- Padre Island is expanding as several new businesses have opened recently and are opening soon
- Two new restaurants coming soon are Captain's Diner and Calypso's Drive and Dive
- City officials say Padre Island's growth is beneficial for the city of Corpus Christi
- Many Padre Island business owners are excited to welcome new small businesses to the island
There is no denying that Padre Island is constantly growing and expanding with new restaurants, stores, and experiences for locals and tourists alike. Two new restaurants opening on the island in June and July are Captain's Diner and Calypso's Drive and Dive.
“I think that it’s certainly not the island that I grew up coming to, you know, surfing all up and down this coast." Adam Rios, the consultant for Calypso's Drive and Dive said. "I think that it's very business-savvy now. I think there’s a lot of eclectic things happening on the island. There just seems to be something for everybody."
Many small business owners on Padre Island have positive outlooks about the rapid business growth.
“You know, you read some negativity. But, you know, we all came here at one time, so, I think it’s exciting that there’s a new opportunity for growth," Crystal Lyons, the owner of Cabana Pantry said.
While some business owners are excited to see new faces around the island, city officials are also in favor of business growth on the island.
“More revenue and more sales. Of course, from the city’s standpoint, that’s going to be more sales tax revenue which helps the city as a whole," District 4 City Councilmember Dan Suckley said.
Current business owners on the island say that new businesses will bring more people "OTB," or over the bridge, to the Padre Island.
The two new restaurants coming to the island both offer unique kinds of cuisine that the island does not have many current options for.
Captain's Diner is a Greek-inspired restaurant, and Calypso's Drive and Dive will be specializing in exotic meats and upscale pub grub. Captain's Diner will have its grand opening on Sat, June 1 and Calypso's Drive and Dive tentatively plans to open at the beginning of July.
“In July, for sure. I mean, you can’t pass up Fourth of July on the island, so that’s what we're gunning for," Rios said.
With tourists traveling to Padre Island for the summer, it is the perfect time for these new spots to open their doors.
“So, I think that’ll bring people from all directions over here. And of course, the locals, have some more, they’ll be getting out and doing some more things, so I’m excited about that," Lyons said.
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