Two families join hands

On Friday, Feb. 13, The Sunflower Café will reopen its doors at a new location on the water in Eastsound. It will move from its Prune Alley site to the Outlook Inn.

The shift culminates several months of negotiations between Sunflower owners Chris and Julie Hogle and their counterparts at the Outlook Inn, Adam and Sara Farish. The Farishes had pondered what to do with their restaurant and lounge for some time, but were unable to make a formal arrangement until recently. Their scenario was to lease the restaurant to an experienced chef who has ties to the island, and a favorable history in the community.

Their first choices were Chris and Julie Hogle, because they owned and operated the Farishes’ favorite restaurant.

Little did they know at the time, but the Hogles were also hoping for a move to the waterfront.

It was Adam’s mother, Martha Farish, who brought the couples together. While eating at the Sunflower, she broached the idea with the Hogles.

Once the connection was made, the four began meeting, sometimes for days at a time, where they immediately recognized a chemistry. “We worked well together from the start; there are similarities between us that makes sense for us to be working together. We’re all fairly young, driven for success, have similar goals for lifestyle, and we’re all a bit hyperactive,” said Chris.

“It will work out just fine.”

“The Sunflower has a growing reputation for creative cuisine and having a restaurant of this caliber in this location is consistent with our vision for the Outlook Inn and Eastsound,” answered Adam.

The restaurant at the Outlook Inn has been operated by the Farish family for over 35 years, and the family couldn’t be happier with the merger. Starr Farish, the owner of the Outlook Inn since 1967, said from his home in Thailand that one of his happiest moments was when he closed the restaurant in the middle of August one year. “We love to wine, we love to dine, but there’s something about food service that is just not in our genes. Owning a restaurant is hard work and to run a successful restaurant you must have passion and charisma. Chris has got it.”

The new menu spins off of the foundation established by the Sunflower, and has a strong emphasis on organic items. The Sunflower has also developed a lounge menu for bar customers. As for the Victorian Room, the Outlook Inn will handle the reservations, while the food will be furnished by the Sunflower Cafe.

The two couples have also put their heads together for joint marketing campaigns, promotion, and outreach, and will build on the strong foundations of the two businesses as one package.

The Sunflower will open for dinner on Friday, Feb. 13. Starting Valentine’s Day, it will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The bar will be open daily at 3 p.m. Bartender will continue to be Aimee Tidrington.

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