The owner of the Moshulu ship/restaurant is looking to bring a new look to the four-mast beauty docked on Penn's Landing, the largest surviving windjammer in the world. Francis Hilario of the Philadelphia Business Journal got some pretty tasty quotes from owner Marty Grims, who likened the upcoming renovations to having the same panache as "Ralph Lauren's personal yacht" — well, at least in that style, anyway. Essentially, he wants to class up the look and bring a "hotel roof bar" atmosphere to the beautiful deck overlooking the Delaware River.
Hilario reports that improvements to the deck area are slated to being in the "late spring and early summer." The entire process is expected to take a year. Grims has brought on Balongue Design Inc.out of Villanova to handle the design of the project.
So, why now? Grims explains:
"After 10 or 12 years, tastes change, design changes and style changes. Even emotionally and psychologically, that's very important to be driving your business forward ... I always embrace change. If you want to remain relevant, you have to embrace [it], and you always have to be thinking about [it.]" While it's still early on in the process, Grims said they will be looking to repaint the ship a "deep marine blue" color, which matches that Ralph Lauren style. We wonder if it will have shiny buttons with little anchors on them.
Other improvements under consideration are moving the bar from the Orchid Room to another part of the ship, new furniture/decor in the restaurant and removal of the skylight in the Orchid Room as well. Given the fact that it doesn't really fit in with that whole stylish, American cool type of vibe, Grims said they will look to rebrand Bongo Bar as well.
Fun Fact Corner: The Moshulu has gone by a couple different names in its history. Originally named Kurt after Dr. Kurt Siemers, head man at G.H. J. Seimers and Co. She was later given the name Dreadnought, which means "one who fears nothing". Seeking to make it even more badass, and the fact that there was already another ship registered as Dreadnought, they named her Moshulu, the Seneca translation of the same phrase.
· Exclusive: Moshulu owner plans major renovation next year [Philadelphia Business Journal]
· Moshulu [Wikipedia]