What the Librarians Know About Galveston (That Most Visitors Miss)

Two Librarians, Two Truths

The first woman I asked, downstairs in the children’s section at Rosenberg Library, didn’t hesitate.

“History. All the history.”

The second woman, near the quiet section exit, said something different.

“The Strand.”

I pressed her on it. She added the seawall too, but when I asked about that very first thought, she kept coming back to the Strand.

“Because of all the things to do in the downtown area, on the Strand. There’s a lot of bars, pubs, places to eat and hang out. A lot of interesting things to explore. It would be my primary destination if visitors were going to have a good time.”

Both answers matter. But her second answer hit different, because for most of my life, I only knew the first one.

Growing Up on the Water (But Rarely Downtown)

Back when I was younger, my grandmother and I, even my grandfather, we spent our time on the beaches and piers. My grandfather was a fisherman, so we visited boat builders, bait shops, the sports store for fishing lures. That was our Galveston.

My grandmother was an acrobatic aquatic tandem swimmer among many things, and she loved the water. We always swam as much as possible. We’d camp on the beaches, sleep in the car at times, spend many hours in the water swimming. Even in pools when we couldn’t make our daily visits to Galveston most warmer days.

We spent most of the time traveling here, swimming, eating, making picnics. Some days we’d spend all day here.

Downtown? We’d go there a few times, quite a few actually, but only from the east end of Houston to get some fresh seafood. Both my grandparents lived right by the old metal Coca Cola sign right there on the freeway.

The part of downtown we went to regularly was the Strand’s docks area, at the edge now where Katie’s Seafood Galveston sits. There was a row of these small independent stores to come in, get fresh seafood and leave. Some would process, a couple would cook for you.

My gramps had his favorite store. My grandmom Mommu would have her favorite supplier. My Dad had his spot to stop. My mom would ask “which one does…?” and I’d reply whatever she asked me.

Back then, places like Joe Grasso and Son on Pier 20, Sampson & Sons Seafood on Pier 19/20, these family run operations would get direct deliveries from boats, sometimes multiple times a day during the shrimping boom. The Gulf catch came in fresh, they’d process it right there, and folks like us would drive down to buy it and head home.

That was my connection to downtown Galveston for years. The edge. Quick trips for seafood, then back to the beach or back home.

Adult Years: Coming Here But Never Really Seeing It

In my adult years, I’d come here day or night after work and spend time. Even during storms, hurricanes, non party times. Not when it was packed for large events, just me and the island.

In fact, while the last 3 to 5 years I was trying to work out how I could get to Galveston, especially in summer months to the water and swim, I even locked my keys in the car once and had to spend all night waiting for a wrecker to open me up.

But here’s the thing I didn’t realize until I moved here: I didn’t know how small the island actually was.

From one side to the other? 25 to 30 minutes by car. North to south? 4 to 8 minutes by car depending on where you start.

From the seawall by the Pleasure Pier (speaking of the pier, even if you don’t want the rides or attractions there, Bubba Gump has super delicious food, indoors or outdoors you’ll enjoy whichever you prefer. The Grand Galvez has great pool side atmosphere and their drinks are superb too) or from my Pubs N’ Grubs start location inside Shrimp N’ Stuff Downtown with easy parking access and the recently returning son Daye Antonelli as new manager for the stores, everything is close.

But I didn’t understand that for decades.

What Decades of Visitors All Say

As a regular visitor for decades, most of my life, I talked with others in Houston, visitors from Dallas and other states. They all said the same thing.

I really understood this as I was entertaining the idea of moving to the island.

Most people, even many decade visitors, rarely if ever, almost without exception, they all said the same thing:

They don’t know what was downtown. They heard about it but thought it was sparse of activity. They thought about it but it’s too hard to get to. They never knew there was a downtown that had visitor activity or reasons to go visit. Etcetera.

These same things, these same ideas I kept hearing about. Some of these thoughts I had myself.

Even during COVID lockdowns when I came here almost daily and helped my sister with her Taste of the Strand & Tapas on the Strand. Out of the COVID quarantine restrictions, out of the original Taste of the Strand, she developed Tapas, then Pubs because of the need to split into smaller groups.

It took her 2 to almost 3 solid years after the one became three, of solid work dedicated to get Pubs N’ Grubs right, the perfect locals by locals focus with music and everything. Then after this, after that perfection, I took over as owner. The backbone, the skeleton structure, is all hers, her vision.

It wasn’t until I had my vision of a tie in, how to help her and myself and another actual business that would build synergy for all who helped me, did I decide. After I woke up one morning with crystal clear understanding how to put the puzzle together, how to help businesses in Galveston and my sister and myself, all came from continually working things out, how to get and stay here.

Months later I eventually moved because I saw how I can help local business and myself and stay on island time, a thing I have been seeking and just starting to find.

It wasn’t until yesterday in fact that I took my very first day off since I have been to the island with intent. This is a new thing for me and I want others to have it too.

Two Years of Daily Dreaming

Backtracking. Prior to the move here, I spent two solid years daily thinking of the island and coming to Galveston somehow, someway, as often as I could. Daily if at all possible.

Long story short, I’m here, and it’s been a journey.

Those two years I spent thinking about the island helped prepare me for my wife’s Costa Rica country vibe called Pura Vida. Pure life.

How This Tied to Island Time

This ties into my sister always harping and bragging about “island time.”

In my two years prior to the move and taking over her former leg as the new owner of Pubs N’ Grubs Tours, I started to, in my reflections of my childhood and younger decades of youth and mature adult, think about the pleasures I had here along with my daily life during social distancing COVID lockdown.

During lockdowns, it really started with my sister Karen, known as “Special K” to many owners, bartenders, and islanders as well as thousands of her past tour guests.

Step by step, drip by drip, I started experiencing things I never would allow myself to see or feel as a younger person.

I started watching clouds like a child. Watching trees blowing and appreciating plants and animals, even the sunrise, sunset, and cloud movement. Heck, I even appreciated planes flying and places I had been to before or new experiences.

I started asking myself, what about Galveston have I missed?

During the freeze, a major one, and several cascading chain of events, I had more alone time and reflections on how to come to the island. And I did have a vision like I said. However, as God or fate would have in plan for me, it started in reverse as to my plan, but not my vision.

Long and short of it, I began to sense and appreciate “island time” and I am still growing and having a deeper appreciation for all it means.