Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

EDITOR’S NOTE: 

This story was originally published in November 2022. It was one of our most read stories from the year. 

 

Glenn and Gennia Weatherington are leaving Down on Mainstreet in the hands of Beaufort County natives who have a long history at the restaurant. 

 

The Weatheringtons have owned the restaurant since 2005. They also own a gift shop across from the restaurant called NautiLife. Gennia said NautiLife will continue to be open and operate as usual, except she will work full-time there.

 

Down on Mainstreet was started as a casual dining restaurant. The Weatheringtons started the restaurant because at the time, they felt Washington had several high-end restaurants, but it needed a place with a fun atmosphere where people could come from their boat wearing board shorts and flip flops and not feel out of place. 

 

The new owners Lee and Marina Wood are from Beaufort County like the Weatheringtons. Marina worked at the restaurant for eight years starting when she was 16. Down on Mainstreet is where she met her husband. It has been her dream to own a restaurant. 

 

“I wanted to own a restaurant, but it’s so hard to do from the ground up,” Marina said. “[The Weatheringtons] have had a pretty good one for the past 17 years. I heard they were wanting to sell so we contacted them.” 

 

Lee added the Weatheringtons have helped them transition into new ownership. “They could have said ‘alright here you go. Fly.’ But they have helped us out a lot through this whole transition. We really appreciate that.” 

 

It’s bittersweet for the Weatheringtons to transition out of ownership. 

 

“I’d say it’s bittersweet, but at the same time the great thing is we love the idea that these two bought it for the simple fact that they are local and they have some history with Down on Mainstreet. To me, that’s very important,” Glenn said.  

 

It’s a “weird” feeling for Glenn to not be an owner of Down on Mainstreet, but he said “it was time” for him and Gennia as well as the Woods. 

Weatherington likened watching the City of Washington grow over the last 17 years to watching a child grow up. He believes Washington is “definitely starting to prosper and heading in a great direction.” 

 

The main thing Lee and Marina Wood want residents to know is that nothing about Down on Mainstreet will change. Everything will remain the same.