Strolling through Galveston's downtown shops is a delightful way to spend time. With over 100 establishments, there's something for every shopper, from unique finds to historic collectibles. 

 This month, two long-time downtown favorites on The Strand celebrate new ownership and fresh updated showrooms, while stores across the island feature winter sales and new spring items. With fewer crowds, it's the perfect time to shop. 

 Galveston has a rich past, and our antique shops are brimming with nautical and heirloom treasures perfect for your beach and historic homes. Some stores are closing, others are moving, and new ones are opening. Check out our Antique News section for updates. 

 For a refreshing beverage and a bite to eat, visit the new veteran-owned coffee, wine, and beer bar on 61st Street. It’s a unique place where they also have a stage where they showcase local talent. 

 What is sure to be exciting news for our island foodies, several local eateries across the island have updated their menus. Review our Restaurant News section for the updates. 

 As February brings a renewed sense of energy to Galveston, there's no better time to explore its vibrant offerings. Whether you're hunting for unique treasures, savoring a perfectly brewed cup of coffee, or indulging in delightful new culinary creations, Galveston promises an experience that blends the charm of its historic past with the excitement of the present. 

 We encourage you to embrace the season and discover all the wonderful surprises this coastal gem has to offer. 

 

New Ownership at Del Sol and Cariloha Stores 

 Patricia Nieto, the manager turned owner/operator of the Del Sol and Cariloha retail shops, continues the tradition of selling quality and unique merchandise in both Strand locations.

  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” says Nieto, who runs the stores with her son and assistant manager Lucio and a staff of experienced retailers. 

 Displays have been refreshed, and shelves have been restocked with the unique merchandise shoppers have enjoyed since 2013. 

 The Del Sol brand features clothes and products that change color with the sun's UV rays. No other store on the island carries these unique products, and anyone who would like a demonstration need only ask the staff. 

 The Cariloha brand is made of bamboo, the most sustainable resource on the planet. Bamboo is moisture-wicking, cooler than cotton, soft, and very durable. Cariloha also offers 100 percent bamboo sheets and home goods like mattresses, pillows, towels, and clothing. 

 “No one else on the island has this product. We encourage everyone to feel how soft the products are,” Nieto said. 

 An Islander by Choice, Patricia moved to Galveston from Dallas around five years ago when she was offered an opportunity to run both stores. After four and a half years as manager, Patricia bought the stores and is now the sole proprietor. 

 Stop by the downtown stores, say “hello” to Charisma, their Peekapoo pup, and check out upcoming sales. Valentine’s Day and President’s Day sales will run from February 14-19. 

 All of the Cariloha bamboo products will be marked down by 30 percent. Both stores will feature clearance racks during that time. During Mardi Gras, they partner with the U.S. Marines, who will sell beer, wine and soft drinks. 

 Del Sol and Cariloha are located at 2226 Strand, Suite B. They are open Sunday through Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 7pm. For more information, call 409.762.0194 or follow them on Instagram @islandsunbamboo. 

 New Antique Store Opens 

 The Shop on 45th Street is a collaboration of BOIs (born on island) Alice Prets and Allison Schoenvogel. Two individual ventures, Vintij Prets and Allison’s Estately Finds, are housed in this new retail space located at 2017 45th Street at Avenue Q. Both women grew up and were educated here, and they raised their families here on the island. 

 Prets and her husband Richard manage the shop, and Schoenvogel owns Allison’s Estately Finds. They direct their own ventures and work together to open the store for appointments and pop-up events. 

 Prets has been repurposing vintage furniture and other antiques since 2015. 

 “What started as a hobby quickly morphed into a small business while working full-time as an educator for the Galveston Island School District,” Prets said. 

 “I recently retired and decided to put my energy into expanding my small shop. I now carry a line of furniture chalk paint, transfers, and moulds used to create unique art pieces and one-of-a-kind furniture.” 

 Prets said the new space was meant to house new inventory and to serve as a location for customers to pick up online purchases. Schoenvogel, already a successful online entrepreneur, approached Prets as she was searching for a staging area for her online shop. 

 “I jumped on the opportunity to learn that market from someone with [Schoenvogel’s] experience,” Prets said. 

 They work to find vintage items like china, crystal, antique furniture, art, and one-of-a-kind collectibles. They offer both the option to shop online and visit their brick-and-mortar storefront. 

 Their products are sourced via estate sales, antique stores, auctions, and “the famous Paris flea markets,” Prets said. 

 Schoenvogel comes from a long line of retailers; her family has owned Murdochs since 1910. “Retail is in my blood,” she said. 

 “I needed a space to showcase bigger pieces and to stage my finds - a place where my clients could visualize these pieces in their homes. When the space on 45th Street became available, I knew it was a perfect fit.” 

 Since leaving her nursing job at UTMB, Schoenvogel said she wanted to concentrate on selling her treasures online, hoping to find customers who would love them as much as she did. 

 She recently stayed in Paris, France for two weeks, hunting all the flea markets and antique fairs to fill a container. “A spring container party is in the works, so stay tuned for that,” she said. 

 Last November, they held their first open house to introduce the shop and its unique merchandise in person. Pop-up shop days and public viewings will be advertised online. 

 For more information about Vintij Prets, please call 409.256.2265 or follow them on Instagram @vintijprets. For more information on Allison’s Estately Finds, please call 409.771.1747, or follow them on Instagram @Allisonsestatelyfinds. 

 Antiques on the Move 

 Antiques on 23rd has moved to 414 22nd Street and is now called Antiques on Galveston Island. Sisters Becky Palmer and Tammie Taylor are excited to move into the newly renovated historical building on 22nd Street (also known as Kempner), next to the MarMo Café & Lounge. 

 Palmer said they are a traditional antique store, offering “a little bit of everything under one roof,” including a large inventory of vintage Galveston antiques. The sisters have been antique dealers for over 30 years, 16 years in Galveston. 

 On their shelves, shoppers will find vintage vinyl records and books of every kind, vintage kitchen gadgets and silverware, and glass and china. 

 

 “The lighting is fabulous, and there is a lot more foot traffic,” she said of the new space located down the sidewalk from René Wiley Gallery and La Maison Rouge. 

 Retail runs in the family, as Tammy's husband, Bill, owns Play on The Strand, a downtown toy store on Strand. 

 Over the years, the ladies’ retail space has grown from their first venture, a 10-foot by 10-foot space, to the newest, at about 1,000 square feet. Palmer and Taylor are native Houstonians who often visited Galveston during their childhood. Their family home was in the west-end subdivision of Sea Isle. 

 “We have a large family, and we loved antiquing with our mom from a young age,” Palmer said. 

 Their lifelong love of antiquing became a business, and as they became more successful, they moved to bigger spaces. Their goal is to be fully open for business by the first ArtWalk in February. The new monthly ArtWalk schedule falls on Saturday, February 8. 

 Antiques on Galveston Island's hours of operation will be Thursday through Monday, from 9am to 6pm, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays “by chance." 

 Rumor has it that an additional antique store is leasing another suite in the same building, and an established antique store in a different location will close its doors when the owners retire in May. Stay tuned to future New Business columns for updates. 

 New Coffeehouse Bolsters Local Artists 

 Indies Coffee Bar and Speakeasy is more than a coffeehouse. Owner Brandon Jones plans to promote and support local businesses and independent artists. 

 The coffee bar, located at 1813 61st Steet, features the work of local artisans on its walls and serves locally brewed beer, baked goods from area pastry chefs, and organic roasted coffee. 

 “We roast organic coffee beans daily and focus on preparing coffee drinks with the correct ratios,” Jones said. “Our drinks are not overly sweet. They are well-balanced and let the flavor of the coffee bean come through.” 

 “Our model is to lift and support local businesses and independent artists in a venue for musicians, stand-up comedians, traditional artists, and independent films and filmmakers. We curate our shows and showcase professional artists aspiring to further their careers in their field.” 

 Jones says they offer a relaxing environment that is welcoming to everyone. 

 “With the various genres of music and art, there is something for everyone here. Not only can you get great-tasting coffee, but you can also purchase freshly roasted beans from around the world,” he said. 

 

 Jones grew up close by and currently lives in League City. His family spent a lot of time visiting the island over the years, going back to when Sea-Arama Marineworld was still open, and he even took classes as a child at Texas A&M Galveston for marine biology. He is intimately familiar with Galveston Island. 

 “We have been a coffee roaster for six years, and when some of our customers on the island heard that we were looking to open a four-wall location, they asked us to bring it to Galveston. They even scouted the location for us,” Jones said. 

 “We are happy to be a part of the community now and are looking to move to the island later this year.” 

 An experienced traveler, Jones has studied coffee for years, learning the trade from professionals worldwide. He is a U.S. Marine veteran and was a development executive in Hollywood. 

 He has worked at the Creative Artists Agency, Morgan Creek, and Landscape Entertainment and was involved with various movies and television, as a co-producer of “School of Life” with Ryan Reynolds, a producer on a show for CBS, and part of the motion pictures “Two for the Money,” “Man of the Year,” “Georgia Rule,” “John Tucker Must Die,” and “The Good Shepherd.”

 He combines his love of coffee and entertainment in this venue and hopes to “inspire artists one cup at a time.” 

 Indies Coffee Bar and Speakeasy hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday, from 7am to 10pm, and Friday and Saturday, 7am to midnight. 

 Their grand opening will be on February 22 and will feature live music from noon to midnight. The musical lineup will include Scotti Fraser, Austin Gaston, Benji Ramsell, and Emily Glazener, to name a few. 

 For more information about Indies Coffee Bar and Speakeasy and live music schedule, call 281.900.1194, visit www.indiescoffee.com or follow them on social media. 

 Restaurant News 

 Captain Ceviche 

 Captain Ceviche’s food truck, located at 6102 Stewart Road, is back in action this month. The new hours of operation for February are Thursday through Monday from 11am to 7pm. Beginning in March, they will be open daily. 

 New menu items have been added to their popular lobster and ceviche entrées, including seared tuna nachos, oysters, boiled shrimp, tropical ceviche, and shrimp tacos. 

 Hendley Wine Co. 

 Hendley Wine Co., located at 2016 Strand Street, is now open for weekday lunches. The new lunch menu will include hearty chili, other cold-weather comfort dishes, and artisan sandwiches. Lunch will be served Tuesday through Sunday from 12pm to 3pm or until sold out. 

 

 Moody Garden Golf Course 

 Every Friday from 5pm to 7pm starting February 28 and running until April 18, the Moody Garden Golf Course will feature a fish fry dinner buffet for the Lenten season. Enjoy a dinner buffet at one of Texas's top 10 golf courses with a one-of-a-kind view, located at 1700 Sydnor Lane. 

 The main seafood items alternate each week and include fried, blackened, boiled and grilled options. Other buffet items include salad of greens, pasta salad, seasonal fruit salad, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, vegetables, dinner rolls, and desserts for $22 per adult and $15 for children. 

 Reservations are recommended but not required. Walk-ins are welcome. 

 The Seahorse Grill 

 The Seahorse Grill, located at 3802 Cove View Blvd., Suite C at the west end of the Seawall, is now serving breakfast from 7am to 11am Monday through Saturday. The breakfast menu includes Southern favorites like chicken and waffles, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and more. The new menu is available for dine-in or take-out. 

 The Spot 

 The Spot, located at 3204 Seawall Blvd., has a new menu for the new year. Entrees making their debut in 2025 include the double smash burger, citrus snapper, cheddar melt, fried fish sandwich, Greek burger, crispy chicken taco, and a host of new wing flavors. 

 Chicken wings are $1 each all day, every Thursday. Enjoy boneless or bone-in in 10 mouthwatering flavors. Six wings per order. Dine-in only. 

 Venados Cantina

 A new happy hour menu is now available at Venados Cantina, at 16510 Termini-San Luis Pass Road in Jamaica Beach. New bar bites include Caribbean pork or chicken sliders, pork rinds with house-made guacamole or queso, and tostones. The happy hour food and drink menu is available Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm.