After decades of being in business, Steve Holland lost his restaurant, Holland ‘s Shelter Creek Restaurant in Pender County, after damage from Hurricane Florence in 2018. He thought his days of running a restaurant may be over. That all changed after being contacted by dedicated patrons, Annette and Mike Barnes, who happened to be the owners of a building in Holly Ridge. Together they opened Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant and Bar in July of 2019. Five years later, the seafood restaurant is going to have a new owner, and after the first of the year, a new name.
Randy Millis, a 5th generation local fisherman, is bringing his love of seafood and locally sourced produce and meats to Holly Ridge. Alongside partner Taylor Greene, the two will work along with the current staff to keep things going as normal for the time being as changes and upgrades are being made.
The goal is to be able to offer the community a place where they can come and enjoy sushi, an oyster bar, grilled, steamed and fried seafood, steaks, burgers and locally sourced produce. Randy Millis wants to offer his customers a “farm to boat to table” experience.
In addition to his chef, Shawn Buskirk, who also owns and operates Cheek & Belly Catering Company, the new restaurant will have an event planner. One of the goals the partners will be working towards is having an outdoor area for music as well as fun events.
The chef will be focused on serving local North Carolina products. There will be a standard menu but there will also be weekly specials. The goal is to focus on fresh foods, including seafood, meats and produce. Every season will offer a variety of different specials, whether it’s the local catch or NC Barbeque. The menu will contain QR codes so you can scan and find out exactly where your meal originated from. “We want complete transparency when it comes to our food. We want you to know that the good food you are enjoying comes from North Carolina and where.”
By early spring of 2025, Randy and his partner hope to have the restaurant operating 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. With meals starting at under $20, one of the special features will be the ala carte menu where you can add just a little or a lot to your plate.
As you travel up highway 50 from Surf City towards Holly Ridge, you will soon see the new sign for “FISHMONGERS Honest Seafood” at 756 Ocean Road, Holly Ridge.