The town is casting a wide net hoping to land a new business to transform the former Cherry’s Bait and Tackle shop on Water Street.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) to lease the prime waterfront location was issued on March 26. Responses are due at Town Hall by 3 p.m. on April 27. Anyone interested in the opportunity can inspect the building on Thursday, April 9 at 10 a.m.
Located at 151 Water Street, Cherry’s was a fixture on the waterfront for decades. It closed for good last August, with the town taking control of the property for back rent and taxes owed. The Town of Plymouth owns the adjacent wharf and several surrounding parcels which are leased to the businesses on the land.
The town is offering a 5-year lease for the Cherry’s site, with options to extend for an additional 15 years. The first year’s rent will be $42,848. Whoever is awarded the property will be required to make significant repairs by the end of 2026, including fixing the roof, windows and updating the plumbing and electrical systems.
The site is located in “filled tidelands” and subject to state regulations which require the property to have a “water-dependent use”, such as marinas, storage areas and other commercial or recreational boating facilities; facilities for fishing, swimming, diving, and other water-based recreational activities; aquariums and other education research or training facilities dedicated primarily to marine purposes; aquaculture facilities; waterborne passenger transportation; restaurants and retail facilities primarily serving patrons of water-dependent use on the site; bait shops; boat sales and other marine-oriented retail facilities.
According to the RFP, an “evaluation team will be established by the Town Manager to review and determine if the proposals meet the Minimum Quality Criteria. The awarding authority is the Town of Plymouth, acting by and through its Town Manager, who reserves all rights as to treatment of proposals, including the right to waive any informalities in, or reject any and all proposals if deemed to be in the best interest of the Town.”
The former bait shop was built in 1963 by Eltiro “Cherry” Carafoli, who had previously sold bait off the back of his truck around the wharf.
Michael Cohen can be reached at michael@plymouthindependent.org