After operating a restaurant in Coconut Point for more than 15 years, Skip Quillen and his Naples-based Culinary Concepts hospitality company will no longer have a dining spot at the regional mall in Estero.  

The Saloon, which Quillen launched in mid-December 2017, permanently closed Sunday in the center of Coconut Point. Although Quillen does not wish to personally comment yet on the closing, the restaurant’s Facebook page posted a public note Monday.  

“It’s with a heavy heart we announce that Culinary Concepts has permanently closed The Saloon as of Sunday, April 30th, 2023,” the Facebook post states. “We have occupied the same Coconut Point Mall location, originally as Blue Water Bistro (2006-2017) and The Saloon (2017-2023) for the past 17 years and will miss being part of the Bonita Springs/Estero community. Thank you for your past business and support. We hope to see you soon at one of our other four sister restaurants.”Quillen’s Culinary Concepts also operates Chops City Grill in Bonita Springs as well as Chops, Pazzo and Yabba Island Grill on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. The Saloon’s staff members were given opportunities to work at one of Quillen’s other restaurants, a spokesperson said.  

The Saloon featured an extensive list of bar beverages, as its name suggests, and was a casual restaurant with a wood-fired grill specializing in hand-cut steaks, craft burgers, barbecued meats, tacos and more. It operated for more than five years, replacing Culinary Concepts’ Blue Water Bistro, which had a 10-year run at that same location.

Quillen wanted to switch up his dining concept there at the time, trading bright pastels of Florida for dark browns of the Old West. The Saloon featured suede leather booths, crystal chandeliers and iconic gilded-framed period paintings of cowboys, horses and Native Americans.  

It is unknown yet whether another restaurant concept will replace The Saloon at Coconut Point, but if so, it will not be a Culinary Concepts brand. Nearby The Saloon, the Cheesecake Factory casual restaurant chain is targeted to open later this year in the Coconut Point space that was vacated three years ago by Stir Crazy.