This Q&A initiative individually highlights our Pennies for Preservation partners so our island community can connect with and get to know each business further. Read below to learn some interesting facts about these dedicated preservation partners!
Our Pennies for Preservation partner Sam Ghioto of Sam Ghioto Studio is passionate about storytelling. In fact, it’s been the goal of his business from the very beginning. “I want to serve the community through creative storytelling,” Sam said. “No matter what the project is, I’m always figuring out how to incorporate story because it’s what our minds latch on to.”
Sam believes the way to differentiate yourself from all the “noise” online is through authentic means. “Whether we’re scrolling online or watching a three-hour movie, authentic stories are what we crave,” Sam said. “This is what drives engagement on all media platforms.”
With more photo and video shoots than 2021 and 2022 combined, Sam Ghioto Studio has had its most successful year in 2023. “I’m really proud of how far my business has come in the last few years,” Sam said. “I look forward to all the stories I’ll help my clients tell in 2024.”
Our Pennies for Preservation partner Maggie Hughes, owner of Maggie Hughes Events, always dreamed of owning her own event planning company. After graduating college, she worked in various roles within the wedding industry, including floral design, and food and beverage. “I completely fell in love with watching someone’s big day come to life,” she remembers.
In 2018, Maggie made a cross country move to the state of Washington with her husband Blake. Though she loved a lot about the Pacific Northwest, her heart belonged on St. Simons Island, and she moved back to Georgia in 2019. With her previous wedding coordination experience, she had many friends who reached out for planning advice or day-of coordination. “I quickly remembered how much I love the thrill (and chaos) that comes with planning events,” Maggie said. “From there, Maggie Hughes Events was born!”
MHE’s slogan is “creating unforgettable moments”. “Each client’s event and vision is unique,” Maggie said. “I always set out to provide a personalized experience.” She believes that life’s biggest moments should be celebrated to the fullest and considers it an honor to be a part of each event. “And I love that we get to celebrate these life-changing days on such a beautiful island, thanks to the St. Simons Land Trust!”
Our Pennies for Preservation partner Parker Alexander, owner of Empire Sky Co., recently shared with us what inspired him to start his full-service photo and video company in 2016.
“Seven years ago, I was working in a cubicle in Atlanta and was unfulfilled with what I was doing . . . . During this time, my son was born prematurely weighing only 2 lbs.10 oz. I spent 3 months with him in the NICU, and it completely changed my life. I learned that life was precious, and I wanted to be happy in my career. My son’s health and well-being were my top priority, so I wanted the autonomy in my schedule to be able to spend a lot of time with him.”
Parker, who is a St. Simons native, told us he always had a passion for photo and video creation, so it was a natural fit to start his own company. “My main goal is to help local businesses solve a problem and find a solution when it comes to their strategic marketing and media needs.”
We asked our partners at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort to share some insider tips for those wishing to visit the resort before the end of the year.
Bart Johnson, the General Manager of King and Prince, told us that November and December rates are a STEAL (hint: book those rooms now!). “The holiday programming around the resort during this time is truly beautiful,” Bart said. For those looking to enjoy St. Simons’ only beach-front restaurant, ECHO’s happy hour is the place to be! On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the restaurant has live music. Drinks with a view AND a show? Yes, please! If you’re visiting the island with your kids, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit The Cottage, the resort’s custard and coffee shop. Bart says, “The playground at The Cottage has become as much of a hit for the kiddos as the frozen custard!”
Our Pennies for Preservation partner, Travelmation – Heather Honaker, specializing in Destination Vacations, shared with us the two slogans she likes to use in her line of work and now we’re itching to travel!
The first is, “Get out there!” This one reminds her that we have a whole world to discover. “It’s so fun to experience new destinations and cultures,” she says.
The second is, “Leave this world with memories, not dreams.” This one serves as a reminder that if you have a place on your bucket list, now is the time to start planning. Heather encourages her clients by saying, “We never know what the future holds, so create memories with your loved ones while you can!”
Susan Muscari Komoto, co-owner of Golden Isles Getaways, grew up on St. Simons Island and recently moved back home with her family permanently. She believes the island is a place like no other and we couldn’t agree more!
“While living in other parts of the United States, I have never found another place with the same feeling of community and belonging,” Susan says. “The peaceful lure of the island, its largely unspoiled natural beauty, and the southern hospitality of its people simply can’t be duplicated. It’s my home. Always has been. Always will be. And I’m thrilled to share that with my children now.”
This feeling of home is something Susan strives to share with her Golden Isles Getaways guests and is largely why the business achieved AirBNB Superhost status within its first 3 months of launching and has maintained the status quarterly. To exceed guest expectations, Susan’s family insists on living in their properties so they can fully anticipate guests’ needs. The Golden Isles Getaways team works tirelessly to make their properties feel like a home away from home, encouraging guests to return again and again with their families and friends.
We were incredibly inspired when Cherise Cartwright, founder of Golf Club Realty, shared with us the MOM POWER behind her business and we think you will be, too!
After Cherise sold her real estate business in Macon, GA in 2019, she and her husband, Dialo, relocated for the 5th time in 18 years. This time, they moved to St. Simons for Dialo’s work. At that point, Cherise vowed to just “relax” on the island. Once here, she got involved in local civic groups and non-profit board service. It only took a couple of years before Cherise decided that she wasn’t ready for retirement life and got back into the Real Estate business.
In February 2022, Golf Club Realty was born, inside of the Sanctuary Golf Club in Waverly, GA where the main goal was to sell dirt (subdivision lots). From there, her business bloomed. Growth came with its fair share of mistakes, but those mistakes allowed her to make even better decisions. One of those decisions was to hire local moms from the MOMS Club of SSI.
“These women have immense skills opting to stay at home with their children,” Cherise says. “Together, we work from home, as a team, each with individual skills and personalities, and lots of kiddos. We have a productive work-life balance and provide each other with some good mother to mother mental health therapy whenever needed!”
Sal’s Neighborhood Pizzeria, one of our beloved Pennies for Preservation partners, is a local institution with rich history on St. Simons Island. While many of you know the story behind the restaurant’s name, we’re sure there are some who do not!
Sal’s Neighborhood Pizzeria was named after its original owner, the late Sal “Rocky” Cenicola, a Guinness Book of World Record holder for boxing. Sal was born and raised in New Jersey and was well known for his boxing skills in Atlantic City. He trained with Robert Duran, Aaron Pryor, Bobby Czyz and Vinnie Pazienza at the world-famous Gleason’s Gym.
Sal understood and appreciated southern comfort food but he knew St. Simons was lacking a key component – a pizzeria! He opened Sal’s Neighborhood Pizzeria using recipes for pizzas and Italian dinners that have been passed down in his family for generations. Sal believed that Italians have a true “romance with food”, which is why “Lascia che a romanticismo abbia inizio” (Let the romance begin) is written above the door.
Italians are known for celebrating life and transforming strangers into friends, which is why Sal always said, “Sal’s is where new faces become old friends and our family tradition is to serve you the very best.”
When Suzy Dmetruk, owner of Suzy Dmetruk Art, is asked about her inspiration for painting, she simply says, “Whatever moves my soul.” Whether it’s a beach at sunset or a quiet event in her daily life, there is inspiration all around her on St. Simons!
Suzy remembers first moving to the island and being almost overwhelmed by the scenes and sensations of the landscape. “I wanted to capture every morning on the beach, every sunset over the marsh, each cloud formation, each majestic oak, each new bird and wildlife.”
Over time, Suzy began painting more of what she feels and less of what she sees. “I’ve come to embrace the feelings these tangible objects and scenes represent to me. I no longer want to chronicle the actual image of the scene or subject but to translate these objects into moods and more abstract moments in paint . . . . On one hand, there is peace, stillness, and a natural sense of calmness. On the other, there is joy, exuberance, and the thrilling energy of life. Every day, these contrasting moods give me a great sense of gratitude for this special place.”
Painting is Suzy’s way of celebrating and sharing what moves her. We hope you can dive into her paintings and find something that feeds your soul, too. Thank you, Suzy, for appreciating all aspects of St. Simons’ beauty and partnering with us to preserve it!
We love learning about the history of our Pennies for Preservation partner businesses! Our partners at Maggie’s Boutique recently shared with us some fun trivia, including how the store got its name.
Owner Adgate and Manager Merrill (shown here) shared that Maggie’s Boutique opened in 1974 as The Pappagallo Patch. After several years, they wanted to expand their apparel lines which meant they needed to change their name. When deciding on the new name of the store, Merrill said the initials of her siblings made up the beginning. “The M was for Merrill. The A was for Adgate. The G was for our brother’s nickname, our maiden name, and Georgia.” M-A-G quickly led to Maggie’s!
Merrill graciously added, “We love supporting the Land Trust and always appreciate them finding land to save and keep the island green.”
We recently asked our partners at The Bubble Bar at Two Friends to share with us how the champagne bar and wine shop came to be. Store owner Marti Tolleson was pleased to share more of its history!
As you can imagine, Two Friends was started by two great friends, Marti Tolleson and Francie Hargrove, more than 20 years ago in Perry, Georgia. When Francie moved to North Carolina in 2008, Marti bought the business. Two years later, Marti, her husband Tee, and her children Trae and Sallie, moved to St. Simons Island. In 2012, the doors of Two Friends – St. Simons were opened! Marti eventually sold her Perry location to a former manager and opened another location on the island called Two Friends, Too, which featured French and English antiques and home accessories. It wasn’t until 2015 that Marti acquired the building we know and love at 295 Redfern Village and merged the two stores.
With a desire to enhance the in-store shopping experience, The Bubble Bar at Two Friends was launched in 2022. “The Bubble Bar is not only a champagne bar but also offers a sommelier curated collection of sustainable wines from around the world that can be purchased by the bottle,” Marti shared. “In addition to educational wine tastings, shoppers can enjoy a glass of bubbles while perusing the store and can relax on the patio, which is peacefully tucked away under beautiful live oaks.”
We recently asked our Pennies for Preservation partners at SocialCompass to share why the word “compass” was included in the digital marketing agency’s name. Owners Jared and Jessica DiVincent (pictured here) were happy to explain that the agency’s name and brand incorporate their passion for travel and exploration. We love that!
Jared shared, “Eleven years ago, I launched SocialCompass to help local businesses navigate the world of digital marketing (website creation, social media marketing, and other digital marketing techniques) to grow their business. We’ve since grown into a national agency representing clients, primarily in the hospitality industry, across the U.S. (and Canada). Using a teach-first strategy, we help ensure our clients fully understand the strategies implemented to reach their goals and love when our team becomes an extension of our client’s in-house team working seamlessly together.”
Jared and Jessica believe the contribution and support of local nonprofits, including the St. Simons Land Trust, create a healthier, stronger, and more sustainable community.
Our partners at The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island use the phrase “. . . nature is the luxury.” in a lot of their marketing, so we asked them to share a little more about what that means.
Jamie Pazur, the island’s General Manager, said, “We strive to provide all our guests with warm Southern hospitality, lovely accommodations, delicious food, and fun adventures, but they’re not the point, really. What we’re known for and what we want to share with people is simply: the luxury of nature. That can mean a lot of things: truck safaris with our naturalists, walks through ancient maritime forests, picking up sand dollars on the beach, watching the sun set from creek-side swings, casting a line into a fishing hole, kayaking through marshes teeming with wildlife, or just reclining on a porch with a book. However our guests choose to luxuriate in nature, we hope they enjoy the natural beauty and unspoiled environment of this beautiful island, and we’re so glad to be able to share it with them.”
Have you ever wondered where the name “Lilmar” from Lilmar Properties comes from? Owners Adam and Beth Witt shared recently that their company name blossomed from the names of their daughter Lily and their fur baby Marley. How sweet!
“Family has always been a very strong part of our lives,” Adam said. “Beth and I wanted to make sure that Lilmar Properties had that deep connection and reminder of Family everyday with our business.” Now that Lilmar Properties has grown to a team of ten, their culture and mission are still strongly centered around their Team & Family. “This new idea of Team & Family is a large part of what our team executes every day to deliver a Five Star experience for our owners and our guests.”
We love learning more about our Pennies for Preservation partners and we hope you do, too! When we asked Gavin Sellers, owner of Gavin Sellers Creative, to share an interesting fact about himself, we learned that he’s a third-generation entrepreneur.
“My father started his lawn care business in 1988 and my grandfather opened his auto shop in 1962; both still in business today,” Gavin shared. “Growing up in my dad’s business taught me the invaluable lesson that hard work and persistence outweighs the challenging nature of owning and operating your own company.”
Gavin’s story began in 2017 when a friend of a friend asked him to film his wedding. “At the time, I had recently purchased an entry level DSLR camera from Walmart and installed Adobe Premiere Pro with a deep fascination of arranging video clips in a way that told a story. This hobby quickly turned into a creative outlet for me and later, a full-time job.” In 2023, Gavin will be celebrating his 6th year in business and he “couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”
We asked our Pennies for Preservation partner Ross Smith, owner of Electric Coast, about his business’s motto. Here is what he said!
“You could say our motto is ‘E is for Everyone.’ At Electric Coast, the belief is that electric bikes (‘e-bikes’) are truly for everyone, removing barriers to bike riding and encouraging adult riders of all ages and abilities to spend more time actively enjoying the outdoors. There are many benefits to being active more often from improved mood to sleep quality to cardiovascular and muscular health. E-bikes provide a great opportunity to enjoy those things because they’re simple, accessible, and affordable. Plus, they’re tons of fun and put a big grin on the face of almost every customer we have!” Electric Coast handles e-bike sales, service, and rentals.
We asked our partners at Sea Island Resorts to share one of their most exciting updates from the year so far. Without hesitation, the team was thrilled to share the success of their sea turtle nesting season. They shared that in 2022, “Sea Island recorded its biggest nesting season in the last 30 years with 144 nests! This led to a total of 8,733 hatchlings and counting.” As the resort celebrates this record year for sea turtles, they are also celebrating a record-setting year for their Adopt-A-Nest program. “All donations raised as part of the program, which topped $58,000 in the 2022 season, go directly to the Wildlife Conservation Fund within the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.”
Have you ever wondered where the name “Fuse” comes from? Justin Henshaw, owner of Fuse Frozen Co, told us that the name comes from the verb: to become one by blending or melting together. Justin added, “Not only is that what our product is – swirled flavors of yogurt and favorite treats mixed together – it’s what we all do when we go to Fuse together. If [these] past [couple of years have] taught us anything, it is that we’re all better together, and we’ve come to realize just how important being together is. As a community, we have come together to make our home a special place and preserving properties like Oatland Hasell North through the Pennies for Preservation program helps make that happen.”
When we asked Chris Morgan, owner of CPM Event Services, what separates his company from its competitors, he explained, “We pride ourselves in hospitality, personality, and years of professional experience. We provide five-star service to our clients while matching their special date with the talent it deserves. We love celebrations and like Gretchen Wilson says, we’re “Here for the party!””
Traci Lee, owner of East Beach Yoga on St. Simons, recently shared with us why her partnership with the Land Trust means so much to her. She explained that as a child, she envisioned growing up to be an environmental lobbyist. “For the love of nature and space to connect with others, I feel this partnership with SSLT has allowed that dream to manifest in a very special way . . . . Rather than a petition for protection in [Washington, D.C.], I have the opportunity to educate, encourage and advocate for my home while also sharing with others a lifestyle practice that can transform a physical body, mind and heart.”
Have you ever wondered how to accurately pronounce Dulce Dough? We asked owner Ryanne Carrier to settle the debate and share the meaning behind the name of her charming bakery on St. Simons.
“It seems as though everyone has their own unique way of saying our shop’s name,” Ryanne said. She shared that most often, patrons pronounce the name as “Dol Chee” or “Dool Seh.” She further explains, “Technically the name has Latin roots and should be pronounced “Dool Seh” Dough. However, the shop is named after my daughter, Dulcimer. Her given nickname is Dulce, Spanish for Sweet or Gentle. Which was extremely fitting for her because she was the most loving child you could imagine.”
Ryanne adds, “When [Dulcimer] began attending kindergarten in Oak Park, Illinois, [her nickname] quickly went from the proper pronunciation to a very Americanized with nasal Chicago inflection, “Duhl See”. It took just a few weeks at school to solidify the pronunciation change. As a tribute to my daughter, the shop pronunciation is “Duhl See”.”
Our partners at Dorothy’s Cocktail & Oyster Bar celebrated their one-year anniversary in April. With their first year under their belt, we asked owners Claire and Daniel Auffenberg if they would share any lessons learned. Daniel shared, “When we first opened Dorothy’s, we did not anticipate the multitude of challenges that we would end up facing over the first year, but through those challenges we have grown and honestly we could not be happier with where we are in our journey at the moment. At times, it has been hard to find the motivation to push forward, but what has kept us going is the overwhelming support of so many of our regulars, as well as first time guests, and the hard work and dedication of our team.”
Claire and Daniel shared that operating a restaurant has taught them how to be better guests at other establishments. “We know everyone in our industry is trying their best and what’s most important is to be kind to each other and to give grace when needed.” The Dorothy’s couple loves this community and they hope to see you in their dining room soon!
If you ask Bob Thompson, owner of Creative Printing Inc., what the key is to establishing a strong and meaningful relationship with clients, his answer will always be “Collaboration.” Forty-two years ago, Bob opened Creative Printing with the promise to provide the best integrated printing solutions possible. Today, this locally owned and operated company is a premier commercial sheetfed and digital printer that serves businesses all over the nation! And while this success is something to be very proud of, Bob reminds himself often that. “…it is members of the Golden Isles community who helped start and continue to sustain [us].”
The team at Creative Printing produces a wide variety of marketing materials for the businesses they work with such as menus, brochures and flyers, letterhead and envelopes, signs and banners, postcards and so much more.
In addition to supporting the Pennies For Preservation program, Bob has served up mouth-watering low country boil at the Land Trust’s annual Oyster Roast for more than twenty years!
The story behind Pier Village Market on St. Simons is an interesting one! Chris Morgan, owner of PVM, shared with us that the idea came to light after talks of a proposed development was approved in the Pier Village in 2019. The plan included demolishing the “huts” known as “Pier Village Market.” Chris explained that this demolition “would cause a number of businesses to lose their homes and [would] add to the growing need on [St. Simons] for commercial real estate.”
Not long after, Beachview Books, a Pier Village staple for more than 50 years, closed its doors at historic 215 Mallory Street. “With patience, elbow grease, and a lot of LOVE we remodeled the 2,200 square foot building into a multi professional floor plan with ten rentable Suites throughout.” Today, these Suites are home to retail shops, real estate offices, take out restaurants, and general office spaces.
Helping businesses of all shapes and sizes develop or enhance their brand image is what Commonground Creative does best. “We’re a husband-and-wife team dedicated to bettering our community by serving others, in both business relations and volunteer efforts,” says Clay Caldwell, co-owner of Commonground Creative. While Clay leads the charge on all creative services, his wife Jenna manages marketing strategies.
After hearing their clients’ stories and understanding their needs, Clay and Jenna work closely with their clients to provide creative solutions that are not only special and unique to them, but also make a mark in their industry. “This is what we often refer to as ‘Finding Common Ground’.”
When we asked Chris Moncus of Chris Moncus Photography to share his business motto, we couldn’t help but smile!
“We photograph happy people at their happiest.”
And when you look through some of Chris’s photos, it’s easy to see how that motto has paid off. He further explained, “We want to help [our clients] remember the best times and share them with friends, family, or [their] customers. [Their] happiness is our happiness!”
Grinder to griddle is the Certified Burgers and Beverage mentality. This locally-owned establishment serves wholesome, fresh, and locally-sourced food ranging from salads to hand cut fries and fresh ground patties to thick, luscious milkshakes – all made in-house. The Certified team has created a warm, comfortable environment with excellent service, delicious cooking, and handcrafted cocktails.
The owners that brought you Certified Burgers and Beverage are happy to announce their newest business venture, and soon-to-be Pennies for Preservation partner, Certified Pantry and Provisions. The Pantry is a grab-and-go restaurant including a Five-Star dining approach to family meals.
Chef David Carrier (pictured), Bo Chambliss and Jessica Snyder are “extremely proud” of their team for their hard over the last six years and look forward to adding more staff and days of operation to both establishments very soon.
When we asked Owen Plant, owner of Lulu Entertainment if there was an interesting story behind his business’s name, we loved learning that his dog Lulu was the namesake! Owen’s first client was The Westin Jekyll Island. The hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Kevin Baker, jokingly referred to Owen’s business as “Lulu Entertainment.” Owen told us, “Kevin was taking me through billing protocols and said ‘then, LuLu Entertainment bills us.’ He was joking, but Lulu was our crazy Pomeranian mix dog. Her energy summed up my brain and company perfectly…a scramble for perfection!”
Mary Anderson had several coastal towns to choose from when deciding where to relocate and open her art gallery, Anderson Fine Art Gallery. When we asked why she chose St. Simons Island 24 years ago Mary said, “The welcoming [live] oaks gave me a feeling of stability, healing, and permanence…it was as if they enfolded me, and I knew I was home.” And we couldn’t agree more! There’s just something magical about an ancient live oak with sprawling, moss-draped limbs.
Throughout the last two decades, Anderson Fine Art Gallery has become a destination for the finest in original paintings. The gallery represents an outstanding group of professional and emerging artists with a selection of landscapes, still life, figurative, interiors and sculpture. And for 14 years the gallery has sponsored Painting Workshops taught by nationally recognized artists.
Sarah Callaway, our local bagel expert, and owner of Sandy Bottom Bagels said the favorite on St. Simons must be the ‘Everything Bagel’ because it is ordered most often. Sarah blew our minds when she shared that the Sandy Bottom Bagels team baked over 100,000 BAGELS in 2021. That’s nearly 2,000 bagels per week! In that same week, SBB makes an average of 90 pounds of cream cheese that will be served with those authentic New York style bagels.
What makes our community newspaper, The Brunswick News, unique? Publisher C.H. “Buff” Leavy IV proudly shared how The Brunswick News is one of the oldest family-owned, independent newspapers in Georgia and one of the few family-controlled newspapers left in the nation. Furthermore, Buff said that “The Brunswick News is blessed to have a very loyal readership that has stayed strong even during some of the most challenging times for the newspaper industry in the last 15 years.
“About 1,500 newspapers have shut down since 2008, while the majority of other daily newspapers have significantly cut their newsroom staff literally to the bone. In comparison – we have not cut back on our local coverage – our newsroom number currently has 12 journalists in the mix covering, in one form or another, all-different aspects of the community, including all our local governments, public safety, a large variety of life news, nonprofits, and then of course local sports.
“There is incredible value in having journalists who routinely cover government meetings and who check and report on police reports and other public safety functions. Often, citizens reflect on what is reported and major stories develop. Another value that has recently been lost in several community newspapers is the ability for local nonprofits and other groups or individuals to get the word out on upcoming events, challenges they’re currently facing, and important causes they’re raising money for. These community members can call on [The Brunswick News] and get news coverage to help them. I see this as an important and valuable service of a good newspaper. We do have limits, but I have seen through the years this newspaper and its team step up and do its best to help with so many different needs that come our way.
“I know we are blessed to have individuals working in all the different positions in our newsroom who truly have a compassion for news. Ultimately, I call this ‘community journalism’ at its best! It’s not taught in journalism schools . . . but the value of [The Brunswick News] to this community is tremendous!”
One of the many reasons locals and visitors love Ember is that it’s far from ordinary. It all begins at the restaurant entrance with the solid white oak pivot door that rotates on a vertical axis. Then there is Beatrice, as owner Tyler Roberson explains as the “heart and soul of Ember.” “Beatrice is our custom-built wood fire oven built from the ground up by incredible local artisans. After being open for 6 months, Beatrice was not holding heat sufficiently, so we had to insulate the dome with a special blanket that is used in the space shuttles to deflect heat. It was a costly endeavor, mainly because we also had to retile the dome, but it kicks butt now holding heat around 850 to 1,000 degrees at times.”
Also far from ordinary is the Egyptian onyx bar that sits on an LED lighted tile system technology that Tyler explains was developed in California and guaranteed for 20 years. When you enjoy the metropolitan atmosphere at Ember you are also contributing to land conservation on St. Simons.
At Delaney’s Bistro and Bar, the Owner and Executive Chef, Tom Delaney, has a simple business motto: “work hard, provide great service, craft excellent food, and be good to your team.” And it has paid off! Most of his employees have worked for him for years, the cuisine is delectable, and many of his clients are regulars.
Hannah Showalter, owner of Café Frederica, shared that they served 21,627 PANCAKES last year. That’s a lot of flapjacks, but we are not surprised! For over 25 years, the Café has been a breakfast hot spot for locals and visitors alike.
Barbara Jean’s is a family run restaurant best known for its Crab Cakes, She Crab Soup, and the mysterious Chocolate Stuff. What most people don’t know is that the Chocolate Stuff recipe was made out of necessity.
Owner Jim Barta said that “the heart of Barbara Jean’s is the very real Barbara Jean. She is the creative force behind the recipes we serve and work every day.” Jim explained how “Barbara is not a chocolate eater.” So, when they opened the restaurant they “broke a restaurant industries cardinal rule—having one chocolate dessert on the menu.”
Jim and a local customer encouraged Barbara to add a chocolate offering. Jim recalls “one morning, without fanfare, Barbara went back into the kitchen and less than an hour later announced that in about thirty minutes we would have a chocolate dessert to try. I tried it and so did some of the other folks who were working that day and it was killer, and that’s how ‘The Chocolate Stuff’ came about. I am almost positive though that Barbara has still never even tried it.”
