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Fans of a popular comic book-inspired burger joint in Westhampton Beach can breathe a sigh of relief now that one of its owners has confirmed that the business partners have reached a verbal accord with their new landlord, allowing them to continue operating at their Montauk Highway location.
Anthony Cicogna, who co-owns Boom Burger with Anthony Catanzaro, confirmed this week that they have had successful negotiations with local developer Manny Marris, who recently purchased the half-acre property that houses both the burger joint and a second closed restaurant, allowing them to stay at their current location.
Mr. Cicogna did not specify how long the agreement is for, noting that there is no signed lease as of earlier this week.
Mr. Maris, who recently purchased the corner property and both buildings that stand on it, has not returned calls seeking comment over the past two weeks.
The sale of the property—a price has not been disclosed—prompted many to speculate that the Boom Burger, which offers signature burgers, fries and milkshakes, and has grown in popularity since its opening in October 2012, could potentially close. But Mr. Cicogna said this week that the business intends to stay at the same location, adding that upgrades are planned for their building; he could not offer any details about the renovations.
“So far, we are staying here,” he said when reached via phone this week. “That is what we spoke about with the new owner, and we are going to try to make this building a little nicer. That is where we are at now.”
The property, and specifically the neglected and boarded up building that sits on the southwestern corner of Montauk Highway and Oak Street, one of the main entrances to the village, has been a sore spot for the village for more than a decade. In 2005, then-property owner Jimmy Chih secured plans to upgrade the corner property, work that included the installation of new drainage and parking, but filed for bankruptcy before starting any of the upgrades. Micky Biss, a local developer who splits his time in Miami, Florida, then bought the property in 2010 but also did not complete any of the upgrades, arguing—ultimately in vain—that he would not have to honor the previous site plan.
In a prior interview, Westhampton Beach Mayor Maria Moore noted that architect Nicholas A. Vero of Westhampton Beach has been hired by the Mr. Maris, who owns several successful restaurants including the TAO chain in Manhattan, to redesign the corner lot.
on Sep 7, 2016