A St. Augustine riverside refuge will soon drift into memory.
Hurricane Patty’s, a beloved restaurant and bar that has anchored the River’s Edge Marina for a decade, will close on Nov. 23 after learning its lease will not be renewed.
Owner Jeff Miles said the decision is tied to the marina’s $14 million listing, which includes the property housing the restaurant.
“I was told our lease will not be renewed due to the fact of the marina being for sale and they did not want that to hinder that,” Miles told The Citizen.
The shuttering of Hurricane Patty’s marks an abrupt end for one of St. Augustine’s few remaining homespun watering holes.
The closure will leave about 40 employees without jobs and displace dozens of regulars who have long treated the unpretentious haven like a second home.
Miles — who noted that he’s never been late on a rent payment – said he strove to keep prices manageable, knowing that dining out was a luxury for many of his devoted regulars.
The restaurant occupies a building with deep maritime roots, dating to the 1920s when it served first as a fish house and later as a boat-building facility.
In recent years, Patty’s became known for casual seafood, live music, and a no-frills atmosphere that contrasted with the city’s more polished tourist venues.
River’s Edge Marina—marketed as a key property on the San Sebastian River—features more than 85 slips for vessels up to 120 feet, floating docks, fuel service, and laundry and shower facilities.
Miles said business had already been strained in recent years. Hurricanes damaged the docks and forced many boaters to relocate while repairs were underway.
Construction on the road leading to the restaurant made visibility difficult, and without a roadside sign, many new customers never found the spot.
“It’s always surprised me that people that come into the restaurant and say they’ve lived here 20+ years and never knew it was here,” he said.
He added that the fragile economic climate and higher operating costs compounded the pressure.
Employees, Miles said, stayed with him for years.
He pointed to one longtime staff member who started as a dishwasher and rose through the kitchen ranks to become “one of the best cooks I’ve ever seen in St. Augustine.”
For Miles, who has run the restaurant for a decade, the closure is both a professional and personal blow.
“It’s just sad to see it go away,” he said. “Sad to see all these employees that have been with me for so long have to go find another job.”
But Miles did sounds a hopeful note amid the mourning, saying he would love to revive Patty down the line.
“You never know what tomorrow brings,” he said.
