Remember the old Surf and Sand Motel on Laskin Road from the late 50’s? That beloved beach icon – a U-shaped motel with a pool in the middle of it – stood on the property where Beach Movie Bistro stands today. Those were the days of poodle skirts and airwaves that grooved to the tunes of Under the Boardwalk (The Drifters) and Garden Party (Ricky Nelson). If you went to the movies, you probably saw Ben-Hur, Al Capone and Gidget depending on your favorite genre and the time of year.
The Surf and Sand Motel eventually closed and reopened over the decades as varied movie theater chains. Fast forward to the grand opening of Beach Movie Bistro in 2011 and we’ve come full circle. The theater president’s parents owned the Surf and Sand Motel in the late 50’s and early 60’s. While we can’t bring back the poodle skirts (for now, at least), Beach Movie Bistro stirs feelings of warmth and good ol’ fashioned fun.