Oceanana Grill & Pier: A Family Affair

FEATURING ONE OF the few remaining public ocean fishing piers North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, the Oceanana Resort and Fishing Pier in Atlantic Beach has been a longtime favorite of both locals and visitors alike.
           
Oceanana Resort was opened in 1959 by Alfred Cooper, Sr. and is presently owned and run by the Cooper family. In 1960, Mr. Cooper transplanted Bobby Eubanks from the bowling alley he worked in (also owned by Cooper) to Oceanana, where he worked the grill and the fishing counter.
           
Here is where the family legacy begins. His wife, Dollie, also came on board followed by other various family members. While her husband masterfully handled the grill, Dollie worked every other part of the pier house except the grill, stating that at that time she “didn’t know how to cook.” In 1975, they took over and leased the pier, pier house and grill. After the loss of her husband, Dollie continued on at the pier working the fishing counter and learning to cook on the grill.

Walking into Oceanana today, you can still find Dollie managing the grill and pier along with her familial staff - Sheila, Debra, Kathy, Joyce, Anita and Ruth. They put a lot of love and care into their homestyle breakfasts with favorites like the hotcakes and country ham (which Dollie says is the best around). The grill also offers a lunch menu including burgers, hot dogs and country ham sandwiches just to name a few.

Dollie says she’s enjoyed every day she’s been at the pier house and grill. Dollie and her family value their customers and say that their doors are always open to locals and visitors alike. Longtime customer Walter Banks says that he and his family keep coming back because of the “friendly, clean atmosphere and excellent food.”

Oceanana Family Resort, located at 700 East Fort Macon Road, includes an oceanfront motel, fishing pier, grill and arcade. It is a landmark as it is the last operating pier in Atlantic Beach withstanding the test of time, the trying saltwater conditions and the many damaging hurricanes over the years. Resort Manager Tom Outlaw says that spring fishing has been the best ever and hopes for a continued successful fall season. One of Oceanana’s biggest draws is that it offers a blanket fishing license for the convenience of its guests, so there aren’t any hassles when it comes to a day of fishing.
 
Outlaw shares memories of the Oceanana Pier’s earliest days with this vintage 1959 pier promotional poster inviting anglers with “acres of paved parking” and the lure of catching the big ones in waters “scientifically chummed to attract fish.”
           
While you may not find acres of parking anymore in Atlantic Beach, the Oceanana Fishing Pier continues to offer an “all-star cast” for fishermen and families looking to enjoy some fun in the sun.

With its oceanfront location, any time is a good time to stop in for an early morning, home-cooked breakfast before a day at the beach. Or if you’re already on the beach and you’re ready for a quick lunch and cool drink, the Oceanana Grill is at your service. It is open 7 days a week, breakfast is served from 5am – 10:45am and the regular menu is served from 10:45am – 10pm.

As the sign above the counter says, “It’s not just a job for us, we enjoy waiting on you.” Stop in and experience one of the original destinations on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. Details, 252-726-0863.

Read more feature articles in the print edition of Waterfront Magazine.