The owners of Manayunk bar and restaurant the Rook are planning to expand to the Jersey Shore this year, taking over the former space of Goodnight Irene's in Wildwood.
In an Instagram post Monday, the Rook shared a video with a rendering of renovations slated for the Pacific Avenue property. The location is a few blocks off the boardwalk between East Poplar and Juniper avenues. Co-owner Rich Ennis said he and his business partners purchased the property after Goodnight Irene's closed in November, ending a 17-year run.
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"We really like the way things are shifting in Wildwood and all the development that's going on down there on Pacific Avenue," Ennis said.
The Rook plans to bring its "Philly-inspired menu with a seafood shore twist" to the new Wildwood bar. The owners are targeting a May opening, Ennis said.
In Manayunk, the Rook opened at 4001 Cresson St. just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The owners renovated the neighborhood's former East End Tavern, adding windows to the property and turning the back patio into a weather-proof area with a bar and space for private events.The restaurant is known for its menu of burgers, cheesesteaks, cutlet sandwiches and signature cocktails.
Ennis is part of a group of five entrepreneurs who also own Alex's Pizza in Roxborough. In the summer, the group opened the Rook on 4th, a satellite restaurant in Olde Kensington that doesn't have a liquor license.
Ennis said the project in Wildwood has similarities to what his group did to bring new life to the East End Tavern. Goodnight Irene's was beloved in Wildwood for its vast, rotating beer selection and party atmosphere during the summer. But Ennis' group envisions a turnaround with a different vibe.
"We thought it was time for a second location, and we really thought that given the existing footprint of that property there, it kind of falls in line with what we did in Manayunk," he said. "We just want to give it a face lift and put a great brand in there that the community can get behind."
Over the coming months, the owners plan to create more natural light in the property and open up the back patio to bring more character to the building.
The upper floors of the property most recently were used for storage and office space at Goodnight Irene's. The new owners are considering their options upstairs, but any new bar and entertainment space will require approval from the city. Condos could also be an option for the upper floors. The main focus will be getting the Rook ready to open on the ground floor.
Ennis said he and his business partners spent time in Wildwood growing up and one of them now owns a house there.
"Wildwood is kind of a second destination for a lot of people who grew up in the East Falls-Roxborough-Manayunk area, so we feel like that's our second home at the Jersey Shore," he said.