< Back to Oral History project: Bowens Island Restaurant
ORAL HISTORY
Robert Barber, owner
Bowens Island Restaurant
Robert Barber has always been connected to the restaurant business. When he was born in 1949, his grandparents were already operating Bowens Island Restaurant. As a teenager, he worked at other restaurants to earn extra money. After obtaining a law degree, however, Robert had bigger plans: He ran for public office and served in the state legislature. Still, he would make frequent visits to his see grandparents and experience Bowens Island. His attachment to the place brought him back for good in the 1980s, when his grandparents began showing their age. He helped fry shrimp and greet customers. He set up a law office in a back room. When his grandmother, May Bowen, died in 1990, he felt strongly about continuing the family tradition. He moved to the island and took the helm of the family restaurant. Since then only a few details have changed. One thing that will never change is Robert’s profound connection to the place his grandparents built—the island, the restaurant, and the state of mind.
