SKULLY'S BARRR Interview with Bill Carrell By Sarah-Victoria Lozano de Gonzalez |
|
|
Formerly the site of ACE Hardware on Padre Blvd., the 2213 building has undergone a captivating transformation into Skully's Barrr (yes, with three 'r's), bringing a fresh pirate-inspired renaissance to the island.
Bill Carrell, the owner and a devoted SPI enthusiast, fondly refers to South Padre Island as the "island of paradise." Reflecting on his journey, Carrell recounts his initial connection with the island a decade ago when he was welcomed by the vibrant local community as a tourist. Remaining enchanted by SPI, Carrell evolved from a tourist to a Winter Texan before ultimately embracing the role of a business owner on the island. Reflecting on the inception of Skully's Barrr, Carrell shared, "When we found the building for sale, we were deciding what we could to give back to the community and get our feet planted in the sand."
Taking the leap, Carrell acquired the building in July 2021 and successfully unveiled Skully's Barrr in October 2022. Injecting his unique touch into the island's atmosphere, he delved into its storied pirate history, crafting an establishment that pays homage to the rich maritime legacy of South Padre Island. |
|
|
Who's Skully?
"Skully was a female pirate. Most people don't know it, but some of your meanest pirates were women. They dressed up as men or pretended to be men; otherwise, they got killed," shared Carrell.
Apart from the consistently served fried seafood of SPI, Carrell decided he wanted Skully's to have more variety to complement more tongues. |
|
|
| The Menu
Skilled in the food and drink categories, Skully's Barrr changes its menu regularly keeping its seafood options and happy hour devour-able.
The restaurant offers three types of menus (breakfast, regular, and weekly specials) and happy hour all day long. Recently, Skully's added Stir Fry Wednesdays in honor of a favorite Chinese menu item and beer-battered Fish Fry Fridays. Visit Skully's Facebook page for more updates and deals. |
|
|
Musical Background Back in Wisconsin, Carrell coordinated many live musical events and found the line of work rewarding and fun. "We like supporting local bands, plus live bands," said Carrell, mentioning that islanders can expect live music in the restaurant daily. |
|
|
Skully's Barrr weekly line up |
|
|
Games & Activities
Working with a lot of space, Carrell added fun activities for all, like a dartboard, a pool table, cornhole toss, and karaoke on Friday evenings.
"Even though it looks closed from the front, we are open," remarked Carrell on the slow season for his newly opened business.
The business has available parking in the front and back of the property. Carrell kindly added the Island Metro as a free option for islanders/tourists wanting to visit. Future Endeavors
Much like Island Matters' reader's favorite retail store, Ship Shape, who conducts fundraising for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Carrell also wants to help a cause. Carrell hopes to fundraise/contribute to SPI for a small trauma center or a hospital, noting that it's needed, especially on busy weekends.
"There's a lot of accidents," said Carrell, "We need to take care of our people here."
Carrell hopes to stay connected, help the community, and seeks to serve on an SPI committee. “We wanted to be part of the smiles on the faces. I support all businesses. This (SPI) is an amazing place,” said Carrell.
Skully's is currently hiring for the Winter Texas season. Applicants can apply at the business location at 2213 Padre Blvd. |
|
|
|