Island grocer and entrepreneur Elio Silva has purchased Bobby B’s Seafood & Pizza and Bernie’s Ice Cream, adding the two Main street Vineyard Haven storefronts to his growing family of business enterprises.
The sale, which does not include the real estate, closed on Jan. 21, Mr. Silva said in a phone interview last Friday. The seller is Robert Breth, a Vineyard Haven businessman who has owned Bobby B’s and Bernies, as well as Tisberry Frozen Yogurt, since around 2010. Town assessor records list Chris Sze as the property owner. Mr. Silva said he will continue to lease the space from Mr. Sze.
The sale price will not be disclosed per the sale agreement, Mr. Silva said.
The purchase marks Mr. Silva’s first foray into restaurant ownership. A longtime Island resident and native of Brazil, he owns and operates Vineyard Grocer off State Road in Vineyard Haven, as well as a convenience store and cell phone repair shop in Edgartown.
He began his career working in the restaurant industry, first as a chef at a French restaurant in Boston before coming to the Island almost 30 years ago. He said that extensive experience in the kitchen, including as a chef at the Oceanview restaurant in Oak Bluffs, was part of what drew him to buying Bobby B’s.
“I’ve done restaurants all my life,” Mr. Silva said. “But I’m an entrepreneur and I had a vision. I’ve been here 32 years and I think this Island is way undersold.”
He said he plans to keep Bobby’s B’s largely the same, with a few menu changes. He described plans to convert Bernie’s Ice Cream to a French-style patisserie that would appeal to ferry-goers and year-rounders alike, with quiches, natural dough starter, focaccia — and of course ice cream. He cited Maison Villatte, the Falmouth French bakery that is a favorite stop for many Islanders coming and going, as inspiration. Vineyard Grocer currently has three full-time pastry chefs who bake wedding cakes, and Mr. Silva said he sees the space on Main street as a good opportunity to highlight their talents.
In the short term, there will be no employee turnover at the businesses, he also said, with the current teams remaining in place. He said he has brought in a Rhode Island chef named Steve Harris to help with the Bobby B’s kitchen.
“We already do a lot of food, and the window on the ice cream is really under utilized,” Mr. Silva said. “Our goal is to do a French-style bakery. We are still trying to put the business model together . . . hopefully things people can come in and grab.”
He also has plans for beautification. He wants to update the storefronts so they are more in character with the rest of Main street, including replacing the blue molded plastic benches and umbrellas just off the sidewalk.
“One of the reasons I took that place is because it really could be a nice anchor business, and many people don’t even know about it,” Mr. Silva said. “Because it’s a very prominent visible place you have a responsibility to make it inviting. I think we are in a position with the right people to make that happen.”
While Bobby B’s was open six days per week and was supposed to close for approximately six weeks this year, Mr. Silva says he plans to keep the business open seven days a week with no prolonged closure. He plans to offer year-round delivery, and said staying open year round was part of his business model, especially for food services.
Mr. Silva has not yet filed change of use plans with the town, but said he intends to meet with the building inspector and potentially the planning board within the next week. His timeline is to transition Bernie’s into more of a bakery-style establishment in four to six weeks.
“The goal is to have a place that is year-round, serves the locals and the whole Island year-round without closing,” Mr. Silva said. “I myself believe in high-quality products at a fair price.”
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