This Little River seafood restaurant is celebrating its 75th year of family operation
A hurricane was about to strike the Grand Strand a few years after Joe Robertson took over the ownership of Captain Juel’s Hurricane in 1974.
Robertson was worried. He began taping up the windows and protecting his Little River restaurant for the storm. When the weather calmed, not a single window was broken and no storm since has caused significant damage to his location on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Robertson said he has been blessed despite storms, bad years and the food service business being a “love-hate relationship.” Now his family is celebrating 75 years of serving seafood and low country dishes.
“I’ve met so many people over the years. I enjoy working with people and making them happy,” Robertson said. “Not too many families get to work together, but we do it well.”
The restaurant wasn’t always owned by Robertson. The founder, Captain Juel, ran a small one-room fishing operation from the building in Little River. A menu from the original location shows most dishes costing around $1 or less for fresh seafood.
Forty-seven years ago, Robertson, a native of Myrtle Beach, took over ownership. By then, the restaurant had expanded to include a larger dining area overlooking the waterway. His first step was implementing new recipes, like his signature blackened seasoning for seafood, that is still on the menu.
When he married his wife, Deanna Robertson, she started making homemade desserts that she learned from her mom. All of the food is made from scratch using mostly family recipes.
Other menu staples include shrimp n’ grits, stuffed flounder and blackened mahi mahi.
At first, Captain Juels didn’t have much competition, but now the Grand Strand has dozens of seafood houses. The Robertsons welcome the competition and think it makes them better.
“I don’t know any other restaurant that has been around this long, especially with the same owner and same cook,” Deanna Robertson said. “All of our main recipes are Joe’s recipes.”
Captain Juels has developed loyal customers over the years who Robertson considers to be a part of the family. He thinks good quality ingredients is key to bringing people back, but said good table service is what sets him apart.
His daughter, Heidi Mishoe, is why he thinks the customer service is so good. Robertson’s family works in all roles at the restaurant, and he still oversees the cooking.
Mishoe is beyond proud of what her family has built.
“I’ve grown up here, I started working when I was 12,” Mishoe said. “It’s amazing. It makes me almost cry sometimes, especially when you see people return every year.”
The family still doesn’t know how they want to celebrate their 75th year of operation just yet. Joe Robertson said they’ll probably announce something soon on their Facebook page.
But for now, the operation continues much like it always has. Robertson never thought he would own a restaurant this long, but he is excited for the next 75 years of welcoming guests to Captain Juel’s Hurricane.
“The last major change here was done in 1974,” he said. “Restaurants are a tough business, but it’s all I know.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 12:32 PM.
