Business Buzz
By Rich Baehrle
Margate has a native son who has an impressive history of being a competitive athlete, including a 1980 induction into the Atlantic City High School Hall of Fame.
Steve Marchel went on to Yale University where he was an All-Ivy League baseball player. His formal education led him to a successful career in financial planning as alternative investment director for Morgan Stanley in Northfield.
His career may be in financial planning, but his passion, which he pursues with the same commitment he showed when he was a ballplayer, is food.
His first food venture was Chido Burrito in Northfield. First opened in 2010, the business is still going strong. The delicious food, the creative names of the menu items, the entire theme and colors all add to the success of the business..
Locals say that it blows Taco Bell away with its quality and presentation. Maybe someday it will be a chain. In the meantime, Steve is keeping busy with other businesses.
Steve decided he was not busy enough with Chido Burrito and his financial career so in 2019 he opened Water Dog Smoke House, at 7319 Ventnor Ave. in Ventnor.
It was a very successful, casual restaurant known for mouthwatering sandwiches and bagels plus smoked fish, pickles and prepared foods. Local people and visitors enjoyed their unique specialty food, whether they were eating in or catering.
Unfortunately, this year Steve made the decision to pass the torch to Jacob and Alex who are going to establish their own brand called Kismet Luncheonette at the former Water Dog location. Steve thinks with their quality food they will kill it.
Don’t feel sorry for Steve. The Water Dog brand also includes Betty’s Seafood Shack located at 9315 Amherst Ave. in Margate.
He, along with his hard-working partner and wife Robin Kramer, established it in July 2023. It features a classic New England style combination with all kinds of mouthwatering seafood such as lobster rolls, fried shrimp, scallops, clams, cod, wraps and much more. This BYOB is all situated in a relaxing setting along the bay.
Last summer apparently Robin was not busy enough with her 80-hour work weeks, so Steve came up with the brilliant idea to expand to the space next to Betty’s Seafood Shack. The new concept is going to be called Betty’s BBQ & Fried Chicken.
In previous years Steve and Robin did road trips all over the country in search of the best barbecue and fried chicken. They toured famous spots including Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas; Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston, SC and the great barbecue of Joe’s KC BBQ in Kansas City, Kan.
The fried chicken spots they hit were numerous such as Husk in Charleston, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken in Nashville and the Little Goat Diner in Chicago. The bottom line is they have traveled high and low throughout the country in search of the best barbecue and fried chicken.
Water Dog will continue as a food truck and catering events. All of the food establishments Steve and Robin have will continue to hit it out of the ballpark just like he hit the baseball out of the park in college.
Do yourself a favor and try the Betty’s brand. Your taste buds will thank you.
Betty’s BBQ & Fried Chicken will be located at 9315 Amherst, next to Betty’s Seafood.
Remember to support your local businesses, especially small businesses.
Rich Baehrle, of Berkshire Hathaway Fox and Roach, can be reached at 609-266-6680 or 609-641-0011. Email richardbaehrle@gmail.com or see
www.getrichinrealestateSJ.com
