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Business & Tech

Aqua Planning Transition to Public Eatery

Blue Water Yacht Club's is restaurant looking to expand clientele while retaining their family-friendly essence.

Nothing compliments a fine meal like enjoying it with the sights and smells of a lovely waterfront setting tantalizing your senses.

Soon, Merrick residents may get the chance to experience feeling this first-hand, as Aqua, the private restaurant of the Blue Water Yacht Club, is seeking to open its doors to the public for the first time.

Gary Panasuk owns the Yacht Club, which is a three and a half acre, 250 slip in-water marina in Merrick.

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“We’re currently working together to put a restaurant open to the public there,” he said. “Right now we’re operating under the Clubhouse at Blue Water, which is a private, members-only club. I’ve applied to the Town for a variance to switch the club over to a full-blown restaurant. We expect that to happen, but it’s probably going to take six months to a year.”

The Clubhouse at Blue Water opened in 2009 and was originally set up to be a private clubhouse for the marina. However, during the six years that it’s been there, Panasuk said it hasn’t really made any money.

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Seeing the need for a change, one year ago, Panasuk hooked up with noted restaurateur Sal Giambano, who currently handles the day-to-day operations of the club’s restaurant, known as Aqua.

Giambano, a Merrick resident, extolled the virtues of Aqua’s atmosphere and cuisine, stating that most of their food and ingredients are purchased locally in Merrick and Bellmore and are primarily from family-owned businesses.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business for the past 27 years,” he said. “My family owns three of the most well-known restaurants on Long Island. We operate our restaurants with heart and with passion and that applies to Aqua as well.”

While the clubhouse currently caters to members of the marina only, Panasuk noted that they are currently doing a drive for non-boating customers by offering temporary 90-day memberships in order to give the public a chance to check out the establishment for themselves while waiting for variance to be approved.

“The idea behind the membership is, when you go into a place where they know who you are, you tend to be on your better behavior,” he said. “This is as opposed to a bar or something, where no one knows you.”

Giambano said that people come to Aqua to have a good time and that he and his staff do everything they can to ensure that they do.

“This is a very family-oriented restaurant,” he said. “We have enormous portions, expertly prepared food, we always accommodate the customer and our goal is to not to lose the essence of this are we change over into a public restaurant.”

Of course, anything can change within six months, but right now Panasuk’s plan is to turn Aqua into an establishment where anyone can come to enjoy good food and the beauty of the Merrick seashore.

“I really think people would enjoy the experience of dining by the water,” he said. “And I want to make sure that everything works for my marina customers and for the community. I’ve been here at the marina for close to 40 years and I’m very concerned about the community.”

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