Gahan House And Captain Dan’s To Open Wharf Beer Garden For The Summer
POINTE-DU-CHÊNE– Two family-owned Maritime hospitality industry players are bringing a seasonal beer garden to the Shediac area this summer.
Gahan House and Captain Dan’s Bar & Grill announced plans to collaborate and open a beer garden on June 8, at the lower deck of Captain Dan’s, for the restaurant’s 27th year in operation.
“It was a no-brainer for us,” said Captain Dan’s co-owner Robert Taylor, of the deal to open a Gahan House beer garden.
“Shediac’s a hot market and it’s our basement–the lower level of Captain Dan’s. It and the patio were never utilized with Covid-19 over the last years, and there wasn’t a huge need for it, so we put it on the back burner.”
In a call with Huddle, Taylor said he and his fellow co-owners had been playing with the idea of partnering with a craft brewery for the last three or four years but put it on hold due to pandemic restrictions.
“Obviously, this winter, when the vaccination numbers were going up and everyone saw the writing on the wall that the summer was going back to normal, we said this was the time to do it,” he said.
At that point, Murphy said, they contacted the Murphy Hospitality Group, Gahan House’s Charlottetown-based parent company, and made a plan.
“They were over the moon excited to do it and we couldn’t be happier with this partnership,” he said.
Taylor said the Murphy Hospitality Group is an ideal partner because of its hands-on approach to daily operations and well-developed brands.
“It’s been a pleasure working with them so far. If you need anything, they’re involved. The signs are already up [for the beer garden] and we don’t open for another few weeks,” he said.
The beer garden will occupy an approximately 5,000-square-foot space in the lower level of the Captain Dan’s building, as well as an outdoor patio. It will be able to accommodate around 250 people.
“It’s literally right on the water, and the garage doors open up and looks right onto the marina, so you’re not going to find a better view, from a beer garden in Shediac,” said Taylor.
A May 20 release from Gahan House and Captain Dan’s said the beer garden will include outdoor games, happy hours, live music, and weekly beach parties.
Taylor confirmed that Gahan House’s most popular beers will be available, as well as a locally themed summer draft beer named brewed in honour of a ferry that used to travel from Pointe-du-Chêne wharf to Prince Edward Island–a fitting metaphor for the partnership between N.B. and P.E.I. businesses the beer garden entails.
Kyle Hann, chief beverage officer for Gahan, said the location near the water is a perfect fit.
“We are pleased to now be able to offer so many of our products at this popular summer location,” he said.
Taylor told Huddle he anticipates plenty of Monctoners visiting, with Shediac and Pointe-du-Chêne a 15-minute drive away. He’s also confident the beer garden will bring plenty of thirsty visitors from AirBnbs rentals, cottages, hotels, and motels in the area heavily booked and rumblings of a busy tourism season being the talk of the town’s business community.
“We’re super-optimistic that after the last couple of years it’s going to be great,” he said.
Guests at the beer garden will be able to order food from Captain Dan’s, and outdoor dining will be available from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Gahan House has origins in Prince Edward Island, where it was founded in 2000, while Murphy Hospitality Group was founded in 1980 by Kevin and Kathy Murphy.
In addition to Gahan House locations across all four Atlantic provinces, Murphy Hospitality Group owns the P.E.I. Brewing Company, and a plethora of restaurants that include Bar1911 Beer+ Coffee, the Grounded Coffee Bar, the Merchantman Fresh Seafood & Oyster Bar, the Mysa Nordic Spa & Resort, Pickford & Black, the Ponyboat Social Club, the Sims Corner Steakhouse & Oyster bar, the Barrington Steakhouse & Oyster Bar, Dooly’s Summerside, the Fishbones Oyster Bar & Grill, the Brickhouse Kitchen & Bar–and four hotels across P.E.I.
Gahan products have been available at ANBL stores throughout New Brunswick since 2011.
Captain Dan’s Restaurant, founded by Norm Leblanc, originally was part of Captain Dan’s Seafood, a local seafood seller operating a plant at the Pointe-du-Chêne wharf since 1994.
Sam Macdonald is a Huddle reporter in Moncton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].