Giving up was never an option for Jimmy Stinson, owner of the Creole and Seafood Shack.
When the Deepwater Horizon oil spill threatened to cripple the seafood industry, Stinson, an Alabama native, knew he had to prepare.
Determined to outlast the adversity that forced other seafood restaurants out of business, Stinson bought as much fish and shrimp as possible and braced for impact.
"You're not backed by nobody but yourself," Stinson said.
These words held true as Stinson managed to not only survive the oil spill, but thrive.
With no financial aid, the Creole Shack stayed in business and even moved out of the namesake building into a larger, more customer-friendly location on Martin Luther King Drive the first week of September.
The new location offers more dining space, more parking and a well-stocked bar.
As the Creole Shack makes the transition from a cramped, bustling cafe to a more legitimate, restaurant-style establishment, Stinson and his wife are excited about the progress being made.
"(The restaurant) is Jimmy's dream, and we're just trying to live it out," said Stinson's wife, Ernestine.
The move, however, also provides an added challenge for the business.
During the first month at the new location, the lack of a working phone line and poor service plagued the restaurant.
"The problem with that was 90 percent of the people on the floor were green," Stinson said. "Some had waited tables before, and some had never waited a table in their lives."
Stinson and his employees fixed the phone lines, and the staff is now more experienced.
As the oil spill fades into the past, things are looking up for the Creole Shack.
First-time customers Roy and Susan Price of Mobile agree.
"We had good service," Roy said. "They were very nice."
Susan, who ordered the jambalaya and fried green tomatoes, said she enjoyed the authentic Creole cuisine.
Stinson, a self-taught cook, perfected his craft while living in Florida and New Orleans.
"I lived in New Orleans for several years, just eating the food, tasting it, coming back, playing with it, learning how to cook," Stinson said. "I have a passion for cooking."
The restaurant has a healthy lunch and dinner crowd and looks to gain more notice from people searching for a homemade Southern meal.
Although the oil spill had the potential to shut down his business, Stinson said he would not have let it keep him down.
"I'd start pushing chicken and pork and everything else," Stinson said. "I'd still be in the food business."
Despite the threat to his business, he made all the right moves to avoid the fate suffered by so many other Gulf Coast restaurants.
But even with his success, Stinson is not taking anything for granted.
Above the daily specials is a single quote: "Thank you, Almighty, for another day and another year."
For Stinson and his restaurant, his foresight, perseverance and passion equal a recipe for success.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
