New owner overhauls Four Winds Pub

LYNN – There isn?t a lot of waterfront dining to be had in Lynn but the owner of the Four Winds Pub and Grill on Sluice Pond is doing his part to rectify the situation.Patrick DeBoever purchased the pub two years ago and since then has been working to bring a touch of his native South Florida to the cozy neighborhood establishment by adding, among other things, a 67-foot patio with an outdoor bar that overlooks the pond.Although the blue awning didn?t go on until last week, Four Winds patrons were able to enjoy the deck this summer while all the renovations were being done. And while the deck, with its white patio tables, party lights and attached boat dock, is the most eye popping change, the transformation extends into the bar area and the parking lot.DeBoever, who has lived in Swampscott for the past 15 years, decided to buy the bar/pub after having driven by it many times but not stopping in. When he finally did go in, he saw potential.?It seemed to be a pretty nice, thriving business, but to me it was extremely under-utilized. You had 70 feet of waterfront that was overgrown and dilapidated. Very little improvement had been done on the property in a long time that I could see,” he said.DeBoever said the city was pretty good to deal with throughout the process, which also included rebuilding the wall along the shore, back-filling it, constructing a small, second building that houses his office and some storage, and adding a new, state-of-the-art kitchen to replace the small grill that was behind the bar.DeBoever, a classically-trained chef, is also very proud of his new kitchen, which opened a week ago, and the new menu.?Everything is different. It?s state-of-the-art,” he said, explaining that it has a wood-fired grill and a smoker.?This is the crown jewel,” he said. “We?re doing moderately priced, very high quality from scratch food here,” he said.DeBoever said they cure their own bacon and the beef is custom ground.?There?s nothing that arrives frozen off the truck,” he said.DeBoever said the patio was a huge hit this summer. He ultimately plans to add retractable walls to the awning so it can be cooled and heated. There?s room for several boats to tie up on the dock, which gives him business from the boating crowd including the daytime.One of the challenges DeBoever faces is balancing his business needs with being a good neighbor to those who live around the pond. DeBoever said during the summer he was doing an open mic on Monday nights. It was very popular, but he stopped it because it got a little noisy for a Monday night. DeBoever said he may resume open mic night during the winter when everyone has their doors and windows closed.In an effort to further alleviate any noise problems, DeBoever said he has improved the insulation inside the pub to help absorb sound and the air conditioning has been upgraded so that the doors can remain closed in the summer. He said there have been times when the patio has been full, 11 o?clock has rolled around and he?s broken things up. DeBoever said scheduling entertainment, the music played inside the bar and the music on the deck might be different.?We might put quieter, acoustic stuff on the patio and we would be very careful who we select to play,” he said.DeBoever said he has intentionally remained off the radar as far as marketing the “new” Four Winds until the work was done and the kitchen opened, but now the word is getting out. He?s had several successful political meet and greets and tonight the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting October After Hours at the Four Winds from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.DeBoever envisions the Four Winds as a comfortable place both in the warmer months, with the patio area providing a front row seat to the spectacular sunsets over the pond in the summer months. He?s hoping the patio will catch on as a great place to hold functions (it holds about 60 people). There?s a fireplace inside the bar, making it a cozy place for the winter months. DeBoever said