymouth is an up and coming destination.
Unlike other new restaurants in the area, Heine has decided to evoke the town’s historic setting in the name of his restaurant.
“I live just across the town line, in Kingston,” Heine told the Old Colony earlier in the week, “and I have always loved Plymouth. It’s a great town, one that I feel is on the upswing, and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Welcome to the new world.
