Story by Dianne Porchia

For two years, locals peered through the windows of the historic 1926 bank building on the corner of Main and Chestnut in Ventura, California, trying to get a glimpse of what would be the next new gentriflcation project in this fast-changing beach community northwest of Los Angeles.

"On my way to Santa Barbara to look at prospective properties for a restaurant, I ran out of gas at California Street and discovered the town of Ventura for the first time. I fell in love with it and saw the potential for growth. I've been living here now for three years, and I love it" explains Jim Rice, managing partner of Watermark on Main, which opened its doors in August.

Of late, this mission town (offlcially, San Buenaventura) has been steadily seeing mom-and-pop thrift stores turn into fashion and furnishing boutiques and "C" level eateries evolve into " A" level hot-spots drawing an affluent clientele from surrounding towns. "We're the first restaurant in Ventura with valet parking and a dress code," Rice proudly boasts. "In only a matter of weeks, we've gotten a reputation as a dinner destination."

Mark and Kathy Hartley, longtime residents of Ventura and major players in historic commercial real estate in the area, make up the other half of the business partnership in Watermark. "Jim came to me because I was the landlord on all the properties he was inquiring about," says Mark, a 32-year veteran of the music management industry in Los Angeles and Nashville, who is also Chairman of The Academy of Country Music.

"I'd have another appointment on a property in town and in walks Jim, saying, 'Oh, it's you again.' Eventually he said, 'Why don't we just do this thing together?' And so we did," explains Hartley. "I don't have the time or the restaurant experience that Jim does, but I have the properties and the music connections to make it fun."

Watermark definitely raises the bar for all of Main Street with its exquisite decor and attention to detail. "The biggest challenge in doing this project was retrofltting this 82-year-old building to accommodate an elevator to the rooftop lounge, while maintaining the historical integrity of the building," explains Rice. "We're both perfectionists in what we do: I, with my restaurant experience, and Mark with his knowledge and experience in restoring historic buildings."

Kathy Hartley, who owns and runs the Lavender Inn in nearby Ojai, is also a photographer whose work is featured on the numerous LCD monitors in the downstairs bar as well as the rooftop W20 Lounge. "We're going to showcase more local photographers' work in the coming months," says Rice. "The biggest surprise in opening up Watermark is how great our staff is," says the grateful restaurateur. "We interviewed 400 applicants and hired 60 employees-the best fine dining and bar professionals in the Ventura area."

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