Marina Cantina owner Thomas Genin has agreed to sell the Ocean Springs location to the Bacchus Team, which currently operates eight restaurants on the coast. Genin will remain the owner of Marina Cantina in Gulfport and install a new chef and management team.

“This is a unique opportunity to see a successful concept grow in Ocean Springs,” Genin said. “The sale frees me up a bit to further focus on the growth of The Blind Tiger and Marina Cantina Gulfport.”

Genin recently announced the fifth location of Bay St. Louis-based The Blind Tiger, which will open on the Fairhope Municipal Pier in Fairhope, Alabama in early 2023. Other locations include Slidell, Madisonville, Bay St. Louis and Biloxi. Marina Cantina in Gulfport, which opened in 2020, is a full- service, waterside restaurant located on Bernard Bayou.

Marina Cantina in Ocean Springs opened in March at 705 Bienville Blvd. near the Biloxi Bay Bridge. The new restaurant will be called Bacchus on the Bayou, joining Bacchus on the Beach in Pass Christian.

“We created Bacchus as a place for people to come together and enjoy food, drinks, and community,” Bacchus Team president Jourdan Nicaud says. “We can’t wait to bring a similar atmosphere and the same delicious coastal cuisine to Ocean Springs. The Bacchus Team values its connection with the Gulf Coast and we take pride in calling Mississippi our home.”

The ownership transfer of Marina Cantina in Ocean Springs will become official November 1 and it will remain open until then.

“We are excited to see the Bacchus brand continuing its growth with high-quality dining coming to our location,” says Kelly Spinner, president of Kelspin Holdings II, the property owner and landlord. “With Bacchus on the Bayou and Eat Drink Love next door, this is a perfect combination for this location.”