Capt'n Bill's Backyard Grill, the Wilmington volleyball bar and brewery that's been pouring beer and running sand courts since 1992, is bringing its second location to Holly Ridge. Co-owner Brookes Musser has signed papers to purchase 12 acres along U.S. Highway 17 South for $1.7 million, with the goal of opening by the end of 2027.
As reported by Port City Daily, the Musser family had been hunting for a Holly Ridge-area expansion spot for two years before landing this site, which will need to be cleared before construction begins. The new facility is expected to be larger than the original Wilmington location, and Musser said it's meant to address a lack of adult recreation and family-friendly facilities in the surrounding towns. There's no set grand-opening timeline yet, according to the same report.
The expansion isn't coming out of nowhere. Capt'n Bill's already draws a large chunk of its customer base from the Holly Ridge area, and its leagues pull players from Jacksonville, Sneads Ferry, Hampstead, Surf City and Holly Ridge, per Port City Daily. Musser said the new location will let locals join co-ed leagues and tournaments without making the drive to Wilmington every time.
From Four Courts to a Family Institution
Capt'n Bill's got its start in 1992, when John and Erin Musser opened the business with four volleyball courts, a walk-up bar and a grill, according to Capt'n Bill's own account of its history. The business grew from there, adding a tiki bar in 1998 and a cabana in 2000, and the current Wilmington operation now runs 12 sand volleyball courts, three bars, a full restaurant and an on-site brewery.
Bill's Brewing Company joined the operation in 2016, bringing a full-scale brewery and taproom to the Wilmington facilities. The venue has also become a hub for organized play, hosting the Wilmington Volleyball Series along with tournaments and league play, according to WILMA magazine. Musser told the magazine the business has easily raised close to $1 million over the years through its events.
What's Planned for the Holly Ridge Site
The Holly Ridge location will include both indoor and outdoor volleyball courts, a larger tap room and dining area serving the same menu as Wilmington, an outdoor patio, restrooms and an elevated area overlooking the courts, per Port City Daily's reporting. It's expected to employ roughly 50 people, mostly new hires, which would roughly match the staffing at the Wilmington location.
Staff from both locations will work across sites to help out as needed. Jonny Harris will oversee league play at both locations as league director, while Alex Brooks serves as tournament director, Allison McPherson as general manager, Jason Camp as kitchen manager and Jenna Wehry as front of house manager. Brookes Musser will continue overseeing daily operations, her husband Donnie Stone will remain director of operations for Bill's Brewing, and her father, John Musser, plans to stay onsite daily handling maintenance and catering.
Why Holly Ridge, and Why Now
The timing lines up with a town that's growing fast. Holly Ridge's population increased 6.5 percent between 2020 and 2024, and the town is on track to break 8,000 residents by the end of 2028, according to WNCT. Jacksonville Onslow Economic Development Executive Director Mark Sutherland said the growth is likely tied to new highways making the town more accessible, though he also pointed to a broader regional squeeze, noting the county is short 10,000 housing units.
Musser became a partial owner of the family business alongside her parents a decade before this expansion was announced, and she's said opening a second — and possibly a third — location has been a goal ever since. She's floated the Greenville or Winterville area as a possible future site, but stressed that nothing is currently in the works there and a third location remains an uncertain end goal rather than a firm plan.
For Musser, the appeal of Capt'n Bill's has always gone beyond the courts and the beer taps. She's said customers consider the place a second home, with some having met spouses and raised children through its leagues — and the hope is that the Holly Ridge expansion creates that same welcoming atmosphere for residents of Hampstead, Surf City, Sneads Ferry and Jacksonville, not just Wilmington regulars. The original location remains open Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
