The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl continues to ripple through Seabrook, with the City Council recently voting to allow the well-known Barge 295—a once floating bar now sunk—to navigate a new course as a land-based food truck operation. In a decision conveyed by the Houston Chronicle, the Council granted a six-month temporary variance, overcoming initial regulatory hurdles that had previously scuttled the owners' efforts to revive their business on dry land.
Challenges have been constant for co-owners Michael and Patrick Robinson, who, after purchasing Barge 295 in 2017, faced Hurricane Harvey, weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and now contend with the watery fate of their establishment hurled by Beryl, this outcome has left 32 employees adrift, uncertain of the bar's future. Michael Robinson expressed his dismay to ABC 13, saying, "I'm very saddened by it because we've got a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in it." They had hoped to operate at The Yard—a space fashioned during the pandemic—but were denied by city officials citing jurisdictional codes, specifically the lack of access to adequate restroom facilities with the primary business submerged.
With their popular Seabook establishment completely underwater and a rally of supporters behind them, the Robinsons found an ally in City Council Member Jackie Rasco, who understood their plight. As she stated during a public discussion, "We shouldn’t have had to go through this to get here," recognizing the rally and owners' frustration as a justified response to the city's initial rejection. Council members, casting aside a murky past of "trust issues" with Barge 295 over noise disputes, focused on the present—the urgent need to support a local business seeking to stay afloat and preserve its community ties.
Despite initial friction and criticism from some city officials—who highlighted the Robinsons' method of mobilizing public support—the bar's legacy as a family-friendly venue where residents like Tracy Tipton enjoyed weekly sand volleyball games has galvanized community support. "This is a family establishment, it’s not just a bar," Tipton told the City Council, according to the Houston Chronicle. Mike Robinson echoed the sentiment in a statement to ABC 13, stressing the importance of the bar’s community, noting, "We've got a family here. Our employees and our customers. We've got a pretty deep bond with both sets, and we'd like to get everything back up and open."
