Paul's Seafood has Interesting History

March 14, 2008

Year 12. Issue 306

TheFlourBluffBusinessAssociation(FBBA)isholdingit’s“ThirdAnnualAprilFool’sBBQCook-off“onMarch28thand29th,atthecornerofSPIDandFlourBluffDr.,ThislocationhasbeengraciouslydonatedbyFloyd’sRestaurantinFlourBluffandprovidestheperfectBBQCookofflocation. TheeventfacesSPIDbetweenFloyd’sandtheNavyArmyFederalCreditUnion.Fordetailedmappleasevisitourwebsitewww.ceobythebay.com. AllproceedsfromthiseventwilldirectlybenefittheFBBA’sScholarshipProgramforthestudentsofFBISD.EachyeartheFBBAgrantsscholarshipmoniestoFBISDstudentsandwithC.E.O.’ssupport,thecommunity’shelpandbusinessinvolvementweexpecttoraiseatleastthreetimesmorethisyearthanthelast. TheeventwillkickoffonFridayat6pmwiththewellknown,localgroup,“TheJohnEricBand”.SaturdaymorningwillfeaturegreatBBQ,lotsoffun,entertainmentandtwomorelocalbands,“Riptide”and“SameAffliction”.Thisisagreatopportunityforourcommunityandbusinessestogettogetherforagreatcause,andhavefundoingit. Businesseswhoareinterestedinsupportingourcommunitycandosobybecomingasponsor.Therearedifferent“levels”ofsponsorshipavailable.Youcanalsosignupforavendor’sspotorjoininonthefunbyenteringaBBQteam.Weopenlyinvitethecommunitytocomeoutandjoin

usforgreatBBQ,funandentertainment. JoinC.E.O.insupportinganothercommunityeventbybecomingasponsor,competingintheBBQCook-Offorvolunteering.Formoreinformation,pleasecallRayHerreraat361.816.1424/SteveFivecoatat361.533.0458ore-mailusatinfo@ceobythebay.com.Foradditionalinformationaboutthisevent,mapsorentryformsvisitusatwww.ceobythebay.com. BBQentrieswillbejudgedonSaturday,March29,2008from1pmto5pm.Registrationis$50.00perteamandincludesa20’X20’lotandentryintoallcategories. Atotalof$1,500.00inCashprizeswillbeawardedto1st,2ndand3rdplacesforFajitas,Beef/PorkSpareRibsandBrisket.Plaquesfor1st,2ndand3rdplaceswillbeawardedforthebest:Beans,PotatoSaladandChopBBQentries. Vendor’slotsare$30.00fora20’X20’lot.AdditionalspaceforBBQteamsorvendorsis$30.00perlot.Sponsorshipsareavailableat$100.00,$200.00and$300.00levels. C.E.O.’smissionistohelpourcommunityimprovethequalityoflifeandstandardoflivingbyadvocatingandpromoting“synergy”betweenbusiness,communityleaders,organizationsandconcernedcitizens. C.E.O.haschosentohelppromotethisFlourBluffBusinessAssociationeventbecausetheFBBAservesavitalfunctioninpromotingandsupportingourbusinessesandcommunity.

CommunityEnrichmentOrganization(C.E.O.)C.E.O. Supports and Promotes another Community Event

Editor’s note: We found this story on the corpusfishing.com website. It is from an unknown author but if he/she reads this please send us more. We loved it.

I’vebeenalurkerforawhile(assoonasIstumbledonthiswebsite)andgreatlyenjoyreadingthepostsandkeepinguptodateontheBluff.Everysooften,anoldtimercomesonandspeaksoftheolddays.Thatalwaysbringsatearandtakesmebacktosomeofthebesttimesofmylife. No,I’mnotaBluffresident,butthefamilyhasownedahousetheresincethe50’s(stilldo)andfor20yearsorso,wespentourentiresummers,everysummerintheBluff.Everyoneelseweknewwentoffonexotictripsforsummer.Whenweweregiventhechoice,theBluffiswherewewantedtobe.Iremembermuchofitlikeitwasyesterday.Doyouremember…........…thefloatingdrawbridgesovertheHumblechannelandtheIntracoastalwaterway.WaitinginthelonglinestogettotheIslandbecausesometouristboaterdidn’twanttolowerhisship-to-shoreantenna.Andlookingbackoveryourshoulderasyougottothe“RedDot”baitstandandseeingthepilingsfortheoldwoodencausewayleadingbacktotheBluff.…allthefolksnamed“Red”.“Red”Tyler,whoownedwhatisnowBluffMarinaattheendofLagunaShoresRd.“Red”Coburn,whomanytimeshadtodoemergencyrepairstoourslightlyused,snowwhiteMercury700outboardsowecouldmakeitbackoutfortheevening’stroutrun..Coburn’splacewasjustafewhundredyardsfromwhatbecamethe“LagunaticLounge”.Ialwayslovedthatname.…gettingburgersforabuckatthegrill($1.05ifyouwantedcheese)andplayingpinballalleveningatAllen’schannel,whichbecameJerry’sPlace,

whichisnowwhatIbelieveiscalledthe“Porch”.Ispentmanyhoursthereonthatpinballmachineformy$.25.…dodginghundredsoftrotlinesasweroundedPitaIslandandranalongtheKingRanchcoastlinetothePureOilChannelatwhatwasthenMarker45.Andduckingquicklytoavoidthehooksontheoneswedidn’tsee.AnchoringalongtheshoretowadeforReds....alwaysunderthewatchfuleyeofsomeranchforemaninanInternationalScoutorjeeponafarawayhighspotstudyinguswithbinoculars.…pushingupshrimponthepointoffWhitley’schannelandsellingthemto“Red”Tylerforapennyeachtogetsomespendingmoney.…blackdrumrunswhereeveryfishwasa40-45pounderandthereweredozensofthem.Andeveryoneintheneighborhoodknewtheywererunning!…limitsonSpeckswere10”or12”(I’malittlefuzzyonthisone)andwewouldfillupthreeorfour48qtIgloo(madeby“Pearl”and“LoneStar”)icechestswiththem.Literallytookhourstocleanandfiletthemall.…theclosestgrocerystore,alittlewoodframehouseonLagunaShoresRd(aboutamilenorthofthecurrentCircleK).Thewholestoremusthavebeenabout20’x20’.Ifshedidn’thavewhatyouneeded,thenextclosestplacewastheBluffSafewayonSPID.ImaginelifeBEFOREH.E.B.….Thebigpainting/printofthenakedladyonthewalloftheA&Hthatsaid“Stickemup”.ThisalwaysembarrassedtheheckoutofmyMomwhenwewentintobuyfishingsupplies.…actuallybeingabletotaketheboatouttothesurfthroughwhatwasthenthePackeryFishPassimmediatelyafterHurricaneCarlaandbeingoneofthefirstonthescenedigginguptheSpanishshipthatwasuncoveredinthesandafterthestorm.

Bluffer cont. page B6

MusingsofanOldBluffer,no bluffing

IfyouliveontheIslandyouhavedrivenpastPaul’sSeafoodvanparkednearthecarwashonSPID.ButyoumaynotbeawareofhowPaulcametobeintheseafoodbusiness.ItallstartedwithPaul’sfather.ApostolosStamatakiswasamerchantmarinefromGreecewhojumpedshipinCorpusChristiin1969whenhewas17yearsold.Helivedonthestreetsforacoupleofmonthsbeforefindingworkatrestaurantsbussingtablesandwashingdishes. PeoplehaddifficultypronouncinghisnamesoheAmericanizeditandbecamePaul.In1972,hemetAliciaBazadula.TheymetatHollywoodRestaurantonMorganwhereheworked.PaulsavedhismoneyandboughtashrimpboatandsoldhisshrimpattheT-Headandtolocalrestaurants.HurricaneCeliawipedouthisboatsohestartedbuyingfromshrimpersandsellingoutofthebackofhiscar.LaterheboughtaButterkrustvanwhichheparkedatPaulJonesandSPID.WhentheybuiltthebridgetoFlourBluffheparkedthevanbytheCarWashonSPIDbetweenWaldronRoadandFlourBluffDrive.In1991theybuiltthebridgeoverFlourBlufftotheCausewaysohemovedtothecurrentlocationnexttotheCarWashontheIsland.ThisspothasbeenrentedfromDocBlankenshipeversince.In1996atage48PaulwasinatragiccaraccidentwhenhefellasleepatthewheeldrivingseafoodtotheIslandfromRockport.Thecarflippedover,noothervehicleswereinvolved. PaulJr.wassixteenyearsoldatthetimeandtookoverthebusiness.Paulhadworkedwithhisfathersincehewas12yearsoldandheturnedouttobeasindustriousashisDadandboughthisfirsthomewhenhewastwenty.In2003PaulJr.boughtaCorpusChristiCityBbusandtooktwoyearstoconvertittowhatitistoday.Heremovedtheseatsandautomaticdoorsandputininsulateddisplaycasesandasink.The

busisdrivenonceayeartogetpermits.AboutsixmonthsagoPaulJr.gavehisoldvantohis21yearoldbrotherChriswhohadbeenworkingwithhim.“ChrishasafamilynowsoIgavehimmyoldvansohecanstarthisownbusiness.That’swhatmyDadwouldhavedone.”ChrishashisseafoodbusinessinDriscoll.LastyearPaul’sSeafoodMarketwasopenedat5433S.StaplesSuite3inBoardwalkShoppingCenterbetweenWilliamsandHolly.ItisrunbyPaulJr.’swifeMelissawhohemetwhenhewasinjuniorhigh.TheyhavethreechildrenDaniel10,Anastasia7and2yearoldApostolosStamatakisIII.“Thebabywillcarryonthefamilynameandhopefullybuildsomethingevenbetter.”Theseafoodcurrentlybeingofferedincludesdrum,amberjack,tuna,mahi-mahi,grouper,oysters,scallops,lobstertail,andstuffedcrab.AmonthagohestartedsellingfruitfromtheValley.Bagsofgrapefruit,orangesandseedlesswatermelonsareeachfivedollars.Thehoursare9am-6pmsevendaysaweek.Foranyinquiriescall929-2493.

PhotobyMaryCraft

Paul’s Seafood has interesting history

PhotobyMaryCraft

PhotobyMaryCraft

byMaryCraft

Newstorespreads15,000feetofGoodwillbyMaryCarft GoodwillofSouthTexasopenedtheirnewestlocationinFlourBluff.Itis15,000squarefeetandreplacestheoldstorethathadbeenacrossthehighwayfortwentyyears.VicePresidentofOperationsfortheelevenstoresfromVictoriatotheValleyDanOwensaid,“WeexpecttheFlourBluffstoretobetheonewiththelargestvolume. Ournewbusinessmodelsarelargerandmorecontemporarywithawidervarietyandlargerselectionforourcustomerswhoknowagooddealwhentheyseeit.”Judgingbytheparkinglotthefirstweekitprobablywillbethebusiest. “WechosethislocationbecausewearetryingtocatertoayoungerdemographicsandhopetoattracttheTexasA&MstudentsaswellasthosefromFlourBluffHighSchool.”ThereisEdgar’sCoffeeBarwithfreewirelessinthestore.Thenewtelevisioncommercialshowsayoungwomanshoppingforfashionableclothesandshoes.Theircustomersareloyalandtheyarehopingtobuildonthat. TheyareopenMonday-Saturday9a.m.–8p.m.andSundayfrom10a.m.to6p.m.Call939-7088formoreinfo.

Apostolos “Paul” Stamatakis now sells fresh fruit from the Valley.

SeafoodPaulinsidehisconvertedcityB-Linebus.

PhotobyPatLewis