The Clam Box in Quincy Has Been Purchased by the Owner of Strawberry Fair in Norwell

A popular waterside seafood spot in Quincy that has been around for more than 50 years has been sold to the owner of another well-known South Shore restaurant.

According to an article from the Patriot Ledger, The Clam Box at Wollaston Beach in Quincy has been purchased by Marko Fani who runs Strawberry Fair, an eatery in Norwell known in part for its breakfast dishes. The post mentions that the Schwanke family, who had been the owners of The Clam Box, sold the place for $1.325 million in February, while Fani indicates that there will be little in the way of changes to the restaurant, saying that "It's an institution where people expect what they're used to getting....(The previous owners) were doing a a great job. We'll keep it that way and make it better." Fani also indicates that The Clam Box, which hopes to open for the season later this week, could eventually be open year around.

In addition to The Clam Box, Fani also purchased the Baja Box next door, which is known for its tacos and ice cream; it should be opening for the season in late April.

The address for The Clam Box is 789 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170. Its website is at https://clamboxquincy.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Garden Patch by the Sea Opens in the Former Cafe Maddie Space at Quincy's Wollaston Beach

A new vegan and vegetarian dining spot has come to a seaside location just south of Boston, replacing a restaurant known for its breakfast and lunch items.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Garden Patch by the Sea is now open at Wollaston Beach in Quincy, moving into the space that had been home to Cafe Maddie. The new eatery says on its website that "all items are vegan with vegetarian on request," while an earlier Patriot Ledger article mentions that the group behind the spot also runs AJ's Stone Oven Pizzeria and Garden Patch at AJ'S Pizzeria in Norton.

Cafe Maddie had been in business for four years.

The address for Garden Patch by the Sea (and the now-closed Cafe Maddie) is 895 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170. Its website can be found at https://gardenpatchma.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Plans Moving Ahead for The Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy to Be Turned into Open Space

After at least a couple of years of proposals submitted for the former site of an iconic seaside music spot that have included restaurants, stores, function spaces, a food hall, and residential property, it now looks like the space could be returned to the wild.

According to an article from The Patriot Ledger, the Quincy Community Preservation Committee has given its approval for the city to purchase the old Beachcomber property across from Wollaston Beach and turn it into a "passive park" while also approving of a separate project where a parcel of land near Presidents Golf Course would also be turned into preservation land. The article mentions that the Quincy Shore Drive site is below the flood plain and that the worry has been that any new development of the Beachcomber site could increase the potential for flooding of nearby properties, with local resident Joe Cardone saying at a meeting last week that "Every time we have a storm surge, there is water coming out of the storm drains. It's a salt marsh back there." As mentioned here earlier, there had been proposals for the Beachcomber space that included development of an Asian restaurant along with retail and residential space in 2018, then a scaled down proposal that would include a food hall, a sushi spot with a function hall, and office space a year later--and that the property had been sold to the developers involved in the project back in 2018.

The article says that the proposal will soon be looked at by the city council, presumably including concerns such as the purchase price; Community Preservation Committee member Susan McPhearson noted this during the meeting, saying "An $800,000 profit for something they did nothing on? That's a lot of money....These projects are really important, and I support them in principal, I'm just really concerned about the money – specifically the Beachcomber. I just don't see why we're paying $2.5 million for it. If you could find a way to reduce that, I'd be a happy camper."

The Beachcomber closed in 2015 after more than 50 years in business.

[Earlier Articles]
Asian Restaurant, Retail, Condos Could Be Coming to the Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy
Food Court, Sushi Restaurant, Office Space Now Being Planned for the Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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Food Court, Sushi Restaurant, Office Space Now Being Planned for the Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy

A year ago this week, it was reported that the site of an iconic seaside music club could become home to an Asian restaurant along with retail and residential space. It now looks like those plans have changed.

According to an article in Wicked Local, the developers who own the former Beachcomber property on Wollaston Beach in Quincy have ditched the original plans to build a complex that would include a sushi bar and a restaurant, a couple of stores, a function space, and six apartments (or possibly condos as was reported earlier). Instead, a new "scaled down" proposal has been submitted that would include a food hall on the first floor, a fine-dining sushi spot with a function hall on the second floor, and office space on the third floor, while 89 parking spaces would be added as part of the plans. Part of the reason for the change is due to concerns within the neighborhood that the retail shops might bring in too much traffic while the residential spaces could be used for short-term rentals.

The new proposal needs to be approved by the conservation commission, the zoning board, and the planning board before it can become reality; if given the green light, it could take a year to a year and a half to complete the demolition and construction at the site.

The Beachcomber closed in the latter part of 2015 after being in business for more than 50 years.

[Earlier Article]
Asian Restaurant, Retail, Condos Could Be Coming to the Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Asian Restaurant, Retail, Condos Could Be Coming to the Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy

by Marc Hurwitz

[Ed note: This article was updated on August 22 to reflect confirmation that a new restaurant is indeed planning to move into the Beachcomber space.]

It looks like an Asian restaurant will be moving into the space where an iconic seaside music club had once been.

According to an article from Wicked Local and The Patriot Ledger, the former Beachcomber property on Wollaston Beach in Quincy has been sold and that the company that bought it (797 Quincy Shore Dr LLC) has three names behind it--Zhong Wen Huang, Jacky An Xie, and Lin Y Xu. It appears that there may be a connection to a few Boston-area dining spots, as a person named Zhong Wen Huang is involved with Fuji Steak House in Needham while a person named Jacky An Xie is involved with Blue Fuji in Bedford and Medford. It is not known what the exact plans are for the Quincy Shore Drive site (no plans have been submitted yet, according to the article), but a source does tell us that an Asian restaurant group is indeed behind the purchase of the space. (As soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.)

The Beachcomber closed in the fall of 2015 after being in business for more than 50 years; the club attracted a number of national and local acts over the years, including Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, the Dropkick Murphys, and Loretta Lynn, with the place changing its name to Nostalgia in the early 1980s before returning to its original name in the late 1990s.

The address for the old Beachcomber site is 797 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170.

[August 22 update: Wicked Local confirms that a high-end Chinese restaurant is being planned for the former Beachcomber space, as well as additional room for retail and possibly condos as well. The article says that the Beachcomber building is slated to be demolished and that a new structure would replace it, though this won't happen right away, with preliminary plans possibly being submitted to the city as early as next month.]

[October 10 update: A new article from the Patriot Ledger mentions that the new owners of the property plan to tear down the old Beachcomber building and replace it with a structure that includes a small sushi bar on the first floor, the main dining area for the restaurant on the second floor, and two retail spaces on the first floor along with six residential units on the top floor. (A neighborhood meeting detailing the plans is slated to take place on Tuesday, October 16.)]

[January 14, 2020 update: A new article from the Patriot Ledger states that plans for a three-story building at the Beachcomber site have been withdrawn from a state environmental review board until the developers "can fully review and examine all concerns raised," including concerns about flooding in the area that were raised by nearby residents.]

[Earlier Article]
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing

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Broker Who Allegedly Bilked Beachcomber Investors Arrested in Florida

The person who reportedly swindled money from investors of a now-closed music club in Quincy has been caught.

CBS Boston is reporting that Scott Wolas was arrested today in Delray Beach, FL, on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft more than six months after he dropped out of sight, with police saying he absconded with more than $1.5 million from 19 investors who were hoping to develop the former Beachcomber property at Wollaston Beach. An earlier report here had mentioned that Wolas had worked out of a real estate office in Quincy under the name Eugene Grathwohl, while CBS states that he went by at least six different aliases. Wolas is expected to be returned to Massachusetts at some point, according to the article.

The Beachcomber first opened in 1959 and had featured countless local and national acts over the years before closing down in the fall of 2015. The initial plan was to tear down the building and replace it with a high-end restaurant, but no progress was made and the city of Quincy looked into the situation last August shortly before Wolas disappeared.

[Earlier Articles]
Quincy Broker Involved in Plans for Beachcomber Site Missing; Worries Raised About Money for Project
City of Quincy to Look into Status of the Beachcomber Site
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing

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The Ice Box at Quincy's Wollaston Beach Is Becoming The Baja Box

A seasonal seaside ice cream spot is changing its name and its concept a bit, making it a place that should be popular with both ice cream and Mexican food lovers.

According to a Facebook post on the Quincy Is Everything group page, The Ice Box on Quincy Shore Drive at Wollaston Beach is going to become The Baja Box, with the ownership remaining the same and the place offering street tacos in addition to ice cream. An article from The Quincy Sun mentions that the spot will open in April and it will serve "tacos and related food in addition to ice cream and beverages."

The people behind The Ice Box/The Baja Box also run The Clam Box next door.

The address for The Baja Box is 793 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170.

[May 22 update: Eater Boston states that The Baja Box is now open, and it is serving tacos, tortilla soup, Mexican street corn, nachos, and chips and salsa, along with ice cream and Richie's slush.]

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Quincy Broker Involved in Plans for Beachcomber Site Missing; Worries Raised About Money for Project

A real estate broker who was involved in the purchase of a landmark bar and music club in Quincy has apparently disappeared, and now there are concerns about the money raised for the project.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Eugene Grathwohl, who worked out of a Century 21 office in the city, was a no-show for a property deal closing of the Beachcomber last week, and he is nowhere to be found at the time of this writing. The article says that investors are now worried that Grathwohl may have left with the money raised for the Quincy Shore Drive project--which totals at least $1.3 million--and it has been learned that he has been cited in the past for allegedly defrauding investors in New York City and Orlando as well. Quincy police are now searching for Grathwohl, who has the title of director of Beachcomber Sands Inc. and was the person who was to have purchased the club from the previous owners (the McGettrick family), according to the Globe.

The Beachcomber was established in 1959 and had featured countless local and national acts over the years. The Wollaston Beach club closed down in early October of 2015 and the initial plan was to demolish the building and replace it with a high-end restaurant, though no progress seemed to be made over the past several months, prompting the city of Quincy to look into the situation in August.

[Earlier Articles]
City of Quincy to Look into Status of the Beachcomber Site
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing

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City of Quincy to Look into Status of the Beachcomber Site

Nearly a year after closing its doors, a landmark bar and music club in Quincy remains locked up and empty, and now the city wants to know why.

According to an article in the Patriot Ledger, city officials will be looking into the exact status of the space where the Beachcomber had been until shutting down in early October. At the time, it looked like the Quincy Shore Drive building might be demolished, with a high-end restaurant possibly being built at the site, but we have since heard that those plans may have fallen through, though this has not been confirmed and no specific plans have been given over the past several months. The Quincy licensing board is expected to meet on Tuesday to find out the fate of the space from the manager of the property, and it is possible that the board could take back the space's license if it does not look like a plan is in place for a new business coming to the site or a license transfer being considered.

The Beachcomber, which first opened in 1959, showcased some well-known regional and national acts, including the Dropkick Murphys, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Loretta Lynn, with the club being more of a spot featuring local bands toward the end.

The address for the Beachcomber space is 797 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170.

[August 17 update: A new article from the Patriot Ledger indicates that a restaurant is still being planned for the former Beachcomber space, though it is not known whether it will be still a high-end spot as had been originally planned. According to the post, it looks like the sale of the property will be finalized in two weeks, and that the dining spot--whose design has been "scaled down for economic reasons"--will have seating for 50 and will not use the Beachcomber name.]

[Earlier Articles]
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing
Beachcomber in Quincy to Close Out with Dropkick Murphys Show

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Update: Tony's Clam Shop in Quincy Reopens for the Season March 25, 2016

[Ed note: This article was updated to reflect a last-minute decision by Tony's to open earlier than had been previously thought.]

A popular seafood spot in Quincy is getting ready to reopen for the season.

According to a post on its Facebook page, Tony's Clam Shop at Wollaston Beach is hoping to reopen tomorrow (Friday, March 25), featuring an array of seafood dishes, classic American fare, and more once again. Earlier this month, the dining spot announced that its founder Tony Kandalaft--who had first opened the place back in 1964--had passed away, saying that "Wollaston beach lost a legend....If you met Tony you knew the genuine, generous, hard working man we love. We will miss him."

Tony's Clam Shop is a spot that our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) has featured in part for its fried clams. The review can be found at this link:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/TonysClamShop.html

The address for Tony's Clam Shop is 861 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170. Its website is at http://tonysclamshop.com/

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Beachcomber in Quincy to Close Out with Dropkick Murphys Show

A landmark bar and music club is on the verge of closing forever, and now we have learned that a popular local band will be the last musical act to play there.

The Boston Globe is reporting that the Dropkick Murphys will be playing at the Beachcomber in Quincy tomorrow night (Saturday, October 3), with the Wollaston Beach club's Facebook page confirming this. The Dropkick Murphys' website has more information, saying that 250 tickets will be available, with 150 going on sale at noon today and 100 more going on sale at the club starting at noon tomorrow. (Maximum of two tickets per sale.)

The Beachcomber--which first opened in 1959--had originally been looking to close in early September but remained open throughout the month to allow time for bands to play final shows there. It appeared that the last show was to have been last Sunday, with the place being open one more time this past Wednesday. (The club is scheduled to be demolished, with a high-end restaurant apparently replacing it.)

The address for the Beachcomber is 797 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170.

[Earlier Article]
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing

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The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Up for Sale

A beachside bar and music club that has been in business for more than 50 years is up for sale.

WCVB Boston is reporting that the Beachcomber along Wollaston Beach in Quincy is on the market for $1.6 million, with the family-owned spot on Quincy Shore Drive remaining open at this point in time. The article says that the bar, which first opened in 1959, has seen the likes of such well-known performers as Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, the Dropkick Murphys, and Loretta Lynn, and currently features local bands and Irish music along with karaoke. The Beachcomber changed its name to Nostalgia in the early 1980s but went back to its original name in the late 1990s.

The address for this spot on Wollaston Beach is: The Beachcomber, 797 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170.

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