‘Poon fans turn out to support owner’s bid for new liquor license

‘Poon fans turn out to support owner’s bid for new liquor license
By John Mullen
What Nancy Davis wanted to create was a gathering place with a welcoming embrace for locals, regulars and visitors alike.
“Not just a restaurant,” she said.
An emotional Nov. 13 was a testimonial to the success of her vision of a few years ago when she opened the Flying Harpoon in Gulf Shores. Not only did Nancy feel the love of the community she created getting behind her in full force, on that same day she became a grandmother for the first time (pictured). (Evella Sue and mom Christina Kourt are doing great, Nancy says.)
After recently becoming the sole owner of the Flying Harpoon in Gulf Shores and the Flying Harpoon II in Orange Beach she changed the name of the LLC as well. That requires reapplying for liquor licenses for both places. The Orange Beach one went through without a hitch.
In Gulf Shores it was rumored that some opposition was being raised in the neighborhood about noise the Flying Harpoon had live music. The city received either letters or emails stating opposition.
Then the Harpoon army flew into action.
“Even on Facebook,” Nancy said. “We had over 2,200 signatures off a petition and they got it in three or four days. The little introduction people would write before signing the petition brought me to tears. There were a number of letters written to the city council and the mayor, too.”
And, while no opposition showed up to contest the license on Nov. 13 and the council voted 6-0 to approve it, the Harpoon army packed the chamber led by an emotional fan, Melanie Tremaine.
“I’ve been living here for 15 or 16 years and we’ve found a home at the Flying Harpoon because it’s a place for us locals to go,” Tremaine said. “They’ve been on national TV and brought great exposure to our town that we never would’ve experienced if it weren’t for that little place. And I want it to stay here so we have a place to go.”
Ira Allen is retired from the U.S. Army and a single parent. He likes to spend time at the Harpoon with fellow vets to relax and visit.
“I needed a place, too, where I could just go and socialize and the Flying Harpoon has been that place,” Allen said.
Nancy said all the support made her realize she had created the special place she had hoped for when she opened.
“The whole experience was so humbling it brought me to tears more than once,” Nancy said. “But it’s exactly what I had in mind when I started it. There’s that part, too, knowing that I accomplished that goal. That social aspect.”
There was an outpouring of love on Facebook posts as people weighed in on their affection for the Harpoon.
“A source of comfort, kindness, connection…nourishment…body and soul… love you, Nancy,” Shea Wilson wrote.
“I feel it safe to say this is a home away from home,” Faith Morley wrote. “I made lifelong friends there … family. We must fight to keep this beautiful community together.”
While the council gave its unanimous consent, it didn’t come without an admonition of sorts from Mayor Robert Craft.
“There are issues here that need to be addressed,” Craft said. “You’ve got to keep the parking on the site. You can’t have parking on the right of way and you cannot park on other people’s property. That is a limitation that will not restrict this license from being renewed but you will be ticketed and we are having to monitor that. Everyone who visits the place has to know there are rules that have to be followed. Your actions there could change the possibility of this continuing.”
Nancy anticipates the Gulf Shores location to be open soon and has taken the down time to deep clean and repaint the walls.
“I’m going to get a little gathering of people together to help me put the pictures and dollar bills back up,” she said. “We’re pretty much ready we’ve just got to hang everything back up on the walls.”
Orange Beach may take a while and may see some renovations. The kitchen is downstairs and to get food upstairs servers have to use a staircase that is outside.
“The wind and the cold elements affect us,” Nancy said. “We’ll probably close down in December in Orange Beach. I’m going to put in a dumbwaiter. I’m waiting for estimates so I hope I can afford it. I’ve wanted one of those since I got this building.”