Transforming Kingjaks: Change to events venue promises South MS beachside weddings
It may be known as Restaurant Row between U.S. 90 and the sand in Biloxi, but now something new is planned for this stretch of Biloxi beach.
“We’re calling it a wedding venue but it really is an events center,” said Freddie Fountain when describing the project at Wednesday’s Biloxi Development Review Committee meeting.
He’s the engineer overseeing the transformation of the former Kingjaks restaurant on the beach into a place that will host weddings, anniversary parties, Mardi Grass celebrations and other events.
Kingjaks barbecue restaurant closed in late 2024 when its dynamic owner, Ava Gazzo King, 37, lost her battle with cancer.
Just as King went forward and kept the restaurant open when the previous owner was going to close, the plan is to open a business that will create memories and jobs.
“We’re shooting for Sept. 1 for people to start booking,” said Rick Camarena, part of the ownership group with Rob Stinson, owner of The Reef restaurant, a few buildings east of the event venue, Salute Italian restaurant in Gulfport, and other businesses.
They are building Cristiano Boardwalk housing nearby on the beach and Camarena said they plan to keep two of the homes to accommodate families of the brides and grooms.
Weddings are big at the beach
The building is right on the beach and couples will be able to get married there, instead of having to cross the highway and the sand, Camarena said. It also has a full kitchen so food can be prepared on site rather than being brought to a venue.
A local wedding supplier told them they provide chairs, tables and other setups for 12 to 15 weddings a week in South Mississippi, he said, and both Friday and Saturday weddings are scheduled most weeks.
Friday weddings tend to be a little less expensive than Saturday, he said, but the parties need to be out by midnight so crews can come in at 7 a.m. to start setting up for the Saturday weddings.
The venue could host 10-15 weddings per weekend, with additional events during the week.
A new look
The building has seen a few remodels over the years, and the change to a wedding venue will be the biggest transformation yet.
The building already has a commercial-grade elevator, and a broad awning will be added so the wedding party and guests can be dropped off and picked up under cover should rain fall on their special day.
“We’re going to dress up the outside of it,” Fountain said, with a 3,500-square-foot addition, new windows on the front and overlooking the beach, a new roof, landscaping and a greenspace.
The building has 177 parking spaces for large events. It has an occupancy rating for nearly 600 people, Fountain said, but will accommodate about 400 seated.
