Galveston is starting the year with a wave of new openings that highlight the island’s creativity, generosity, and growing sense of community.
From a fully established community fridge helping neighbors support one another, to a restored boutique hotel inviting locals into its serene morning lounge, to a family run Crumbl store bringing its famous pink box cookies to 61st Street, here’s what’s new around town.
Shykatz Community Fridge
Galveston’s first fully established, permanent, publicly supported, consistently maintained community fridge is now open behind ShyKatZ Café & Bakery, offering neighbors a place to both give and receive fresh food, pantry staples, and home-cooked meals.
The Shykatz Community Fridge is part of a growing national movement to reduce food insecurity and food waste by creating easily accessible, community-supported fridges. In just its first weeks, the project has already sparked an outpouring of generosity from residents, volunteers, and local businesses.
Tashia Seeba first envisioned bringing a community fridge to Galveston about a year ago, inspired by the successful New Orleans Community Fridges (NOCF) program, where neighbors stock both dry pantries and refrigerated meals for anyone who needs them.
NOCF is a mutual-aid network of community-sustained sidewalk fridges providing free food for all. Through donations, crowd-sourcing, food rescue, and volunteer support, the organization places fresh food directly into New Orleans neighborhoods.
Started in July 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the network quickly grew as fridges appeared across the city to help address food insecurity. Anyone could put food in, and anyone could take food out.
Over time, NOCF connected hosts, volunteers, artists, and builders to support and maintain each fridge. As of 2025, the network includes thousands of volunteers and serves countless individuals and families across the greater New Orleans area.
Tashia says the Galveston project took longer than expected because the group wanted to establish a 501(c)(3), allowing them to accept tax-deductible donations, including monetary support.
They named the nonprofit the Happy Lions Club, with Cyndi Hood serving as president and Tashia’s husband, Dr. Garett Seeba, as treasurer. The organization operates as a branch of the Galveston West End Lions Club.
Funding for the fridge enclosure came from the West End Lions Club and private donors, and ShyKatZ owner Kathryne “Kat” Kearns offered space on her property for the installation.
“Reid Lane with Lane Services greatly discounted his services to build the structure that houses the pantry,” Tashia says. “And artist Catherine Stroud graciously donated her time, paint, and talent to create the artwork on the enclosure.”
Community support has continued to grow. “The Galveston Thursday Happy Hour Group, along with several local businesses, have been hosting food drives for us,” Tashia adds. “And donations of gift cards to local grocery stores have been used weekly to replenish the fridge.”
The Shykatz Community Fridge, located behind ShyKatZ at 1528 Avenue L, is open daily from 8am to 9pm, when it is locked to prevent overnight tampering of cooked meals. The adjacent dry pantry remains accessible 24/7.
Stocked by the community and funded by the Happy Lions Club, the fridge is monitored by cameras, temperature-checked around the clock, and cleaned out every three days to ensure safety and freshness.
Visitors are asked to follow a few simple guidelines: limit taking three items per person per day, and do not place alcohol or raw meats in the fridge. Cooked meals must be labeled with the date and ingredients and stored in a container with a lid.
Kat says the new fridge has quickly become a vital resource for neighbors who may be going through a hard time. She’s been moved by the generosity already shown, noting how many people have stepped up to donate food, supplies, and encouragement.
“Our neighbors have shown up in such a big way, and I’m so grateful for everyone who has helped, donated, and encouraged this mission,” she says.
Kat encourages anyone who is able to pick up a few extra items while grocery shopping or to drop off unused groceries rather than throwing them away.
She also extends a special request to short-term rental hosts, property managers, cleaners, and service teams: when working a check-out, any unopened or usable food that would otherwise be discarded can make a meaningful difference when added to the fridge.
“Our community has a big need, and this fridge is depleted quickly - we truly need help keeping it full,” she explains.
Donations can be brought directly to ShyKatZ Café, where the community continues to rally around the effort. For Kat, the fridge represents the best of what neighbors can do for one another.
“This is what community looks like - people caring for people. If you can give, we welcome it. If you need, it’s there for you.”
To learn more, visit the Shykatz Community Fridge Facebook group page.
The Lounge at The Mansard House
Save 1900’s restoration of the historic 1912 Smith/Perry Boarding House - featured on the Magnolia Network series Restoring Galveston: The Inn - transformed a once-dilapidated 25-room boarding house into a refined 12-room boutique hotel now known as The Mansard House.
The adults-only property blends curated design with modern amenities, including a heated pool, gated parking, and a calm, design-forward lounge space originally created as a quiet retreat for hotel guests. That lounge is now open to the public.
The Mansard House has welcomed locals into the Lounge on select mornings, offering a serene spot to enjoy coffee, read, work, or simply ease into the day surrounded by beautifully restored architecture. What was once a guest-only space has quickly become a relaxed neighborhood gathering place.
The Lounge coffee bar is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 8am to 12pm, with plans to possibly expand to seven days a week.
When the sign is out on the sidewalk, visitors are welcome to enter through the front door on 23rd Street and make their way down the entry hall to the Lounge. Guests can settle into cozy seating areas, browse the in-house boutique, enjoy the front room, or take a moment on the inviting front porch.
The full-size coffee bar offers espresso drinks, matcha, cold brew, cortados, cappuccinos, and Americanos. Specialty house lattes - served hot or iced - include the Do Not Disturb, Mansard Mocha, Windy’s Brew, The 1912, and the Mansard Matcha. Light bites such as croissants, muffins, and fruit snacks are available, along with hot tea. Wi-Fi and a relaxed atmosphere make it an easy place to meet a friend or open a laptop.
The Mansard House is located at 1101 23rd Street (Tremont). For updates on hours and offerings, visit themansardhouse.com or follow them on Facebook.
Crumbl Opens in Galveston
Jon and Priscilla Healy, Southeast Texas natives with deep professional roots and an even deeper commitment to family, have opened their ninth Crumbl location - and their first on Galveston Island.
Jon, an attorney with Packard LaPray in Beaumont for more than 25 years, and Priscilla, who holds a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University and spent nearly a decade as a teacher and coach, always shared the dream of building a business with their children.
That dream began taking shape five years ago when the family tasted Crumbl Cookies for the first time and immediately recognized a brand they believed in. In March 2022, they opened their first Crumbl in Beaumont.
With the help of their adult children, the Healys have since expanded across Southeast Texas, Dallas, and Louisiana - with Galveston now marking store number nine.
For the Healys, the island location carries special meaning. Galveston has been a place of cherished family memories for decades, making this opening feel like a homecoming.
“We’re very excited to be a part of the Galveston community, and are proud to be able to bring friends and families together over a box of the best desserts in the world,” they shared.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Utah, Crumbl has become one of the fastest-growing dessert brands in North America. Known for its oversized 4.5-inch cookies, bold flavors, and massive social media following, the brand has expanded to more than 1,000 locations across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Texas is one of Crumbl’s strongest markets, with more than 100 stores statewide - and the new Galveston shop marks the brand’s first location on the island.
The Galveston store features Crumbl’s signature open-kitchen concept, allowing customers to watch cookies being mixed, baked, and decorated in real time. The weekly rotating menu includes everything from classic chocolate chip to specialty flavors, mini pies, and cakes, all served in the brand’s iconic pink box designed to fit each cookie perfectly.
The combination of theatrical baking, bold flavors, and that unmistakable pink packaging has helped turn Crumbl into a modern dessert phenomenon - one that now officially has a home in the Galveston food scene.
Crumbl Galveston is located at 2724 61st Street, Suite 10. To explore classic and weekly flavors or place an order, visit crumblcookies.com.