About

John A. Flynn, purchased the restaurant in 1937 for $5,000.00 from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The newspaper had given up trying to sell the land as a retirement village for N.Y.C. police and firemen. At that time, property was selling in Ocean Bay Park for $600.00 for a building plot. The same size area today is worth about $250,000. In 1937 there were only about 20 houses in Ocean Bay Park, and no commercial businesses. Three times a week the "vegetable boat" would land the dock with fresh vegetables, ice, and other groceries.

Flynn's Restaurant, which became known as "The Casino", was built as a clubhouse, and included a large dock for transient and seasonal slips. In 1938, the infamous hurricane struck Fire Island, destroying hundreds of homes but sparing The Casino. It looked as if the hurricane had ruined business on the island, so John Flynn closed The Casino and rented The Oak Beach (better known as O.B.I.), on the Jones Beach causeway. Basically, a fishing inn, Flynn saw the potential for a seafood restaurant at Fire Island Inlet. However, his dream was never realized, when, a year later the war scare brought on the gas rationing. It became too difficult to reach O.B.I. by car.

Flynn then rented Maguire’s Restaurant in Ocean Beach, where he built a profitable business until his lease ran out in 1949. During the 10-year period, his five sons, Edward, John, Frank, James, and William helped him. With the expiration of his lease in Ocean Beach, the Flynn’s moved their operation back to Ocean Bay Park. Edward moved to Montauk Point, where he and his family still live. By degrees, the other brothers built up the huge complex, in the 80's consisting of Flynn’s Hotel, a short walk from the restaurant, on the ocean. The main building of the hotel was once The Point 'Woods Coast Guard Station; it dates to the 1880's, and was put up for sale by The Coast Guard in 1949, when Flynn bought it for $500. The Coast Guard offered other stations: Flynn bought three of them (one at the Fire Island Hotel consisted of 60 rooms, and was run by John's Wife, Katherine). Frank Flynn, always said "My father never had a partner, but my mother was always right beside him. She did the accounting, the cooking, and whatever had to be done."

John Flynn and his four sons returned to Ocean Bay Park to build up The Casino. They were mostly doing business with Point O' Woods at the time. The spirit of cooperation between the communities was enhanced during the 1939 hurricane when the Point 'Woods dock was wrecked, and Flynn allowed their ferry to dock at Ocean Bay Park.