Remember the P.E.I. restaurant with $0 rent and ocean views? It finally found an operator

A restaurant at Prince Edward Island’s northernmost point has found a new operator for this summer, after a public search that included a $0-rent offer.

The Wind and Reef restaurant sits inside the North Cape Wind Energy Interpretive Centre, overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

Anne Arsenault, general manager and CEO of Tignish Initiatives, said the restaurant had gone without an operator for the past year, but it will reopen next month under Kirk Heckkner, who runs a restaurant called Taco Spot in Summerside.

“He’s planning to run it for July and August this year, and if everything goes well, he’d look to lease it for the following season, probably on a long-term basis,” Arsenault said.

The rent-free deal was for the first season only. If he returns next year, Arsenault said the lease will be negotiated.

“It’s unlikely to stay at zero, but we’ll work with him to make sure he has a good opportunity to get a foothold and get his business up and going,” she said.

Arsenault said the new operator plans to bring some of his established menu items from his Summerside restaurant to North Cape, while also adding seafood options such as fish and chips, lobster rolls and fish tacos.

Arsenault said having an on-site food service is key for the area, as many visitors drive a long distance and expect a meal when they arrive.

“It’s very important that it be part of the experience up there,” she said.

Staffing has been a challenge in the area, but Arsenault said the new operator has already completed interviews and has his team “pretty well in place.”

Tignish Initiatives received about 16 expressions of interest for the restaurant this year, with two or three serious proposals before a selection was made.

Arsenault said the outlook for the area this year is positive.

While she did not provide exact numbers, she said her estimates suggest visitor numbers at North Cape are up so far this season compared with last year, and she hopes that momentum continues through the summer.