A little less than four years after opening First State Corn & More in the parking lot behind Chick-fil-A outside Rehoboth Beach, husband-and-wife owners Kathryn Robinson and James Petion have partnered with Alex and Stacey Hannah to open Palm Beach Bar & Grill.
“It’s been one hell of a ride,” said Robinson. “It’s funny how far we’ve come. There’s been a lot of sleepless nights, but we’ve been very blessed.”
Petion, who is also the head chef, said he’s a little nervous, but overall he’s happy and excited.
“It’s been a lot of dedication and hard work,” said Petion.
Robinson and Petion first opened First State Corn & More in the spring of 2021. The following year, the couple opened a walk-up spot with an expanded menu steps away from the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk.
The location in Midway Center, near Midway Speedway, of Palm Beach Bar & Grill has seen a number of restaurants over the years. In advance of the recent opening, the team spent more than a year renovating the space from front to back.
“It’s been gutted,” said Robinson.
The only thing remaining from previous restaurants is a piano, said Petion. It was left in the restaurant, so they decided to keep it, he said.
The Hannahs, another husband-and-wife team, were First State Corn customers before becoming business partners with Robinson and Petion.
“We met years ago and loved their food,” said Alex.
Alex said they approached Robinson and Petion about wanting to help if they ever opened a restaurant. “They took us up on it,” he said, laughing.
Alex said the four of them have been meeting every Tuesday for over a year to eat at the area’s great restaurants. After doing the research, they think they can offer something different, he said.
The four of them together each have their own strengths, said Stacey. It’s about making a strong family and team, she said.
In advance of opening, the restaurant held a name-the-margarita contest online. The winner was named Pinky’s Margarita, and, said Alex, 50 cents from every margarita sold until Tuesday, Nov. 19, will be donated to their Midway Center neighbors Humane Animal Partners Delaware, up to $750.
“As small business owners, we want to focus on doing well and doing good for the community,” said Alex.
Palm Beach Bar & Grill, 18585 Coastal Hwy., Unit 23, is open 4 to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Monday. For more information, call 302-313-9859 or go to palmbeachbarandgrill.com.