Joe’s Crab Shack returns to Pier 19

It’s a go for Joe’s: Nearly three years after Hurricane Ike wiped it out, Joe’s Crab Shack returns next week to Pier 19 in the island’s downtown. The casual dining eatery known for crab dishes, steampots and seafood platters will open Monday after an 11 a.m. ribbon cutting.

Ignite Restaurant Group, the parent company of Joe’s Crab Shack, had always planned to reopen an eatery at the 2000 Harborside Drive site, which it leases from the Port of Galveston. But engineering issues made it slow going. Ike swamped the building with storm surge. Federal and city codes required higher elevations after Ike, meaning a simple rebuild was out of the question.

The restaurant will employ 175 people and can accommodate 290 guests. New amenities include an outdoor fire pit for locals and tourists to enjoy after sunset.

To mark its return, the restaurant Monday will award the first 100 patrons vouchers for a free snow crab bucket every month for a year. Joe’s Crab Shack also will offer coupons for free desserts, appetizers and entrees in exchange for charitable donations this month and in July.

Houston-based Ignite Restaurant Group is bullish on the island. Earlier this year, it reopened Joe’s Crab Shack in a new building at 3502 Seawall Blvd. and a opened Brick House + Tavern next door.

Brick House, a new concept for the island, is a Hooters competitor known for beer, fetching females and guy-friendly food.

Market news: It’s known for fresh fruit and vegetable smoothies, along with tea, organic and fair trade coffees, sustainably grown produce and natural foods. Now, by customer demand, Oasis Juice Bar & Market, 409 25th St. in the island’s downtown, has added sandwiches and daily lunch specials to its offerings. Daily specials include such fare as rice bowls with vegetables, greens and sauteed sesame tofu or spinach, tomato and feta quiche. Today’s special is buckwheat soba noodles with peanut ginger sauce, green onions and peppers and rice wasabi chips.

Sandwiches served every day include a veggie burger on an organic whole wheat bun or an avocado, cheese and sprout sandwich, to name a few. For information, visit www.oasisjuicemarket.com.

For Sale: Beer wholesaler Del Papa Distributing Co. has put its island warehouses and offices, 6702 Broadway, up for sale. The asking price for offices, multiple loading docks, air-conditioned warehouses and some undeveloped adjoining land is $5.6 million. Bob Trask, broker/owner of Re/Max Associates in League City, is listing the property.

The offer is no surprise, of course. Del Papa, which began on the island a century ago, broke ground last month on a Texas City distribution center, an $18 million project. Del Papa, an exclusive Anheuser-Busch distributor, serves a 17-county South Texas territory stretching from north of Beaumont to south of Victoria.

Officials said the move was purely strategic and necessary for efficiency.

Del Papa employees will continue to use its island facility until its Texas City facilities are complete in the middle of next year.

Want to talk about it? Visit Buzz Blog at galvnews.com.

Tremont triumph: One of the largest online travel services caused quite a buzz when it named The Tremont House, 2300 Ship’s Mechanic Row, among the top-ranked hotels in the world. The 119-room downtown island hotel was 84 on Expedia Insiders’ Select list of 500 properties around the world. To view the list, visit www.expedia.com/daily/promos/hotel/InsidersSelect.

Where’s Jack?: The abrupt closure of Jack in the Box, 164 Interstate 45, in League City, has readers craving answers. Officials with the fast-food chain this week said “sales weren’t at a level to sustain operations” at the eatery, which opened in 1986 and closed at the end of May, when its lease expired.

Officials with the San Diego-based chain also blamed problems with access after construction of a median on FM 518. Still, Jack in the Box is well represented in League City with two other restaurants — 1908 E. Main St. and 1665 W. FM 646.

And here’s some trivia. Did you know 775 Jack in the Box tacos are eaten each minute for a total of 400 million tacos each year?

Hole truth: Only a sprinkling of details were available, but readers are happily reporting that Santa Fe is soon to be home to Donut Hole, 13805 FM 1764, just a short distance from the intersection of state Highway 6 and FM 1764. Stay tuned.

Say cheese (and wine): If you’ve ever had questions about Bay Oaks Health Care Center, 424 N. Tarpey in Texas City, here’s your chance to ask. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, the center is inviting the public to a wine and cheese gathering to see the start of refurbishments. Physicians, case managers and nurses will attend the event.

Bay Oaks provides 24-hour skilled nursing care, oncology and pain management, transportation, hospice and respite care and companionship, among other services. For information, call 409-938-8431.

Biz Buzz appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.