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Fog/Mist Investors purchase closed Westbury beach clubs
One Atlantic Beach club scheduled to re-open on July 4
The Westbury beach clubs that closed a couple of months ago were purchased by a group of investors, including Sunny Atlantic Beach Club owner and Hewlett resident Howard Taub.
Taub, Steven Horn, Philip Romm and Bezalel Property Investors, LLC bought the Westbury Beach Club and the smaller Westbury III about three weeks ago. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed by the investors.
Plans call for a renovation of Westbury III that includes refurbishing the 26 oceanfront cabanas and a new beachside bar. The new club called The Shores at Atlantic Beach is scheduled to open on July 4. Next season, the former Westbury club, also called The Shores at Atlantic Beach, will re-open.
“I did this because I didn’t think there would be another opportunity to own beachfront property and I enjoy operating a beach club,” Taub said.
His family has been involved with the Sunny Atlantic club since 1981 and Taub purchased the club from his grandfather, Paul Malkin, in 2000. “I’m here (at the beach club) more than I’m in Hewlett,” said Taub, who kiddingly added that he is being cloned so he can be in two places at once.
Bezalel Property Investors is also a family affair, according to Brian Bazalel, an Oceanside resident. The family is spread out between Woodmere, Queens and Israel, he said. Originally in jewelry manufacturing, Bezalel said the family has been involved in real estate development for the past decade and this is their first purchase of a beach club.
“Our family has been going to the [Westbury] beach club for over 20 years, we were friends with the previous owner, we loved the beach club and thought this was the perfect opportunity for us,” Bezalel said.
When the two Westbury clubs closed, members were offered membership at the Clearwater Beach Club. An email list has been circulating to build up membership and the club is more than 75 percent filled, Taub said. Previous members are returning and spots are even being filled for next year at the main club, according to Bezalel.
