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Yorktown Pub Expansion

FEBRUARY 2024


Expansion to transform Yorktown waterfront while preserving Pub’s iconic charm


By Melissa James, York County Contributor

Yorktown Pub

Yorktown Pub

If you’ve ever visited the beach in Historic Yorktown, then you’ve probably popped into the Yorktown Pub for a bite to eat.

“The Pub is a place where visitors and locals alike can come to enjoy a beer or some local seafood and leave with a smile,” said Rick Tanner, long-time owner/operator of Yorktown Pub. “We try to offer the whole package—everything from the food to the service to the atmosphere.”

Yorktown PubIt’s a come-as-you-are kind of place, where you can come in from the beach or loosen your tie as you stop by for a drink after a long day at the office. Customers can also bite into a satisfying Pub burger outside, courtesy of the pandemic-era tented dining area. The location is perfect for enjoying a panoramic view of the York River with feel the cool sea breeze on your face, while the famous pub cats, Brownie and Cocoa, lounge nearby.

This coveted outdoor space is about to get a massive upgrade, courtesy of a permanent deck expansion. Tanner and Greg Granger—President of G-Square, Inc., which owns the Pub property as well as the one currently housing Larry’s Lemonade—announced plans to begin an ambitious expansion project starting later this spring, with a goal to preserve the unique charm, while improving upon its best features.

“The locals come for the food and the fun atmosphere, and the tourists love the convenience and the views,” said Tanner. “But both love outdoor dining! So, when planning the expansion, we knew we’d need to update some older features on the original building, but we also wanted the plan to fully capitalize on the views of the river like never before!”

Tanner and Granger said the renovation will include much-needed improvements to areas including:

  • Paved parking
  • New, ADA-accessible restrooms
  • More, ADA-accessible seating
  • Additional service areas

This commitment to inclusivity ensures that patrons—even those with some mobility challenges—can fully enjoy the expanded waterfront experience.

Yorktown Pub
Yorktown Pub consistently ranks among the area’s top 10 spots for fresh seafood and was even voted one of America’s Best Seafood Dives in 2015 by Coastal Living magazine.

“My dad had his last big stroke in 2017, said Granger. “He was no longer able to go inside the Pub anymore—a property he owned—to have a meal or use the restroom because he was in a wheelchair. It just wasn’t right, and it brought to light on a personal level the importance of accessibility on that end of Water Street.”

The first phase of the expansion will be the addition of an elevated deck and outdoor eating space with two beverage stations that will seamlessly connect the Yorktown Pub with the adjacent Larry's Lemonade building (Larry’s soon will be moving on, and a new concept will occupy the space). This carefully designed structure, set to focus on the breathtaking views of the York River, promises to be a game-changer for both visitors and locals.

Beyond the deck expansion, the second phase of the Yorktown Pub's growth will include a new, upscale restaurant next to the Pub, broadening the culinary offerings in Historic Yorktown. This addition aims to create a diverse dining experience that complements the Pub's longstanding reputation for excellent food and service.

Yorktown Pub

FAQ's

  1. Why are you changing a landmark like Yorktown Pub?
  2. Won't this ruin the waterfront?
  3. Will it use up the already-limited parking area?

The project isn’t changing, only adding to and enhancing what's there.

  1. Won't the parked cars block the view of the water?
  2. Is the County funding the project with taxpayer dollars?
  3. Was the community’s feedback solicited in the design process?

No, the deck is being built precisely at the elevation needed to see over the cars.

A common worry with expansions, especially on smaller lots such as this, is the impact on parking availability. This is especially true at the waterfront, where parking is already in short supply.

“On a busy evening, the parking is at a premium,” commented Granger. “When designing the new space, we kept this top of mind. The elevated deck will be built along the existing hillside, so that it’s the perfect height to take in the views and not have them obstructed by vehicles. It will enhance the waterfront experience by providing much-needed outdoor seating and maintaining the existing parking spaces that the Pub cannot afford to lose.”

While change can sometimes evoke concerns, it's crucial York County residents understand that the heart of the Yorktown Pub will remain unchanged. The expansion is about adding to the experience.

“We’re enhancing, not changing,” said Granger. “We want the new space to be something we can all be proud of. It was important to us to get input from the neighbors and community as a whole as part of the design process.”

Granger said he met one-on-one with several Village business owners and residents, including Bev Krams—former owner of the Pub property and long-time Village resident.

“Bev is passionate about Yorktown,” said Granger. “We sat down with her and listened as she shared her unique history, concerns and thoughts with us. Yorktown owns her heart, and we felt that by exchanging ideas with her and others, we would end up with a much better project.”

County staff also solicited community feedback on the project and other County-funded improvements in the area that will be completed in parallel with the Pub renovations. These include:

  • Sidewalks
  • Landscaping improvements
  • Paved parking
  • Beach shower towers
  • Wheelchair-accessible Mobi-Mats
  • Pull-offs along Water Street to deconflict deliveries to the business
  • Beach drop-offs from the flow of traffic at the waterfront

“Earl Anderson in the County’s planning department and Neil Morgan, the [former] County administrator, have been great partners in the project,” said Granger. “Neil assured me the County would be a strong ally because we had a mutual interest in improving this end of Water Street. He has been true to his word, and that can be seen in the hard work and efforts of the staff to move this project along.”

Pub parking lot after Hurricane Isabel

Pub parking lot after Hurricane Isabel

The County’s commitment to improving the Pub and surrounding properties started many years ago, with stabilization efforts and improvements to the area after Hurricane Isabel devastated the waterfront in 2003. Several years later, in 2005, the Economic Development Authority (EDA) awarded Granger a demolition loan to tear down the dilapidated remains of the former Dunas Motor Lodge, located on the bluff behind the existing restaurant.


Before & After: Demolition of the former Dumas Motor Lodge in 2005

Yorktown Pub
Yorktown Pub

Tanner, who himself is a County resident, said it was crucial to have the community’s support on this project. He even went as far as to solicit community feedback via Facebook.

 “When you go from 17 people speaking against the project at the original planning commission meeting, to unanimously passing the planning commission and board of supervisors, with support from Bev Krams, Dave Bowditch, Grace Episcopal Church patrons and other truly established residents in Yorktown, then you’ve really done something,” exclaimed Granger. “It just goes back to listening. It takes a village to enhance a village!”

 As Yorktown Pub raises a toast to several decades of success, the forthcoming expansion promises not only to uphold the establishment's legacy but to elevate it to new heights. With a commitment to inclusivity, innovative design and a thoughtful approach to parking concerns, Yorktown Pub is poised to become an even more integral part of Historic Yorktown.

 So, when will County residents get a chance to experience these exciting enhancements?

 “The new restaurant is still about two years out,” said Granger, “but I hope to be enjoying a cold beer on the raised deck at some point this summer!”