OUR STORY
The Crabby Bill’s adventure started in New Jersey where Bill Loder and his wife Dolores were beginning a life and a family together. Mom and Dad (Bill & Dolores Loder) had been in the seafood business since early after their marriage in 1954. They sold blue crabs on the side of the road, and also owned a small seafood restaurant together. Dolores and Bill loved traveling to the Jersey shore, Delaware and Maryland to acquire fresh product to sell to the public who enjoyed their style of serving fresh, no frills seafood.
In 1968, they moved to Madeira Beach, Florida, where they did it all: from selling blue crabs on the roadside to doing the clamming, fishing, and hauling of seafood throughout Florida. All of that changed in 1975 when they opened their first restaurant, Captain Bill’s Beach Kitchen. Mom cooked, (and what a great cook she was!) Dad shucked clams, oysters , and the like while the kids pitched in to help run the place.
After several locations, including restaurants in Redington Shores (1975), Madeira Beach, Bay Pines, and Tyrone, and many boats, crab traps and refrigeration trucks later, they moved in April 1983 to Indian Rocks Beach. Since the family sold the Captain Bill’s name and location the previous year, it was time to come up with a new name for the family business. That’s when daughter Eleanor declared, “Dad’s crabby, we like crabs, why not Crabby Bills?” and so history was made. Over time, the family purchased surrounding properties. With Dad now in his 50s, he had a goal of owning a business that could support his family and be passed down to his kids.
Building a family legacy is exactly what Crabby Bill did. Because of Bill and Dolores Loder’s vision and courage, the Crabby Bill’s Family Brands continues to thrive. What started as a small 800 square foot building on Gulf Boulevard now includes Crabby Gifts, Jake’s Mexican Cantina, LuLu’s Oyster Bar and Tap House, Seabreeze Island Grill, Ready Set Yo, Crabby Bill’s St. Pete Beach, Crabby Bills Off The Hook, Clearwater Oyster Company, Tropix Beach Bar, and now Crabby Bill’s Fish Camp.
We are excited for the opportunity to serve you the same way Mom and Dad did over 40 years ago…it’s a family tradition!
-Matt Loder Sr., CEO of the Original Crabby Bill’s Family Brands