Pocomoke replaces Riverside Grill with Mallards on the River

Pocomoke City has found a new tenant for the $1 million restaurant building it constructed to raise the economic fortunes of its ailing downtown.

The City Council has picked John "Johnny Mo" Morrison, owner of the popular Onancock restaurant Mallards at the Wharf, to run the business in the wake of Riverside Grill's departure. 

A new restaurant, to be called Mallards on the River, is set to open by Dec. 1, City Manager Robert "Bobby" Cowger said. 

“Everybody’s excited about it getting going again," Cowger said.

He said the city received five proposals on the building, "but we just thought that Mallards sort of fit in with what the city was looking for." Morrison's pitch included ideas to attract business on nights and weekends with concerts and boating events, Cowger said.

Morrison said he is excited about contributing to the city's efforts to revitalize its downtown.

“We definitely want to take advantage of this beautiful view of the river and everything that comes with it," he said.

More:As Riverside Grill restaurant leaves, Pocomoke City eager to fill economic void

Morrison was less specific about the opening date, saying his goal is to start serving patrons "some time after Thanksgiving."

The Pocomoke location is set to become Morrison's third on Delmarva. He also operates Mallards Sidewalk Cafe in Accomac.

Morrison's move to Pocomoke promises a second life for the city's biggest investment in redeveloping its downtown.

As the Great Recession grinded on, city leaders pooled $1 million, with about 80 percent of that sum coming from grants, to transform a riverfront alleyway into a restaurant building. 

The city hoped the 3,000-square-foot restaurant would become a showcase for the winding Pocomoke River. Large picture windows look out over the river, and a dock offers seating over the dark waters.

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It found a solid footing as Riverside Grill. Owner Mark Reeves ran it as a kind of sister restaurant to his Back Street Grill in Salisbury. He went on to open a third eatery in Ocean Pines.

His decision to close the Pocomoke location Sept. 23 after five years in business had more to do with managing a heavy workload than it did economics, he told city officials.

The vendor change involves few modifications in the public-private partnership, Cowger said. One exception was that the city agreed to purchase the restaurant's equipment at a cost of about $40,000, he said.

“We just figured that should be part of the restaurant," Cowger said, adding he hopes the upfront financial help will offset the economic doldrums of winter and early spring.

For his part, Morrison has made a name for himself on the Eastern Shore of Virginia over the past 15 years as the self-proclaimed "musical chef."

He founded a fundraiser for the region's food bank that has raised more than $100,000 during the past decade. And he is the lead singer and guitarist in a band, according to his Facebook page. He also is the author of two self-published cookbooks.

Morrison said he hopes his experience in Onancock will serve him well in Pocomoke. Both restaurants are nestled in small towns, out of view of drivers on Delmarva's main north-south highway, Route 13. By marketing on billboards and through social media, he thinks he can goad folks to make a detour.

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On Twitter @Jeremy_Cox