Beach Belly Bob’s Sandwich Shop, the locally-owned sandwich restaurant on SR-A1A in Flagler Beach, will be closing in March according to a post from their Facebook page. The announcement stated that Sunday, March 23rd would be the business’ final day serving customers at their location between South 18th and South 19th streets.
Prior to the announcement of closure, the restaurant had been open for over a decade in Flagler Beach. Founder Bob Gamblain started Beach Belly Bob’s in 2014 according to their website, with his stepdaughter Amanda taking the reins later on. The news was met with an outpouring of support and sadness from those who frequented and enjoyed the business.
Amanda, in writing the post detailing the restaurant’s farewell, thanked a number of friends and family who helped them over the years. To name a few, she mentioned local restaurant champion Karen Dion, landlord Louis Pope, her stepfather Bob Gamblain, and the rest of her family for their continued support.
“As we sell out of items, we’ll update our website to reflect availability and daily specials,” Amanda said. “This isn’t just a farewell—it’s a celebration of the incredible years we’ve shared. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you who walked through our doors, shared a meal with us, and became part of our extended family. Your support, laughter, and love for our gourmet sandwiches made this journey possible, and we are forever grateful.”In addition to Amanda’s announcement, the titular Bob also penned a message reminiscing on his process to open Beach Belly Bob’s and the circumstances that led to its closure. “Over a decade ago I had an idea and a dream,” he said. “I wanted to open a restaurant like no one else had done before and be part of a community. We built a small business with family, friends, and locals that was all about giving and being part of everything that Flagler Beach had to offer. Along the way we saw babies be born, kids grow up and teenagers go to college. We shed tears after huge losses both personal and citywide after Hurricanes and flooding and somewhere along the way we found home. I did not grow up here, but I’ve lived and lost with a lot of my Flagler Beach Family and I feel that Flagler Beach is my life.
