Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
The popular Oar House Pub, the waterfront restaurant, bar, and music venue bedecked with a giant red lobster in Sea Isle City, is up for sale, with a listing price of $6.9 million. “It’s a family decision — [my wife Jennifer] wants me home more,” said longtime owner Jimmy Bennett, who purchased the spot in 2006 when it was The Lobster Loft. “She says, ‘You’ve been doing this long enough. You’re in your sixties. Let’s slow down and enjoy life a little bit.’” Bennett, 64, said he’s in no rush to sell and still plans to be running the place next summer, though he’s already received a few offers since Sea Isle Realty listed it last Thursday. The asking price includes the business, liquor license, and building, which has six bars, as well as on-site and warehoused kitchen and bar equipment. Sea Isle News first reported the sale. Over the years, Oar House became known for its live entertainment and was a fixture in the heart of Sea Isle City’s Fish Alley. For decades, beloved DJ personality Jerry Blavat had a weekly show at Oar House. After he died in 2023, the pub hosted a two-part memorial celebration for him. Fox 29 traffic anchor Bob Kelly took over Blavat’s slot and hosts his own weekly show there now. The pub has hosted The Insiders band, Tommy Conwell and the Dirty Pints, Michael LeCompt, and many more acts, Bennett said. With seven docks on the bay, people often park their boats and jet skis nearby and come inside to listen to music and snack on cheesesteaks, pork chops, and nachos. “We do a lot of fun things,” Bennett said. “It’s fun running the business.” He has been in the hospitality business for forty years, and cited the 80-hour work weeks as one of the reasons it’s time to think about selling. After the 2006 purchase, Bennett ran the business as the seafood-focused BYOB Lobster Loft until 2018, when he transformed it into the more pub-style Oar House. The building — about 6,800 square feet, Bennet said — is spread over two lots on the water. It has two dance floors. The iconic lobster next to the front entrance will be included in the sale, Bennett said. He always told people that when they crossed the Sea Isle Boulevard bridge, they should look to their right for the big red lobster. “You can’t miss us,” he said.
