ANNA MARIA – Bortell’s Lounge is closed for renovations and is expected to remain closed for at least three to five months, maybe longer.
Bortell’s closed at the end of business on Saturday, May 2. When discussing the closure and the future reopening, longtime owner Steve Rose said, “I would like to be full-tilt-boogie by January.”
Bortell’s had been on the market and Rose was considering a move to Telluride, Colorado.
“A deal was coming together for me to live out one last dream in the restaurant business. I was going to do a western-style saloon out in Telluride. It was going to be awesome, and it may still be. I’m not ruling it out, but for right now it’s not looking good. I was looking to sell one bar and open another. I had two buyers, but we couldn’t come to a full agreement – and Colorado kind of fell apart at the same time,” Rose said.
“I decided I can’t just wait around in limbo, so I’m making my own move. I’m keeping the bar. I love the place, but I need to retool it to make it a little easier for me. I’m going to renovate. I’ve got a laundry list of things that we’re going to do. Some of them are going to make my job in the restaurant business a lot easier. Some are hurricane related. We want to be as prepared as possible and a big generator is at the top of that list,” he said.
Bortell’s Lounge previously reopened in 2021 after extended renovations that included a new roof, a new kitchen and significant interior renovations – and it fared well during the 2024 hurricanes.
“I designed that whole place myself. I missed a few things and I want to go back and correct those things. I’m just shutting down to do some renovations,” he said.
After reopening in 2021, Bortell’s initially offered a full-service kitchen. More recently, the food service consisted primarily of pizza and Rose doesn’t expect a return to full-service dining.
“I’m leaving the full kitchen in the building, because it’s nice to have, and I might start cooking pizzas again. I’m going to go back to hot dogs. I loved doing hot dogs and I’m going to expand my hot dog offerings,” he said.
“I’m going to shrink the bar portion a bit and expand the retail side. We’re going to have a more organized liquor display, a more organized T-shirt display and we’ll do some other tourist stuff too.”
The existing bar area will be condensed to make more space for package liquor and souvenir sales. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When asked about his staff, Rose said, “That’s the saddest part. There’s never a good time to put people out of work. I’m doing what I can for them, but the staff is out for the time being.”
When asked if Bortell’s is off the market, Rose said, “You can never say never, but yes, it is off the market. If I’m going to invest more money in it, I’m gonna play with that toy for a while,” he said.
While Bortell’s is closed, Rose and his new bride, Lisa, plan to drive their camper van to Alaska.
“I’m taking a little vacation, a little extended honeymoon. Lisa and I are going to try to drive the camper van to Alaska. It’ll be our third attempt. I think we’re going to make it this time,” Rose said.
Regarding their past attempts, Rose said, “Something happened at the bar both times. We were in Arkansas and some stuff came up that I needed to deal with, so we got turned around. The other time, we didn’t even get out of the driveway. We were ready to go and something else happened.”
ANNA MARIA – Bortell’s Lounge is on the market with a $7.2 million asking price.
Pat Bucko is serving as the broker for Bortell’s Lounge owner Steve Rose.
According to Bucko’s online listing, the purchase includes the land, the 2,850-square-foot building, the business and a 4COP dual liquor license that allows for consumption on premises and package liquor sales.
According to the listing, “Bortell’s Lounge first opened its doors in 1977 and has been an Anna Maria institution ever since. What makes Bortell’s legendary is the long history with the locals and vacationers that have created lifelong memories and friendships over the past 46 years.
“The current owner purchased the building and business in 2015 knowing it was going to need an extensive remodel and in 2018 he closed the doors and began the process. After three years of planning, engineering, construction and blood, sweat and beers, Bortell’s reopened in 2021,” the listing notes.
Steve Rose reopened his renovated Bortell’s Lounge in 2021. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted by The Sun, Rose shared his thoughts on selling Bortell’s.
“It’s just time. I always knew I was buying it to do a renovation and I’ve achieved what I wanted to do. I’ve got some other projects I want to do and it’s the right time to move on. I’ve got a couple things in the hopper that I’m excited about but nothing under contract yet,” he said.
“Bortell’s is for sale but people shouldn’t worry. It was a bar for 40 years when I bought it and I developed it in a way that I believe it will stay a bar for 40 more years. I can’t imagine anybody buying it and doing anything other than that. I’m not expecting a quick sale. We’re still pouring drinks six days a week and we’re firing up the pizza ovens and bringing pizza back beginning on Tuesday (June 13),” Rose said.
“Owning Bortell’s has truly been a dream come true for me. It’s helped me check so many things off my personal bucket list that I had to update my list. I moved to the Island and bought a dive bar. It’s like something from a Jimmy Buffett song. I did not get to this place alone. I owe thanks to everyone who has and does work for me, as well as a huge list of vendors, contractors and sub-contractors, as well as a few people that were just at the right place and time to help us out,” Rose said.
UPDATED Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 at 12:09 p.m. – ANNA MARIA – Bortell’s Lounge is scheduled to reopen at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 25.
“We’re super excited to be back and we’re looking forward to seeing everybody again. I can’t wait,” owner Steve Rose said.
Rose bought Bortell’s in 2016. He said Bortell’s opened in 1977 and he later purchased it from original owner Bob Bortell’s daughter, Marie Pallela.
“When I bought it, we knew it needed renovation. It got to the point where the roof was falling in and it was time to shut down. Our plan was a nine-month turnaround that turned into three years,” he said.
Located at 10002 Gulf Drive in Anna Maria, Bortell’s Lounge closed for renovations in April 2018. That September, Rose and his wife were seriously injured when the private plane they were traveling in crashed while landing in South Carolina. The renovations were further delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were lucky enough to get our concrete and lumber in before the supply chain came to a screeching halt and we couldn’t get things. We had this old wood paneling and we wanted that again, but you can’t get wood paneling anywhere,” Rose said.
The bar is in the same location, but now offers more seats. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The renovations came out so much better than I anticipated. Steve Titsworth, his daughter Ally Reese and the whole crew at Shoreline Builders came up with a lot of great ideas. They were a great build partner. The bar is about 9 feet bigger and is made out of beams we think came from an old ship and were previously used as the ceiling trusses. We think the wood came from a prohibition ship that cracked up on Passage Key and was taken to Cortez,” Rose said.
“We put the bar back in the same spot. We rearranged it a little bit, but my goal is to keep it similar,” Rose said.
“We’ve got the old Budweiser Clydesdale carousel light that used to hang over the pool tables,” Rose said, noting the interior décor still includes several other keepsakes, pieces of memorabilia and photos that accumulated over the years.
This Budweiser light is one of many pieces of memorabilia that remain a part of the interior décor. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Fishing’s a big deal for me, so I added a bunch of my fishing stuff and some other things I’ve picked up over the years. We’ve got a bunch of regulars and locals and we’re hoping they can help us add more local memorabilia,” Rose said.
In addition to the 24-seat bar, a 13-seat drink rail has been installed along the front windows that face Gulf Drive. Additional chairs and tables provide a total of 62 seats.
The renovated bar includes a new 13-seat drink rail. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
A section of the wall near the back door features a photo of the late George Wilson Jr. lifting a glass and proposing a toast. Wilson passed away in 2019.
“We’re going to have a memory wall for our friends. Between 2017 and 2019 we lost about 10 regulars. We’re going to do something nice over in that corner,” Rose said.
A memory wall will honor the lives of past patrons, including George Wilson Jr. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The women’s restroom has been relocated and both the restrooms have been completely renovated. The renovations also include the installation of a large retail display for Bortell’s shirts, hats and other merchandise.
The bright blue paint that long graced the outside of the Bortell’s building has been replaced with beige paint.
The formerly bright blue building is now beige. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It was time for a change. The building wasn’t always bright blue. At one time, it was white with reddish trim,” Rose said.
Bar offerings
Bortell’s remains a full liquor bar, with package sales too.
“We’ve added more draft beers. We used to only have Bud and Bud Light. Now we’ve got the capacity to do 10 different drafts. We put in a real keg cooler, which we never had before,” Rose said.
Rose realizes his clientele may have changed somewhat since he was last open.
“Over the past three years, the Island has gotten significantly busier with the tourism. We are going to see a much larger percent of tourists than we ever had, but that’s the case everywhere on the Island. They’re going to be drinking different things and looking for different things. I’ve got two frozen drink machines going into service. We’re still going to have a decent price for a well drink or a draft beer. We’re also going to have some stuff on the higher end of the scale. We’re going to have both ends of the spectrum.”
New kitchen
Bortell’s Lounge now has a new and significantly larger kitchen that features a six-burner stove, an oven, deep fryers, a grill, a cooler and a freezer. Rose anticipates food service beginning in December, which is when he also plans to host a grand opening celebration.
“There was a kitchen here before, but I never used it. It was used by Helen Bortell. This was her Thanksgiving menu,” Rose said, pointing to an old, framed menu hanging on the wall near the kitchen.
Bortell’s Lounge has a new kitchen that will open later this year. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We’ll have food down the road. We’ve got to hire the right staff and get that in place. We’re going to be a bar that serves food. We designed this kitchen for the bulk of the food to be sold to go, but you’ll also be able to eat here. I’m in the process of hiring someone who’s not an executive chef, but who’s more than a kitchen manager. I want somebody with some creativity. We’re going to do some fun stuff. We’ll be open for lunch and dinner and my plan is to serve food until we close at midnight,” Rose said.
“Our plan is for this to be a community bar. That’s one of the things we love about it. I plan to do a big homestyle Thanksgiving dinner this year like we used to do. Some of the greatest New Year’s Eves I’ve spent were here with the Island people,” Rose said.
“We’re still doing free hots dogs on football Sundays,” he said of that longstanding Bortell’s tradition; and he noted there are several new TVs upon which a variety of sports can be viewed.
Now hiring
Rose will play an active role in the business operations, but longtime Bortell’s bartender Patti Prudente will run the daily operations.
“She’s worked here for 18 years and she’s Bob Bortell’s niece, so it’s still a family affair,” Rose said.
Rose and Prudente are now hiring their new staff.
“We’re looking for bartenders and a kitchen manager/chef-type person. With the kitchen staff, we’re probably a few months away. We’re going to start with the bar. Once we get that up running, we’ll get the kitchen up and running,” Rose said.
When asked which traits he seeks in his bartenders, Rose said, “Experience behind the bar and a great positive attitude.”
He asks those interested in working at Bortell’s to contact him via Facebook Messenger through the Bortell’s Lounge Facebook page.
“We are going to do some limited employee housing. I’ve secured a triplex in Holmes Beach that we’re looking to utilize for staff. It’s no secret that the Island has priced out most people who work in this industry. In order to get them down to this end of the Island, we want to provide some housing here on the Island. It’s a five-minute bike ride from here. If that goes well, I’ll look for some more,” he said.
Welcome back
Rose plans to be open six days a week, from 11 a.m. to midnight.
“We’re going to take Tuesdays off for a while. Everybody needs a day off. The building needs a day off. If the staff needs to go to a doctor, or they have an appointment, or they want to do something together they know they’ll have Tuesday off,” Rose said.
To the regulars who will soon return to Bortell’s, Rose says, “Welcome home.”
To those who’ve never experienced Bortell’s, he says, “It’s an Island bar and everybody’s welcome.”
Fish stories and other tall tales will soon be told again at Bortell’s Lounge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
