Tommy Bahama was the first business to open at Market Street, and 20 years later it's still the one you point to when someone asks what makes the place work. That's not sentiment — it's a track record most restaurants and retail concepts never come close to.
The two-story building on the main promenade is as recognizable as anything at Market Street. The wraparound veranda, the palm trees out front, the ceiling fans turning slow overhead — it sets a tone before you walk through the door. My family has been walking through that door for two decades.
The Store Earns Its Reputation
This Market Street location ranks among the most successful in the entire Tommy Bahama portfolio, and walking the floor makes that easy to believe. Hardwood floors, woven wall panels, chandelier lighting that reads more resort lobby than retail — the space is warm and unhurried in a way that makes people slow down and actually browse.
The full range is here: men's and women's resort wear, hats, accessories, home goods. It's the kind of place where you come in for one linen shirt and leave carrying a candle and a straw tote.
The Bar Holds Its Own
The Bar is lively without being loud, and the bar staff moves with an efficiency that only comes from years of practice. On any given weeknight you'll find couples at tables, groups celebrating something, and solo guests nursing a drink while the game plays overhead. The mix hasn't changed much — which means the place is doing something right.
The kitchen is still putting out serious plates. The ahi tacos in wonton shells — served in that distinctive metal rack with a Tommy Bahama napkin tucked alongside — are worth ordering every time. The grilled shrimp skewers with charred lemon and sweet chili are a straightforward, well-executed plate that earns its place on the menu.
First In, Still Standing
Market Street was a concept on paper once, and businesses have come and gone on that stretch ever since it opened. The ones that last understand what this community values — consistency, quality, a place that feels like it belongs. Tommy Bahama understood that before anyone else had a lease signed here.
Every restaurant that came after owes something to the fact that Tommy Bahama proved the market was ready. They weren't filling a space; they were setting a standard.
If you want to understand what makes Market Street work, start here. Twenty years in, the building still looks sharp, the bar fills up on a Tuesday, and the store pulls in people who had no intention of shopping that day. The first one in is still the one to beat.