Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Scrub Island group leases Marina Cay; Restaurant to be revived

Scrub Island group leases Marina Cay; Restaurant to be revived

When Charles C. Tobias, the former owner of Pussers British West Indies Limited, announced in 2019 that Pussers would no longer have a presence on Marina Cay after more than 25 years, many residents, as well as tourists, had expressed sadness.

Now comes news that Marina Cay is under a long-term lease to Scrub Island Development Group.

There are also reports that the restaurant will be revived.

The restaurant was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and never rebuilt.

According to Joe C. Collier, President and Founder of Mainsail Lodging and Development, “A reclamation project is underway and the heavy debris and rubble from the previous storms have been removed.

“New activation plans are being developed and the island will be brought back to life in the next few months,” Mr Collier told Virgin Islands News Online.

Meanwhile, General Manager of Scrub Island Resort Mr Michael J. Schoonewagen also confirmed to our newsroom that Marina Cay is now under lease to Scrub Island Development Group and anticipates that a restaurant will be among the facilities available to guests.

“This is all new and we are still in discussions, but I‘m sure one of the moving parts will be reviving the restaurant,” Mr Schoonewagen stated.


According to Joe C. Collier, President and Founder of Mainsail Lodging and Development, a reclamation project is underway at Marina Cay and the heavy debris and rubble from the previous storms have been removed.

History

Marina Cay, an 8-acre island, was occupied in the late 1930’s by newlyweds Robb and Rodie White. Robb’s best-selling book of 1953, Our Virgin Island, chronicled their life on Marina Cay. It became a film starring Sidney Poitier and John Cassavetes, much of it filmed on the island.

For 20 years after American Robb White’s departure for WWII, the island lay uninhabited for some time until it was purchased by American entrepreneur and lawyer Eugene K. Tonkonogy and a small hotel opened on the island in 1960.

In the early 1990’s, Charles S. Tobias, on leasing the island, set about building a very small and intimate resort with a gift shop and Pusser’s Restaurant.

General Manager of Scrub Island Resort Mr Michael J. Schoonewagen also confirmed to our newsroom that Marina Cay is now under lease to Scrub Island Development Group and anticipates that a restaurant will be among the facilities available to guests.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
×