The Crab Trap: A “Fine, Little Eatery” 40 Years Strong

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Gordy Merrill and Charlie Williams met at Tommy’s Bar in the early 70s when Gordy was selling real estate and Charlie was shrimping on a large shrimp boat. The two often spoke of opening a seafood restaurant on the island, because they only restaurants around at the time were Bennie’s Red Barn, the Peddler’s Steak House, and The King and Prince. One night while having a beer together at Tommy’s, Charlie mentioned that the old Adrian Outlet dress shop across the street was for rent by the Stalvey family for about $325/month. They decided to rent it to make their dream into a reality. Since they had no money to hire help, they would do the renovations themselves. And so The Crab Trap was born. 

At the beginning, there was only the front dining room, the kitchen and one bathroom (which still had a tub from when the building was a 2-story house). The bar was in the back right corner of the dining area. Gordy and Charlie got almost all of their restaurant equipment from an old restaurant in downtown Brunswick that had closed. For décor, they used old shrimp doors and other nautical items taken from the shrimp docks. They sawed an old boat in half and put it on the back wall and got their good friend Jimmy Parker to paint a big mural around it. Even though that’s no longer the bar area, the same boat and mural remain part of The Crab Trap 40 years later.

For tables, they decided to be innovative. Gordy had grown up in Myrtle Beach where he had seen tables with holes in the middle at a restaurant. They decided to build theirs the same way. That was a big hit! The holes with trash cans underneath are perfect for discarding oyster shells, shrimp peels, cracked crab pieces. Gordy’s wife, Peggy, says “A little bit of everything makes its way into the trash cans under those holes though. Over the years we’ve found everything from silverware to glasses to kids’ toys!”

In February 1975, the doors to the Crab Trap opened for the first time. Gordy tended bar, Charlie was in the kitchen, while Charlie’s wife, E.J., and Gordy’s wife, Peggy, were the hostesses, waitresses, “bus girls” and cashiers. E.J. and Peggy had both graduated from Georgia Southern and had come to Glynn County to teach school. They taught all day then went straight to the restaurant to work when school let out each day.

Peggy remembers, “The first night we opened, I had invited my parents and their dear friends and next-door neighbors to come down for the opening. They drove down from Macon after work and got to the restaurant around 8:30 p.m. We had completely sold out of food and had nothing to offer them but a few crab claws that had broken off in the boiling pot. Everything else was gone! It had been a much busier night than we had ever expected. We were blessed with crowds of hungry folks from that night on.”

The restaurant soon had to hire more employees. A group of girls joined E.J. and Peggy as waitresses and they all became very close and were affectionately known by everyone as the “Crabettes.” That original group of waitresses all continued to work at The Crab Trap for years. Now the staff has grown to approximately 30-40 employees, yet there is still low turnover among the wait staff today—they stay for years and both mothers and daughters have worked at the restaurant. Peggy says, “Much of our success has been largely due to a great staff of hardworking and faithful employees as well as our loyal customers from near and far.”

As she looks through photos, Peggy smiles as she pulls one out of an elderly woman peeling shrimp, “One of our first and most valued and beloved employees was a lady named Easter Brown. Mrs. Brown would sit on an old wooden stool and peel shrimp all day long. She worked for us for about 30 years--until she was well into her 80s. She has since passed away, but will always be remembered as a big part of our original Crab Trap family.”

A year or two after opening, Gordy and Charlie bought the building and the 30-foot lot next door from the Stalveys, who financed the purchase price of $60,000. The Crab Trap quickly outgrew its front dining room and added a second dining area on the back of the restaurant, allowing them to seat twice as many diners. Because of their continued success, they later built and enclosed a large side porch and a new expanded bar area. Back in the early days, people brought their own beach chairs because the dining room didn’t have enough chairs to allow for a waiting area! In 1988, they purchased the building next door (also from the Stalveys, but this time at a much higher price) and after extensive renovations, opened Crabdaddy’s to take care of the overflow from The Crab Trap.

Gordy and Peggy’s oldest son, Ramsey, and Charlie and E.J.’s son, Josh, both joined the Crab Trap as managers. Ramsey and Josh alternated running the two restaurants so they would have experience at each. In 2008, Gordy and Peggy’s son, Blake, also came to work at the restaurants. The restaurant really is a family affair – even Dalee, Ramsey’s wife, started working at The Crab Trap at age 16 and is still waiting tables there today. She’s also the reason for all the colorful t-shirts, as she handles the merchandise orders. Even their 2½ year old daughter Winslett loves to come and help her mommy spray and wipe down the tables before the restaurant opens.

The Merrills and Williams eventually decided to split the restaurants into separate businesses. The Merrills took over The Crab Trap and the Williams family took over Crabdaddy’s. While Gordy is still involved, it’s Ramsey and Blake who now share ownership and are running The Crab Trap. They’re doing a marvelous job! Under their leadership, many new and wonderful things are happening. There is a new extended bar area and cashier stations, new lighting and flat screen TVs. Outside you’ll notice some big new planters filled with flowers. The most recent addition is their new chef. For the first time in 40 years, The Crab Trap will have a trained chef in the kitchen! Ryan Wagner will be joining the staff to offer new and exciting menu items and nightly specials.

Now a longstanding island staple, The Crab Trap is known for its tasty seafood and its great staff and service. The casual island atmosphere that made it an immediate hit when it opened 40 years ago remains. You never know who you’ll see when dining there. It’s a must-stop for returning island vacationers, a favorite of locals, including the well-known professional athletes that live here, as well as visiting celebrities and government officials. Southern Living has written about the restaurant and great reviews of their food and service date from present day back to its description as a “fine, little eatery” in the August 1979 edition of Brown’s Guide to Georgia.

“It’s not all fried food either!” Peggy says. “Most of our seafood can also be ordered broiled, boiled, blackened, sauteed, or grilled. Oysters, shrimp, and fish might be what we’re known for, but our crab soup and shrimp dip have been longtime favorites.” They also serve excellent tenderloin steak and chicken. If you can’t come in for dinner, enjoy a drink at the new, expanded bar with one of the island’s best bartenders, Tay Adams.

While the Merrills have always believed in hard work, they know how to play too. The annual employee parties on the shrimp boat and the big 20th anniversary oyster roast hold some fond memories for all involved. This year, The Crab Trap will be celebrating their 40th anniversary with the community by featuring dining specials and holding events.

The Merrills want to thank all of their past and present employees for their hard work and dedication. “Without them,” Peggy says, “we would never have been able to celebrate 40 years.” She continues, “We also want to thank the Golden Isles community and all of the many customers who continue to come from all over and enjoy dining at the Crab Trap time and time again. We appreciate your business! Thanks for allowing us to serve you for all of these years!”