What was gone in a matter of minutes March 15, 2006 has returned after eight years of struggle. It was a happy occasion marked April 1 by the Calvert County Commissioners and the new owners of the Lighthouse Inn, Solomons.
The restaurant was built by the late Richard Fischer several years ago when Solomons Island was earning a reputation as a recreational mecca.
A friend of Fischer’s—County Commissioner Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark [R]—recalled “that terrible day” when a discarded cigarette and a strong March wind sparked the blaze that destroyed the Lighthouse Inn and another business. Fischer, who was in the midst of a long struggle with tonsil cancer, subsequently decided to rebuild the restaurant. The project became bogged down in bureaucracy.
Two restaurateurs from St. Mary’s County—Nick Shriver and Rusty Shriver—eventually got the job done.
While the Lighthouse Inn had been a welcome oasis for locals and visitors hankering for delicious seafood, Fischer had made the restaurant a beacon of hope for the county’s less fortunate. The restaurant, with the help of local faith-based volunteers, had annually hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for individuals with no place to go that day to break bread.
“All good things are worth waiting for,” said Clark, who commended Nick and Rusty for the finished product. “They built this tremendous building. I told them I’d help them in any way I can. We really appreciate what you’ve done here.”
The two-story building, which was constructed by W.M. Davis, can be seen by boaters, bikers, pedestrians and motorists from Route 2 and the Patuxent River. Boaters traversing Solomons Harbor can also see the large green structure. For diners, the view of the busy harbor is striking.
“This view—you can’t beat it,” declared Rusty Shriver, adding that the current Lighthouse Inn staff has already gotten busy “earning everybody’s business.”
“We hope we are successful,” said Nick Shriver.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
