The Journal’s Potomac River Festival, May 2013
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Colonial Beach’s Dockside Restaurant - History, Good Food and Beach Fun Richard Leggitt
Colonial Beach’s Dockside Restaurant is located in what used to be a historic old oyster house where Monroe Bay flows into the Potomac River. The restaurant, which has undergone revitalization since owners Jordan Grimley and Shannon Lupo took control in 2010, shares a strip of land known as Ghost Point with the Colonial Beach Yacht Center. Grimley said he and Lupo are enthusiastic about what the restaurant has become under their leadership and what it means for the town of Colonial Beach which is also revitalizing. “We are bringing people to Colonial Beach and we want them to have a great time so they will come back,” Grimley said. One of the oldest restaurants in Colonial Beach, Dockside is the fifth restaurant located in the old oyster house that was built in 1932. Despite its long history, Dockside today is a modern friendly destination for beach residents and their visitors that features delicious steaks and seafood, including shrimp grits and crab cakes. “Our goal is to help people enjoy their experience in Colonial Beach,” said Grimley. “If they have an enjoyable time, that benefits us and it benefits the town.” Dockside boasts an expansive view of the Potomac and features live music all week-
end. The restaurant has three bars, including a tiki bar, and can host large parties including weddings and corporate events. There is a formal dining room, pub seating and dining outside on screened and open porches. In addition to steaks, shrimp and crab cakes, the first rate menu includes soups and chowders, po’boys, flounder, oysters, scallops and an excellent crab imperial. There is a raw bar with spiced shrimp, steamed clams, steamed mussels and oysters on the half shell, as well as a wide variety of salads and appetizers. Visitors to the Dockside can drive to the restaurant or they can arrive by boat and dock at the adjoining Colonial Beach Yacht Center, which has been hosting boats and offering boating and marina services since 1946. The point where the restaurant and the marina are located is officially known as Gum Point and has been a prominent historical site since before the Revolutionary War. The area became known locally as Ghost Point in 1985 after a flood unearthed graves of a group of 17th century fishermen. These are happier times, thanks to Dockside and its owners Grimley and Lupo. Mondays feature $2 hamburgers, Wednesdays there is a prime rib special, Thursdays feature Tiki tacos and Fridays are Trivia Nights
Dockside Restaurant where nice people come everyday. where teams of up to five people play trivia for restaurant prizes. Then comes the weekend featuring live music and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. “We have a lot of fun,” said Grimley. “And we get to meet nice people everyday.”
Reservations are preferred and can be obtained by calling 804-224-8726. The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 3 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Dockside is closed on Tuesdays.
River Gym hopes to build healthy lifestyles at the Beach Richard Leggitt
You can add Bobbi Adamson’s name to the growing list of smart, business savvy entrepreneurs who want to help Colonial Beach be all it can be. Adamson, the owner of the new River Gym, believes there is a need for more healthful activities at the beach and she is opening her gym to help fill that market. Adamson’s River Gym of Colonial Beach will open June 1 at 215 ½ Washington Avenue, in a portion of the building that also houses the popular Tattle Tale coffee shop. “I want to spark an interest in a healthier lifestyle,” Adamson said. “Exercise is the first step toward good health.” The new gym will feature personal training, group fitness classes, weight loss and wellness programs as well as the most modern exercise facilities including cardiovascular equipment, full-body variable resistance circuit equipment and free weights. “We’re a premier fitness, training gym with a strong commitment towards personalized service and individual attention for those seeking to achieve a healthier lifestyle,” said Adamson. River Gym’s state of the art facilities are just the beginning. The gym will help its members reach their fitness goals through personal training, body fat analysis with a certified
“I want to spark an interest in a healthier lifestyle. Exercise is the first step toward good health.” —Bobbi Adamson weight management consultant and a certified nutritional coach. “We will have healthy programs for everyone,” Adamson said. Adamson knows her stuff. She is certified as a personal trainer, a weight management consultant, a nutritional coach, a spin teacher and a wellness coach. She has won awards from the National Gym Association and the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilding. She is the former owner of a large exercise facility in Lake Ridge in Northern Virginia. “I have been a weekend resident of Colonial Beach for seven years,” she said. “It is clear that there is a need for more healthy activities here, especially for young people. “River Gym is going to be a hands-on gym that can help build healthy lifestyles.” Potential gym clients can drop by the Washington Avenue location for a tour, call
Chesley Swisher shows off the exercise equipment at Bobbi Adamson’s new gym 804-410-2058, or email info@rivergym. com for more information. Discounts are
available for those who join the gym prior to its grand opening on June 1.