Business

Eklunds will reopen Chequit this season as sale remains in the works

PETER BOODY PHOTO | The Chequit will be in full swing this season under the continuing ownership of James and Linda Eklund, Mr. Eklund said this week. Meanwhile its sale remains in the works..

Expect the Chequit Inn to continue to be run by James and Linda Eklund this summer as they continue to hammer out a contract for its sale to Cape Advisors of Cape May, New Jersey, and New York City.

The word came from broker Brandon Tarpey, director of sales for Massey Knakal Realty Services in New York City, who is handling the pending sale. He estimated that a deal could close at the end of the summer or early fall.

Mr. Eklund’s initial response to Mr. Tarpey’s statement was similar to what he said last winter after the Chequit won ZBA approval for variances needed to construct a pool and patio a the inn. The ZBA action was a condition of the sale and at the time the principles predicted a closing in the near future.

“It’s never a done deal until it’s done,” Mr. Eklund reiterated in a telephone interview Friday morning. But he added, “We’re optimistic” about closing a deal with Cape Advisors that maintains several hotels in Cape May and is involved in renovations of the former Bulova Watch factory being converted to condominiums in Sag Harbor.

“We’re fully focused on running it this summer,” Mr. Eklund said about the Chequit, promising there would be a lot of “exciting” events happening at the Heights-based inn.

For the complete version of this story, see next week’s May 17 Reporter print edition.