Search
Close this search box.

Log in

Top Stories

The Parrot will fly again soon in the Naples area. 

The Parrot Bar & Grill, a popular come-as-you-are local hangout that operated for more than 10 years at Dockside Boardwalk in Naples, permanently closed last fall after losing a court case regarding its lease extension. Its spinoff is readying to launch soon in East Naples.

“I signed a lease and we’re moving forward,” co-owner Patrick Daly said. “I was a little surprised I was able to do something this quickly. We are hoping to be open in March but sometimes with COVID and everything it takes a long time to get things done.”

Instead of The Parrot Bar & Grill, the new location will be K.C.’s Parrot 41. The new venue is named as a tribute to Daly’s late wife, Karen Coakley Daly, whose childhood nickname was K.C. The 41 tag stems from U.S. 41 because the new Parrot is moving into the recently shuttered former location of That Taco Place at 3340 Tamiami Trail E.

“Changing the theme over from the Mexican restaurant, the taco restaurant that it was, I’m changing it over to more of The Parrot bar feel. It’s going to be the second version of The Parrot Bar & Grill,” Daly said. “I’m going to try to capture that same feel again.”

K.C.’s menu is going to be similar to The Parrot’s extensive food lineup, too. “We’re going to try to do a 15-minute lunch because of all the businesses in the area and the courthouse being across the street. I think we are going to do the standard Parrot menu with burgers and the quesadillas and the tacos but also each day we’ll have a five- to 10-item sub menu that we can turn around quickly; maybe hot roast beef sandwiches or salads, stuff like that.”

Built as a fast-food drive-thru decades ago across the East Trail from the Collier County Government Center, that restaurant building has been home to Arby’s, Chrissy’s Bianchi’s, Chrissy’s Courthouse Tavern & Bistro, The Gavel Grill, Crooked Shillelagh Celtic Kitchen & Drinkery and La Herradura Doble, which changed its name to That Taco Place. Its backdrop is the former Courthouse Shadows shopping center, which is being redeveloped as an apartment complex and could see its first renters moving in by the end of the year.

“The building has good bones. It just needs a little TLC, a little paint, a little cleaning, a little scrubbing, a little elbow grease,” Daly said. “The interior is going to be just upgraded – new paint, new décor, modifications to the bar and that type of thing. I’ve got a designer looking at it now.”

 The new venue sports a large kitchen and an indoor-outdoor bar. Daly’s biggest issue is repairing wear and tear such as chipped furniture and scratched tables.

“I’m just concentrating on getting my old clientele back,” he said. “I think there was a lot of animosity in this town about what happened to me.”

While Daly partnered with brother-in-law Timothy Coakley for The Parrot at Dockside Boardwalk, he’s partnering with Ed Zimmerman from the east coast for K.C.’s Parrot 41. Expect this initial Parrot spinoff to be the first of a few in the Naples area. 

“Tim and I are looking to do something at the old Castaways (Backwater Cafe) where the Freedom Boat Cub is (on Davis Boulevard in East Naples). We’ve signed a letter of intent with them,” Daly said. “And, then I’m also looking at a third location in the North Naples area that I really can’t comment on because there are things going on there that need to be resolved on a legal standpoint, let’s say, and that’s with a third partner.”

After the Parrot closed, Daly had offers coming at him from all different directions. “I think the Parrot concept will work in multiple locations. And, I thought if I could do 50-50 with three different people it would kind of diversify me a little bit, so that kind of was my train of thought.” 

Although he wishes he could have remained at his original spot, Daly feels fortunate to have quickly turned around his business venture. “You know, every time a door closes another one opens,” he said. “I’m glad where I landed.”

Meanwhile, Massimo “Max” Puglielli, who has operated Mino Italian restaurant and pizzeria at Dockside since 2016, plans to soon launch Sea Monkey Grill & Tavern in The Parrot’s original space at 1100 6th Ave. S., near Tin City.

Copyright 2024 Gulfshore Life Media, LLC All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without prior written consent.

Don't Miss

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Please note that article corrections should be submitted for grammar or syntax issues.

If you have other concerns about the content of this article, please submit a news tip.
;