It was business as usual Dec. 17 at the Cast-n-Cage Restaurant, and Roland Pena intended to keep it that way.
In November, Bradenton Beach city commissioners gave Pena through Dec. 20 to pay $11,856.79, the amount needed to bring his rent current on the Historic Bridge Street Pier.
“It will be paid,” Pena said. “I’m trying to make this work. Not just for myself but for Bradenton Beach.”
Pena kept his word, delivering a check for $11,413.26 Dec. 19 to city treasurer Sheila Dalton. The amount covers November and December rent, late charges and all occupational/business licenses, minus city reimbursement for utility charges already paid by Pena.
Pena opened the 94-seat restaurant in February. His regular monthly rent is $5,500.
Commissioners issued an ultimatum when Pena failed to make past due payments. If the deadline passed again without payment, the city would not have given him any more warnings before closing the restaurant, said Police Chief Sam Speciale, who serves as chair of the city pier team.
“We’re hoping that doesn’t happen,” Speciale said Dec. 17.
It’s been a rocky marriage. In addition to late rent, Speciale said Pena has been slow to pay utility bills which, as his landlord, the city is obligated to pay to keep accounts current.
Pena said he is now current on utility bills.
For his part, Pena says there are things that the city needs to do as landlord. He cited several issues, such as leaks in the roof in both the kitchen and the dining areas and a problem with the hood in the kitchen. He also complained that signage outside the restaurant that says the pier is under construction keeps restaurant customers away.
The sign will be gone soon, as the long-awaited reopening of the reconstructed pier is on schedule for Jan. 18.
Pena is looking forward to that day and the season that will follow.
“People are going to want to come out and see the new pier, sit down and have a beer, a glass of wine,” he said. “It should help quite a bit.”
Peter Sarkunas of Sarasota didn’t wait. He and his wife patronized the restaurant Dec. 17. It was their first visit to the pier since moving to Southwest Florida 10 years ago.
“I like the idea that they are redoing it,” Sarkunas said of the pier. “Hopefully it will attract people who will spend money here.”
Before getting in the restaurant business, Pena, 50, served in the military for 21 years. He said his executive chef, Michael Morabito, has been coaching him, teaching him strategies to run the restaurant successfully. The big changes already have occurred. Next they will make small changes, like adding a couple more daily specials.
The menu is set up well, Pena said, with items such as fish, burgers and pasta.
Pena acknowledged that failure is a possibility. After all, about one in four restaurants close or change ownership within their first year of business, according to research done at Ohio State University. But he wants to work hard to make his restaurant successful.
“I’ve learned quite a bit in the past eight months,” he said. “I hope to be here for a very long time.”