By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the PRESS
Popular seafood restaurant Parrot Eyes unexpectedly closed its doors on Sept. 8, and the owners, Virginia and Ron Guillot, are preparing for retirement.
The pair were born and raised in the area. The two even attended school together from kindergarten to graduation. They are now preparing to become grandparents and enter their senior years together.
They opened Parrot Eyes in 1982 as a fruit smoothie and fajita taco stand. A few years later, the location moved to the northern side of South Padre Island [SPI] and expanded to include watersports and a sunset bar.
Their expansive food menu was added later to cater to their customers’ needs.
“Whoever was drinking, wanted food,” said Ron Guilliot.
In 2009, the restaurant moved again and settled in its current location. There, the restaurant took its fullest form and even included a gift shop.
For the time being, the watersports portion of Parot Eyes is still operational. It offers experiences like jet skiing, parasailing, kayaking, a fishing charter and more.
Ron and Virginia Guillot are still moving out of the establishment, so their full enjoyment of retirement is a few weeks away. Ron says they plan on having a memorabilia sale in the first week of October.
“It’s been a wonderful four decades, we have a lot of friends we’ve met throughout the years,” said Virginia.
Virginia taught elementary school for several years but left it behind to run Parrot Eyes.
“It’s a lot of work if you’re an independent, family-owned business,” she said.
The two have a son who moved some distance away. That and the fact the two were approaching retirement age, convinced them to step down from the business.
Even with some challenges, Virginia is adamant about her and Ron’s enjoyment of the business and is especially touched by the outreach their retirement announcement caused.
“We are eternally grateful to our amazing friends, families, employees and fishing guides who have been with us on this long, incredible journey,” the two stated on Facebook, announcing Parrot Eyes’ closure.
The post continued to say that their “little piece of Parrot Eyes” will be handled by the Del Rio family, best known for their SPI sensations “Yummies” and “Viva” restaurants. The Guillots look forward to seeing
what they do and where they will take the establishment.
The post ended with a farewell to their longtime fans: “Wishing you fair winds and following seas. Captain Ron and First Mate Virginia, signing off.”
Comments