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Dana Point Harbor News:
DANA POINT-Delaney's Restaurant, on the island in the Dana Point
Harbor, suddenly closed last year, much to the surprise of most
of the people in Dana Point. Delaney's has been a virtual landmark
in the Harbor since 1971, when Francis Delaney of Newport Beach
opened it as one in a chain of nine restaurants. While total
sales for 1988 were reportedly about $15 million, Delaney's filed
for bankruptcy protection in 1989. The chain was sold to a company
called AC Global in 1990.
Francis Delaney, however, filed for personal bankruptcy following
financial troubles, including a divorce settlement that required
him to make payments of $9000 a month to his ex-wife. Additionally,
in early 1989 Delaney pled guilty to offering the chairman of
the Newport Beach Planning Commission $10,000 for help in opening
a new restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway. He agreed to pay a
$2000 fine, and perform 200 hours of community service. Mr. Delaney
sold Delaney's Restaurant to the Jonan U.S. Corporation, based
in Japan, in 1992. The company stopped paying the county rent in August, 1998, and still owes the county back rent and late charges, which is being worked out, according to Barry Permenter, the county real property agent. "I personally didn't find out [that they were closing] until after they had already closed it," Permenter said. The empty space will not remain empty for long, however, as Delaney's owners, Jonan U.S. Corp., is negotiating to sell its county lease to Beach House Restaurants, a family-owned chain with has locations in Laguna Beach, Rancho Mirage, and in Cardiff, San Diego. A spokesperson for Beach House said the company could not comment on the deal on the property at 25001 Dana Drive until after escrow closes, which is expected to take place in early March. SOURCE: Information for this article was derived from the 25 February, 1999, issue of the Dana Point News, from an article entitled, "Harbor's Delaney's Is In Escrow: New Name and Owner Coming," by Erlina Tulabut. |
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