Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Baumann.
Hi Andy , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in the restaurant industry. I started working at the Bali Hai Restaurant in the front of the house when I was 12 years old. I worked at the Bali Hai with my mother and father all through high school. After high school I went to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was planning on attending Medical School. During the year I took off between undergraduate and graduate school, I bartended at the Bali Hai restaurant and never left. Soon after my family decided to extend our lease on the San Diego Bay and remodel the Bali Hai restaurant. When we reopened after our major renovation, I was the lead bartender, and I even served our 2 Millionth Mai Tai. I quickly moved from behind the bar into management with my parents Larry and Susie and eldest brother, Grant.
My love of the industry only continued to grow. Within three years of remodeling the Bali Hai Restaurant, our family decide it was time to renovate our Grandfather’s namesake and dream restaurant Tom Ham’s Lighthouse. One major goal after the remodel was to add family presence back into the daily operations. To accomplish his goal, my brother Grant and I moved over as the general managers of Tom Ham’s Lighthouse. Building a team of employees that has truly become family and does an amazing job representing my family’s brand is incredibly rewarding. We are extremely blessed to have two beautiful locations. Creating a following through our dining room service, our happy hours or through the thousands of events we have put on over the years, we have truly woven ourselves into the fabric of local communities lives.
Tom Ham, my grandfather bought the Bali Hai Restaurant in 1954. In 1969 he walked Harbor Island with my mother, Susan Baumann when it was just a sandbar and picked the location for his next project. Unfortunately, grandpa passed away a year after Tom Ham’s Lighthouse’s open. My mother, Susie took over and with the help of many others she survived that trying time. Aside from the restaurants we are very involved in the California Restaurant Association at the state level and the local San Diego Chapter.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Anyone operating a business in California knows nothing comes easy. It gets more complicated when you are in the restaurant industry, which we operate on such slim margins and have a very low success rate. Next, when you look at how many 3rd generation businesses survive, statistics show that those numbers are extremely low. With all those odds stacked against us, my family continues to push through and provide customers with an incredible dining experience. Having our parents as guides through all these challenges is a major reason for our company’s success. My brothers and I are the next generation and we have seen what it takes, and we are committed to operate this business daily.
We have owned and operated the Bali Hai restaurant for 68 years and Tom Ham’s Lighthouse for 51 years. Mixing the knowledge and experience of my parents, with the vision and ambitions of my brothers and I we believe that has allowed us to transcend generations. When we remodeled the Bali Hai restaurant, we transitioned to an ala carte menu, added a happy hour, and managed to keep the Bai Hai vibes that customers had grown accustomed to for multiple generations. In the remodel of Tom Ham’s Lighthouse we added a Ceremony site for weddings, an outdoor dining patio and took our menu back to the original vision Grandpa had with raw oysters. Those were major changes that came with tons of struggle but were vital to our company’s success.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
History of Tom Ham (Andy’s Grandfather)
Tom Ham loved adventure. A renowned amateur historian and UCLA graduate, he came to San Diego in 1955 to build his dream. After turning Bali Hai, a struggling Shelter Island restaurant at the time, into a vibrant success, he turned his passion for great experiences toward a new venture: the Lighthouse.
It all began with a walk along Shelter Island. Tom foresaw a booming future for San Diego and envisioned a restaurant fit to savor the view for years to come.
Perhaps it was the charm of a functioning beacon along the property or just his love for ambitious projects that drew him in, in either case Tom found the perfect place to build his next dream. He infused his love of California history and adventure into the design of his restaurant, shaping it in the form of the state itself and incorporating the working Beacon #9 into the design with his very own fog bell.
Now one of San Diego’s most recognized architectural landmarks, Tom’s legacy lives on. Today, his daughter Susie Baumann runs the restaurant with her husband Larry and sons Grant, Tommy and Andy and pursue Tom’s vision of capturing the California spirit with excellent dining, exceptional service, and unforgettable experiences.
About our Cuisine :
Fine Dining Seafood Restaurant featuring a local beer list with 32 tap handles and and extraordinary wine list.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We are a local owned and operated business. We provide jobs to people in our community. We are here to show San Diegans and anyone visiting our city an amazing dining experience. At both Bali Hai restaurant and Tom Ham’s Lighthouse we have happy hour in our bar and lounge Monday-Friday 3pm-6pm, Brunch on Sundays, Lunch Monday-Saturday and Dinner everyday of the week. We also have gorgeous banquet facilities to host functions from 20 guests up to 250 guests. If you haven’t tried Bali Hai Restaurant or Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, we would love to show you a memorable experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: tomhamslighthouse.com/ and balihairestaurant.com
- Instagram: @tomhamslighthouse
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomHamsLighthouse/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tom-hams-lighthouse-san-diego
