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The Two Nicky Rottens: What’s Up?

There’s been confusion over what’s happening with the two Johnny Rottens.

Downtown spawned the Coronado branch. Owner Nick Tomasello, his dad Dominick and his best buddy Tim Aaron bought the property and started a pretty successful clone.

But the Coronado branch has been mired in negotiations to open its whole property at First and Orange for business for months.

The City of Coronado has made them keep a big chunk of their space dark because they couldn’t provide the minimum of parking the City required, and kids couldn’t come in to eat under the existing liquor license.

Nicky Rottens, Coronado

Some neighbors also apparently complained about the noise at the new hip beer’n burgers joint.

Did this cause cracks in the relationship between Tomasello and Aaron?

Because the two eateries are now totally separate entities, with Aaron owning Coronado (with a partner), and Tomasello the downtown Rottens, even though they both retain the same name and menus.

No more mention of the Coronado branch that I could see on the downtown Nicky Rotten website.

Perhaps they just wanted to assure Coronado that they were intent on becoming less rowdy bar and more family friendly in the island branch.

Whatever, it has worked. The Coronado operation is heading towards full steam. Parking is resolved, City seems happy, and ABC seems set to bless the use of the whole space on a downgraded license that's no longer a "cabaret license."

Menus stacked ready for family-friendly business

In the massive corner section that used to be a laundrette, kids can come and eat, while their parents can drink likker. Then after nine, it joins the main space as a full-on bar.

The corner that used to be a laundrette in the 86-year-old building

Whew. So okay, can we get an Arrogant Bastard and our 2-1/2lb burger now?

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Make the cliffs fall, put up more warnings, fine beachgoers?

There’s been confusion over what’s happening with the two Johnny Rottens.

Downtown spawned the Coronado branch. Owner Nick Tomasello, his dad Dominick and his best buddy Tim Aaron bought the property and started a pretty successful clone.

But the Coronado branch has been mired in negotiations to open its whole property at First and Orange for business for months.

The City of Coronado has made them keep a big chunk of their space dark because they couldn’t provide the minimum of parking the City required, and kids couldn’t come in to eat under the existing liquor license.

Nicky Rottens, Coronado

Some neighbors also apparently complained about the noise at the new hip beer’n burgers joint.

Did this cause cracks in the relationship between Tomasello and Aaron?

Because the two eateries are now totally separate entities, with Aaron owning Coronado (with a partner), and Tomasello the downtown Rottens, even though they both retain the same name and menus.

No more mention of the Coronado branch that I could see on the downtown Nicky Rotten website.

Perhaps they just wanted to assure Coronado that they were intent on becoming less rowdy bar and more family friendly in the island branch.

Whatever, it has worked. The Coronado operation is heading towards full steam. Parking is resolved, City seems happy, and ABC seems set to bless the use of the whole space on a downgraded license that's no longer a "cabaret license."

Menus stacked ready for family-friendly business

In the massive corner section that used to be a laundrette, kids can come and eat, while their parents can drink likker. Then after nine, it joins the main space as a full-on bar.

The corner that used to be a laundrette in the 86-year-old building

Whew. So okay, can we get an Arrogant Bastard and our 2-1/2lb burger now?

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