It has a lot going for it: expansive square footage, live music, darts, a big balcony, ocean views, a strategic location, an underrated concert hall, a big bar, DJs, billiard tables, popular dancing nights and even an escalator.
Only it didn't have one thing it really needs: the enthusiastic backing of its landlord.
For years Blue Fin Cafe & Billiards at 685 Cannery Row, standing above both the Rec Trail to the south and the iconic Row and Pacific Ocean to the north, drew people from across the county.
Now it's slotted to vacate some time in September.
Tyke Marasigan has owned and operated Blue Fin for eight years.
He says he loves being there and would love to complete his lease, but adds, "Not everybody shared that opinion."
Security concerns at Blue Fin contributed to a contentious relationship with Cannery Row Company and the city of Monterey, but Marasigan insists he's done everything he can to address concerns that shuttered neighboring Giant Artichoke in January.
"I've gone above and beyond, and everything I've done impacts the business," he says. "Maybe the city doesn't like me."
CRC carries that lease, and confirms that Blue Fin—which has been a fixture in the neighborhood since the '90s—will be out by the end of September, though a final date hasn't been set.
CRC Spokesperson Diane Mandeville reports they are searching for a new occupant.
"We don't have anything planned for Blue Fin currently," she writes by email. "We are working on filling that space and pursuing a number of different possibilities."
Update: As of Wednesday, Aug. 30, Marasigan insists he hasn't given up on staying in the space, and that he's "trying to transform [Blue Fin] into something else."
Mandeville notes that such an agreement is not impossible, but that there is no such strategy at this time.
"We have no plans in place for that at this point," she says. "We're working with him on a smooth transition."