OCEAN CITY, Md. - Changes are coming to Ocean City. Phillips Crab house is closing for good and the Dunes Manor Hotel is changing hands. On Monday, the owners of Phillips Crab house announced they have sold their restaurant property in Ocean City. Philips had been a staple in Ocean City for 66 years. Earlier this month, the longtime family-owned Dunes Manor hotel -- announced it sold the iconic hotel to a company called OTO development. Ocean City tourism director Tom Perlozzo says Ocean City was built on businesses like Phillips Crab house and hopes this door closing means another one can open soon.
“The Phillips' and some properties that we've seen, you know the fabric of our community they too will change and hopefully that will lead into a new generation, starting with new things to do, new places to stay,” Perlozzo said.
Cullen Burke lives in Ocean City and used to go to Phillips Crab house. He also says Dunes Manor, which has been under new ownership since early December, was known as a luxury hotel.
“That's sorta the end of two eras there. They are both very well regarded places, had excellent food, and were very well run, but things change. It's kind of inevitable you expect it on one level but it's still sad to see it occur.” Burke said.
Others like Caitlin Navarro are hoping the changing of hands will bring new ideas to the beach town. Navarro says she wants to see more entertainment options for young adults.
“It's going to provide a lot of opportunity for new things to come and hopefully that will be great for everybody but it's kind of bittersweet for a lot of people that have been here for a long time,” Navarro said.
On Phillips Seafood Facebook page, the company says it will dedicate resources to it's Baltimore location as well as the international business.