Current media coverage and upcoming developments hand-picked from the industry.

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Coral Gables’ most beloved Irish pub closed last year, but now it’s making a comeback

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MIAMI HERALD — MARCH 17, 2021 — BY CARLOS FRIAS Martin Lynch was on the fifth hole of the Biltmore golf course when news went out that Coral Gables Irish pub he cofounded, JohnMartin’s, would reopen with new owners.

Irish eyes smiled on St. Patrick’s Day.

Lynch and partner John Clark closed their pub, one of the longest-running restaurants in South Florida, on its 31st anniversary in April of 2020. They had long planned to not renew their lease and ease into retirement, sped up by the coronavirus restaurant closures. That retirement was made perhaps more plush after they sold the name to Breakwater Hospitality Group and Black Market Miami owner Erick Passo, who announced Wednesday in a press release they would remodel and reopen JohnMartin’s in the fall of 2021.

“I’m really happy that the name will live on,” Lynch said. “We were giving up the lease one way or the other. And I think this is fantastic because it keeps the name going.”

The new JohnMartin’s is likely to be very different from the original.

“The place definitely needs some work, there’s no doubt about it,” Lynch said.

The new spot “will be updated with a new look and feel,” created by a design firm, Big Time Design Studio, which will handle the “reimagining of the space,” according to a press release from the new owners. The building is owned by Terranova, which writes that it wants to bring more multi-use spaces to Coral Gables.

“JohnMartin’s had a tremendous impact on South Florida’s bar scene, and you will be hard-pressed to find a restaurant or bar that rivals their iconic status and reputation for hospitality,” Emi Guerra co-owner of Breakwater Hospitality, which built The Wharf, said in a press release. “Our team is proud to breathe new life into JohnMartin’s and to continue the tradition of providing the same welcoming service but with a fresh new look and feel suited for the times.”

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Miracle Mile staple JohnMartin’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, closed since April 2020, to reopen later this year

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SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS JOURNALS — MARCH 17, 2021 — BY MATTHEW ARROJAS A Coral Gables staple won’t disappear after all, with new ownership pledging to bring JohnMartin’s Irish Pub & Restaurant back later this year.

The 32-year-old eatery, at 253 Miracle Mile, closed in April 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was unable to reopen, even after dine-in restrictions were lifted during the summer. However, Miami-based Breakwater Hospitality Group took ownership of the establishment and plans to reopen it in the fall.

But first, the restaurant will be renovated. Breakwater tapped Miami-based Bigtime Design Studios to reimagine the aging space.

Breakwater is perhaps best known for owning and operating the Wharf locations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It also operates the Rivertail and the Piefather restaurants in Fort Lauderdale.

“JohnMartin’s had a tremendous impact on South Florida’s bar scene, and you will be hard-pressed to find a restaurant or bar that rivals their iconic status and reputation for hospitality,” Breakwater Hospitality co-owner Emi Guerra said. “Our team is proud to breathe new life into JohnMartin’s, and to continue the tradition of providing the same welcoming service – but with a fresh new look and feel suited for the times.”

Martin Lynch and John Clarke are no longer owners of the eatery, but a representative said they are still involved as consultants. Lynch noted in a statement he’s glad to see the concept live on.

“[Breakwater is] carrying on a 30-year tradition,” he said. “It’s great seeing our vision evolve into something new that we know everyone will enjoy for at least another 30 years to come.”

Miami Beach-based Terranova Corp. owns the building that houses JohnMartin’s Irish Pub & Restaurant. The eatery is surround by a plethora of retail and restaurant options, as Miracle Mile is the most prominent shopping and dining strip in Coral Gables.

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Beloved Irish Restaurant JohnMartin’s Reopening Under New Management

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EDIBLE SOUTH FLORIDA — MARCH 17, 2021 There’s welcome news this St. Patrick’s Day – JohnMartin’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, the popular bar and restaurant on Miracle Mile that closed last year after 31 years, will reopen this fall.

Breakwater Hospitality Group (BHG), whose portfolio includes The Wharf, Rvertail and the new Ch’i, and Erick Passo, owner of Black Market Miami, will renovate and reopen the Irish eatery.

“Our team is proud to breathe new life into JohnMartin’s and to continue the tradition of providing the same welcoming service but with a fresh new look and feel suited for the times,” says Emi Guerra, co-owner of BHG. He says the idea to revive the pub came about last year, but few were taking on new projects during the pandemic. He and longtime friend Passo, who had the same idea, decided to wait. “I had such fond memories,” he says. “Certain places have an Irish soul.” JohnMartin’s, he says, is one of those places.

Guerra says they weren’t going to move forward without the blessings of the namesakes, Martin Lynch and John Clarke. They got them. “It’s great seeing our vision evolve into something new that we know everyone will enjoy for at least another 30 years to come,” says Lynch.

Miami-based Terranova Corporation, which owns the building where JohnMartin’s is located, plans to create a multi-functional environment in Downtown Coral Gables. “Our goal is to continue to grow while supporting these long-standing businesses that have been hit so hard this past year,” says Stephen Bittel, Terranova chairman.

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