Noyo Center acquires Carine’s Fish Grotto property in Noyo Harbor
On February 4, 2022, the Noyo Center for Marine Science closed escrow to purchase the Carine’s Fish Grotto Restaurant and an adjacent lot located in the Noyo Harbor. The restaurant opened for business in 1947 in a converted fish barn, and three generations of the Carine family owned and operated it for over 65 years. Bessie Carine and her son Anthony ran the restaurant until its closure five years ago. The fourth generation of the Carine’s had already set their futures in other directions.
After the restaurant’s closure, the Carine family placed the property on the market. While for the two lots came, Tom Carine, the family representative and executor of the family’s holdings, held out for what he called “a better fit.” Carine said, “Carine’s Fish Grotto, to me, my heart and soul as the third generation, is still invested in this thing. To me, it’s priceless, this location. You’ll never be able to replace it. It’s on the water. It’s the first place you come to down the hill.
Dave Turner, Board President of the Noyo Center, explained that the non-profit had been looking for years to find a property that would provide access to the river, noting that every possible lot for sale was not within their budget, often due to expensive repairs and needed structural replacements. Turner kept thinking that the Carine properties might potentially suit the Noyo Center’s specific needs: water access for scientists’ boats and a sturdy building with floating docks that could be converted into a wet lab for scientists. Turner envisioned the Noyo Center team, marine science students at the local college, and visiting scientists “bringing collected specimens directly from the boat to a lab for study.”
Offers and counteroffers ensued since the Noyo Center could not meet the original asking price. Turner called the process “not a normal business transaction” and felt sure that the family “wanted to support the Noyo Center and further what we’re doing.” The Noyo Center was able to minimally raise its offer with an anonymous donor’s gift and a plan to derive revenue from the use of the building. Tom Carine’s daughter works for the California Academy of Sciences, helped convince him that small-town nonprofits cannot fundraise large amounts of money in a short period. So, he agreed to sell the building and donate its agacent lot to the non-profit.
As part of the sales agreement, the Noyo Center will