With the pull of the excavator, the Dock & Dine Restaurant that sat at Saybrook Point for decades came crashing down.
The demolition came as a result of two major storms. Dock & Dine was damaged during Hurricane Irene, rebuilt, then destroyed again months later by Superstorm Sandy.
Locals said they were personally affected by the demolition. It's where Brenda Mahoney, of Vernon, went for her first date with her husband in 1985.
“We've been coming back to the place ever since," said Mahoney. "So this is going to be something to miss."
She took pictures as the machines tore apart the restaurant and grabbed a little piece of history for herself before it came down.
“I was bold enough to ask the owner and a young lady near the building, so they ran inside with me and grabbed a picture and two wine glasses, something from inside as a memory,” said Mahoney.
But the Dock & Dine will not be gone for good. Restaurant owner Jon Kodama hopes to rebuild in time for the summer.
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“Hopefully within the next two three weeks, we'll start driving piles for the new structure,” said Kodama.
The new restaurant will be about 15 feet above sea level, which will hopefully be high enough to survive any future storms.
