The former Chianina space in Naples, Long Beach—which has long had an application notice for a change of ownership belonging to Drizzy Enterprise LLC—will become the 4 Shore restaurant as first reported by Jo Murray over at the Press-Telegram.
Wait—what is 4 Shore?
The space—a renovation on the existing space that will ditch the charcoals and blacks for pinks and golds, the centerpieces being a triple-arched bar with marble tile accents and booths with individual curtains and chandeliers—will harken to what Chianina focused in on: fine dining and exclusivity—though with a slightly different aura and attitude.
The brow-furrow-worthy name is just the beginning of what the 4 Shore hopes to be: While the restaurant’s play on “for sure” insinuates an über-casual if not outright lackadaisical vibe, owners Joshua Sanchez and John Ross III—both Long Beach natives with the former being a financial adviser for professional athletes and the latter a professional athlete himself, serving as wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs—will have a strict policy, enforcing both a dress code and mandatory bottle service for all tables.
As to those who don’t drink or don’t want to purchase alcohol, that is dismissed by Sanchez, who told the Press-Telegram, “Bottle service is required because there’s only going to be 14 tables and 20 bar stools. The seats will be in high demand.”
The blunt reality facing high-end dining in post-pandemic times is not good.
That is a bold statement, particularly in the post-pandemic restaurant era: With the pillar and par-example of fine dining, Noma, announcing their closure, and a growing number of Americans saying they will be spending less money on eating out period—let alone fine dining—4 Shore wants to defiantly buck against that data.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has noted that households across the country—including and especially in metros—have intent to cook at home more and eat out less.
The reason? Threefold: For one, there is a structural benefit; more are working from home so breakfast on the way to the office or lunch downtown are rarer. Secondly, for the economic benefit, where many Americans are discovering the often shocking amounts of money one can save by eating at home. Thirdly, and perhaps most surprising, is the fact that there is simply just a preference.
“Consumers have gotten better at cooking and, with new services to seamlessly bring groceries to your door, bread cookbook sales up 145%, and countertop appliance sales increasing 32% in 2020, it’s easier to choose what many see as a healthier option,” said David Levin, a researcher with Deloitte. “We should note too, with the psychological scars of the pandemic, some consumers will prefer to continue avoiding crowded spaces. When they want restaurant food, they might order it for delivery.”
4 Shore might want to look at Chianina’s own history before opening.
And surely, wealthy are still enjoying fine dining—but they are increasingly becoming aware of both its over-the-topness and inherently bad reputation among restaurant workers, along with the sense of simply feeling guilty about it.
Even Chianina itself—indisputably high-end cuisine—was never one to enforce a dress code or require the purchase of alcohol, inviting people in with polos and shorts as well as those in dresses and suits. (And, if we’re being honest here, the wealthiest in Naples are likely to be wearing the former over the latter when out and about.)
On top of this, we have even the most causal of restaurants experiencing a drop in patronage as food costs continue to rise, a lack of labor causes severe interruptions in quality of service, and people more keen to go in on a happy hour than a fine dining experience.
This being said, 4 Shore is for sure being bold—especially with being right down the way from Michael’s on Naples, of which Chianina was once a part of.
““It will be like having Gucci next to Louis Vuitton,” Sanchez told the Press-Telegram. “We anticipate community members—from Naples and all of Long Beach—will be our customer base in the earlier parts of the evening but… We hope to draw from the South Bay and Orange County.”
Here’s to hoping.
4 Shore will be located at 5716 E. 2nd St and is hoping to open in August.
