Real People, Real Family, Real Vibes
Our Story
About The Crow’s Nest
Our story is rooted in generations of service across two families, and more than 20 years of service together as one family.
He entered U.S. Navy boot camp in 1996. We met years later, in 2009, when he returned to active duty. Between us came long stretches apart, training pipelines, operational deployments, and tours at sea. By the time he retired in 2022, our family had spent over 16 years supporting one another through military life—countless nights apart, multiple deployments, and the quiet resilience that service demands.
Through it all, we stayed strong.
Before uniforms and ranks, we were both bartenders. She brought a love of cooking and hospitality; he enjoyed the craft and camaraderie of slinging drinks. Over time, that shared background became an idea.
She spent more than 15 years in animal care and ranching in Oklahoma, managing a family, a ranch, and raising three incredible kids. He spent over 25 years combined serving in the U.S. Navy and later working in the defense community—supporting some of our nation’s most critical missions before and after 9/11, through the GWOT era, and beyond COVID—all with the goal of building a good life for his family, done the right way.
As we began planning our transition from military life, we completed the Veterans Administration’s Boots to Business program and continued working with Small Business Development Centers in two states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. What started as research became a real path forward.
As our son begins his own life journey, and we raise two daughters as strong and spirited as their mother, we felt it was time to alter course—to open a new chapter built around time together, purpose, and adventure.
After fulfilling our duty to God and Country, we sought a new direction—one rooted in passion, hospitality, and a bit of maritime soul. Blending a love of sailing, diving, Navy tradition, and good food, The Crow’s Nest came to life in 2024.
What began as a simple idea quickly became an all-in journey. We’re proud to build something of our own, and even prouder to share that journey with everyone who becomes part of our crew.
We fell in love with St. Thomas several times over the years. The vibe, the community, the history, the landscape, beaches, all of it just sings to us. We are excited to make the transition down to the island in 2026 with our family, and our Beneteau 473 Oceanis sailboat to begin the work of opening ...
The Crow's Nest restaurant and bar & Outlaw King Charters
Check back here again in 2026 as we talk about the staff of The Crow's Nest, USVI!