Magnolia aldermen on Tuesday night applauded news of a new business opening soon in town.
Chris Douglas, owner of Da Cajun Shack, told the board his business’s ribbon cutting and grand opening at the former Rockin’ Willy’s site on Airport-Fernwood Road will be 11:30 a.m. Friday.
He expects to be able to serve a seafood buffet from 5 to 9 p.m.
“We’re really excited to be in Magnolia,” Douglas said.
The business started on Park Drive at Parklane Road before the COVID-19 pandemic while Douglas was also working making seafood deliveries to Rouse’s Markets across the Gulf Coast region.
Those endeavors led to the opening of a seafood market in Summit before Douglas decided to return to captaining a boat and close the restaurant as COVID ran rampant.
As COVID began to moderate and social conditions began to look more normal, Douglas said he wanted to get back into the restaurant business in Pike County.
“I looked at going to Hattiesburg, but I couldn’t leave the place I got started and that supported us so well,” he said.
Water tests and other paperwork have been submitted to the state Department of Health for permitting, and Douglas said he expectes provisional approval of the paperwork before Friday’s opening.
The business will have further assessments of its water as the business and Magnolia’s public works department work on moving the business from well water to the municipal system.
