Rehoboth’s The Pond moving out onto Route 1
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The Pond
19266 Coastal Highway - Unit 1
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
United States
After nearly 40 years in downtown Rehoboth Beach, The Pond has announced it is moving its business to the old TGI Fridays location on Route 1.
Restaurant owner Pete Borsari announced the move in a Facebook post Nov. 16.
“We are excited to confirm with everyone that The Pond will indeed be relocating to Route 1 in 2021,” said Borsari. “Needless to say, to leave this location after nearly 40 years was a very difficult decision. However, following several weeks of informal surveys, much deliberation, and amid lots of speculation, we decided moving to Route 1 was a fantastic opportunity for our customers, our staff and for The Pond.”
The restaurant was opened as the Frogg Pond Tavern in 1982 by Lee and Eileen Smutz. Borsari purchased the business in 2002; a few years later it doubled in size and in 2005 it expanded once again. The TGI Fridays space in The Shops at Sea Coast Plaza closed in July 2019.
The reason for the move given by Borsari is that the majority of its customers reside in the neighborhoods off Route 1. The shopping center is centrally located and offers a large parking lot and plenty of free parking, which is perfect for carryout and delivery, he said in the post.
The Pond is a popular venue for live music, and Borsari said the restaurant has plans to build a stage, install a superior sound system and offer an expanded dance area so it can continue to support the local music community. More details will come in the next couple of months, he said.
“We know change can be tough, but we promise that The Pond will remain the place ‘where the locals hang out,’” said the post.
The Pond is the third high-profile restaurant to announce it was leaving or abandoning plans for downtown Rehoboth Beach in the past few months. In August, Nicola Pizza announced it was planning a move to Ocean One Plaza on Route 1 in Lewes in fall 2021. Then in October, after going through the city’s approval process, Agave Tequila Bar and Restaurant announced it would be opening a new location in the old Jake’s Restaurant on Route 1.
