One of Montauk’s last affordable seafood bastions has been scooped up by yet another set of deep-pocketed investors – but these father-and-son buyers are vowing to keep it budget friendly, Side Dish has learned.
Gosman’s Dock, named after the family that has run the Montauk mainstay for eight decades, was sold to Stephen Deckoff and his son, Stephen E. Deckoff last month.
The deal for an undisclosed price comes on the heels of the recent purchase by the elder Deckoff for the notorious “Pedophile Island” owned by the late alleged convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein in the US Virgin Islands.
Montauk seafood bastion Gosman’s Dock was family run for 80 years. Gosmans Restaurant/Facebook
Gosman’s – which comes with some of its own legal baggage after two family members were convicted of illegal commercial fishing – has been a fixture for locals and summer visitors alike, including the Deckoffs.
“Montauk and eastern Long Island have played a major role in my family’s life for decades and I am excited for the opportunity for my son Stephen to establish an important business presence at the iconic Gosman’s property,” the dad, who founded Black Diamond Investment Group, told Side Dish in an exclusive interview.
The waterfront compound — which began as a chowder stand in 1943 — consists of nine separate parcels, including a large seafood restaurant, six retail shops, wholesale and retail fish markets, housing for seasonal staff, a marina, fishing charters, boat rentals, and vacant land spanning 11.6 acres on Montauk Harbor.
Stephen Deckoff (aboive) and his son, Stephen E. Deckoff, acquired Gosman’s last month. SD Investments
The purchase includes an option to build a 46-room hotel – a major incentive considering permission for new construction on the East End is extremely rare.
Gosman’s Dock was last asking $45 million. It had been on and off the market since 2006, when it had a $55 million asking price. The Deckoffs said they paid less than the $45 million asking price.
“I think we were drawn to the value we could acquire it for and the fact that it is a beautiful piece of real estate on the water,” Stephen E. Deckoff said.
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The Deckoffs said they plan on preserving, not changing, the properties, to keep them affordable.
The dock will reopen next April for the season without any major changes, with renovations slated to begin after the summer crowds depart.
The Gosman’s name will remain, and some of the Gosman family members are expected to help run the various businesses.
The Deckoffs said they paid less than the $45 million asking price. The purchase includes an option to build a 46-room hotel. Google Maps
“Everyone is concerned that someone will come in and disrupt what we all love about Montauk, and that is not our intention. We are plugging into what makes Montauk great,” the younger Deckoff said
Both father and son spent their childhood summers in the Hamptons and they continue to spend every August docking their 80-foot sport fishing boat in Montauk.
“I remember having my first lobster roll at Gosman’s as a kid,” the son recalled.
The 2-pound lobster seen at Gosman’s Dock. Hampton Pix
“We will try to cater to both markets, the locals and people from New York and other parts of the Hamptons. We will operate [the assets] with no major amendments for the pricing.”
However, two Gosman family members, Bryan and Asa, may not be at the dock next year.
The two pleaded guilty to one count of criminal conspiracy in a decade-long criminal probe into illegal commercial fishing and are scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in Central Islip on Nov 12.
The Gosmans must pay $725,000 in restitution.
“Everyone is concerned that someone will come in and disrupt what we all love about Montauk, and that is not our intention. We are plugging into what makes Montauk great,” said son Stephen E. Deckoff (right).
Their friend Christopher Winkler was sentenced in July to 30 months in prison for illegally harvesting 200,000 pounds of fluke and black sea bass worth at least $750,000.
The Gosman’s sale comes as other private equity groups have purchased oceanfront Montauk hotels.
Once known as the “un-Hampton,” for its rustic charm, most of the iconic mom-and-pop businesses have been usurped by big money flowing into the still active fishing town.
The Deckoffs will keep the Gosman’s name, and some of the Gosman family members will continue to be involved in running it. Gosmans Restaurant/Facebook
In 2022, Blue Flag Partners paid $35 million for two big purchases near Gosman’s Dock: $15 million for Montauk Haven and $13.5 million for Sunset Montauk. The deal included two adjacent parcels and three beach lots.
The same year, Gurney’s Star Island — not to be confused with the famed Gurney’s Resort — sold for $149.4 million to Safe Harbor Marinas. It was the largest commercial transaction in Hamptons history.
The property is now known as the Montauk Yacht Club, its original name.