Golden Lion to Open Second Restaurant in Palm Coast
The Marlow family has closed on the purchase of a 5.15-acre parcel nestled between the Intracoastal Waterway and Harbor Club time shares, branded as Legacy Vacation Club.
PALM COAST, FL – March 5, 2017 – Chris Marlow, who along with his father Tony and mother Carolyn operate the well-known Golden Lion Café in Flagler Beach, revealed the family’s plans to open a second restaurant, this one in Palm Coast. The announcement was made today on my Sunday morning radio show, “Real Estate Matters.” on WNZF AM/FM (right after the 9:00 A.M. news break).
Chris told of how the family took over a failed business on A1A in the early 90s to open an English style pub in what is now the portion of the present restaurant closest to the road where Marlows leased the space. There were several other establishments behind the pub at the time.
Tony bought the building in 1998 and embarked on a long and steady expansion, plowing profits back into the business. The Golden Lion now occupies the entire building including a more recently constructed roof-top deck.
History repeats itself. Chris remembers “helping out” since he was five. His father had done the same in his parents’ (Chris’s grandparents) pub in central London. The London pub was named the Golden Lion. Tony believed that the name had been good for the family once so why not continue with the same name in Flagler Beach.
The Marlows have always been active with charitable work. For instance, 50% of the profits from the sale of Golden Lion Key Lime Tartar Sauce is used to support food pantries in Central Florida, totaling 17,000 meals in the past two years. Among other charitable activities, the Golden Lion supports Surfers for Autism and the Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Contest.
After returning from college, Chris immersed himself in the family’s restaurant/hospitality business. The fact that the Golden Lion’s now famous Key Lime Tartar Sauce is sold through Publix stores is a result of his efforts. The new location will be his next challenge.
There are still challenges, primarily dealing with easements and access. Bringing a project like this to fruition is arduous with many complicated and time-consuming steps. It will take time so be patient. Access will be from the south end of the property with the entrance along the road across from the European Village traffic light. A site plan will be developed once the easements and access issues have been resolved. Land planner, Charlie Faulkner, says the city already has plans drawn and permitted to beautify the area at the east end of the access road. Golden Lion plans to tie into that improvement and to offer easy access to those using the city’s multi-use path system.
New location is outlined with a faint white line.
Conversations with city staff and adjacent land owners have gone well. Chris and Charlie met with the residents of the Palm Coast Resort Condominium Association, giving the residents immediately north of the restaurant a chance to hear the story directly from their new neighbors before rumors had a chance to dominate the discussion. Association president, Dan Smith, tells me that the group is very enthusiastic about the Marlows’ plans.
The parcel has several large live oak trees that will be preserved. They are primarily located within the Army Corp of Engineers ICW easement. The yet to be designed building will make full use of the pre-existing beauty, providing an ICW restaurant experience on the waterway’s west bank for the first time since the old Palm Coast Resort was demolished.
Chris explained that the new location will be in the Golden Lion tradition. However, the new restaurant will be open for breakfast too. You can count on Fish & Chips and Guinness Drought Beer being part of the new location's menu.
Welcome
The Marlow family will follow through on what they say will happen!
They will be a welcome addition to growing commerce in Palm Coast👍
Boat access to the new restaurant?
Any plans for dock and access to the restaurant by boat? Or would there boat access via Palm Coast Marina?
Reply to Tim
Dock access is a natural extension but they are still too early in the planning stage to start that discussion. With Flagler County’s manatee protection plan in place, there would likely be no impediments to a dock.
woohoo
Parrotheads have enjoyed the Golden Lion for years. Great to hear of another stomping ground for the area.
White Line…lol
If the white line was so faint (I can still not really see it) and you wrote this “New location is outlined with a faint white line.” Why not make it more visible ? LOL
Location?
I can’t see the faint white line either. Are you clearing out Legacy Vacations and building new restaurant in its place?
Reply re; faint line
Sorry about the line folks. I did not put the line in. It’s the result of transitioning from the Property Appraiser’s website which outlines the parcel with a very narrow white line to Google Earth, which has a 3-D aspect to it. The 3-D trees block the view of the line. The parcel is between the large white condo tower on the left and the bridge on the right. The resort with swimming pool and tennis court is below the parcel in the picture.
Boat Access
Boat dock access would be a huge plus. With the number of boaters here it is the one thing Palm Coast is missing.
If you cannot build or get permits, would a transient voucher for a couple hours stay at Palm Coast Marina (walkable) be worked out?
Dock and Dine
It would be wonderful if you could cater to the boaters in the canal we tion section, and be the first dock and dine restaurant of its kind in Palm Coast. Its amazing to me that this area as well as Flagler Beach has only 1 dock and dine eatery. This will increase your revenue greatly! Good luck and thank you
Henry is back
Maybe the old Henry’s Lounge atmosphere would return to Palm Coast with Karaoke of course.
Excited ….
….. Golden Lion … thank you for this information. May all plans and work go smoothly … so looking forward to opening day !