The above photo was taken Wednesday, March 12, 2014. There is definitely something going on behind the closed doors of the old Firehouse. Shima is taking shape. Stay tuned!
The remodel from Firehouse to Shima is underway.
Original story:
After three and a half years in business, the Firehouse Bar and Grill has closed its doors. As you can see from the picture above, the windows are covered and the message is clear. The owner lives in Los Angeles, making it challenging to run the restaurant from afar. 
The sign identifying the restaurant as the Firehouse has already been removed. A new restaurant group has purchased the business “FF and E” (furniture, fixtures and equipment), though the building is still owned by the Firehouse family.
The new owner lives in Coronado and is excited to bring something different and exciting to the island. Look for the space to be closed for several months while it is redesigned as a Japanese steak house to be called “Shima”, which means island in Japanese.
The vision includes creating an upscale family-oriented type of restaurant that will provide not just an eatery, but a dining experience the entire family will enjoy. The new restaurant will offer a Coronado twist on the teppanyaki style made famous by chain Benihana. “It’s something new that we don’t have,” offered the new owner, adding that “we want to help bring more people to this end of the island.”
The creation of the new theme is somewhat fluid at this point, meaning that it could change as work on the space evolves. The vision currently includes water features with three separate “islands” and maybe small bridges leading to each separate seating area. One side of the restaurant will be a Japanese style lounge with the fine dining on the other side.
What would you like to see included in the new space? Comment on this post to offer your ideas for the new dining experience.
The new owners will be checking in with eCoronado.com periodically. As soon as there is an architectural rendition of the restaurant, you will be able to find it here! So check back in the next month or so to see the progress and follow the transformation from bar and grill to lounge and fine dining with some island flair.
The space will host a new dining experience, but the building itself will remain the historical site it has always been.
Shima will join several other restaurants on Orange Avenue between First and Second Streets, offering many different choices for diners.
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Kellee Hearther
Staff Writer
eCoronado.com
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