Calico Jack’s, Cayman’s once popular toes-in-the-sand staple on Seven Mile Beach, now has a new lease of life as the Bonny Moon Beach Club.
The new beach club officially opens it doors Friday, according to a media release from Bonny Moon – Hospitality Services Ltd, but unlike its predecessor, the establishment will now consist of a walk-up café that will be open from morning until afternoon.
It will, however, also feature a beachfront bar and restaurant that will be open from 11am to late.
General manager Kilian Werner said the new establishment pays tribute to its predecessor, Calico Jack’s, once a beloved local venue known for hosting monthly full-moon parties.
“It commemorates the location where this beach club now stands, serving as a reminder of the vibrant gatherings and festivities that once illuminated the area,” Werner said.
Calico Jack’s former owner Handel Whittaker closed the popular spot’s doors in April 2020, amid the tourism shutdown in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bar and restaurant fell into disrepair, before being taken over by the Dart group.
Whittaker has since partnered with Dart to resurrect another casualty of COVID – the popular Royal Palms Beach Club, further south along Seven Mile Beach.
He is working to revamp the establishment and aims to reopen it in November.
New vibe, similar storyline
Though it has a new name and new look, owners say Bonny Moon connects back to the pirate story behind the name of Calico Jack’s.
“Bonny pays homage to Anne Bonny, one of the few female pirates in documented history, a celebrated free-spirit, and the fearless partner-in-crime and lover of infamous pirate John Rackham (also known as Calico Jack),” the statement said.
It added that the word Moon has connotations with “celestial navigation, a technique that sailors used involving the stars and horizon to calculate position”.
“The name Bonny Moon embodies Anne’s pirate legacy, along with the allure of the moon, nostalgia, and adventure,” it said.
Besides a design overhaul, the statement said there have been some structural enhancements to the original site.
“There is also an addition of a shaded hideaway where both kids and grown-ups can laze around in hammocks and slow down with old fashioned games,” it added.
The kitchen is headed by Executive Chef Ayelen Esquef and the new menu will feature “beach comfort food, fire-roasted dishes from a wood oven, and Cayman sourced produce such as honey and local seafood,” the statement noted.
Editor’s Note: The Cayman Compass is a subsidiary of Dart Media and Entertainment.
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