Alley Galley - Back to the Beginning
Many of you may know George and Cynthia (Thia) Tyler as the original owner's of Schooner Bay Market Place...but the Tyler's, who sailed to the Virgin Islands in 1987 from Annapolis Md, first business on St. Croix was the little Alley Galley deli and liquor store below the Comanche Hotel. They sailed around for a couple of years, but lost their boat in hurricane Hugo (1989) but, because of their entrepreneurial spirits, they stayed to helped rebuild our island.
George first opened Alley Galley in 1991 on a bet after talking to some of the guys (real estate agents, bankers, developers) who said Christiansted is "gone forever" as we knew it. Hugo's wrath had suffered St. Croix a huge blow. No electricity for a year, Tourism destroyed, sailboats blown up into the streets in Christiansted, 90% of buildings had roof damage. Those were the hardest of times for St. Croix. With all this, Alley Galley opened to prove a point.
Within the next five years George and Thia Tyler moved on to own the Pink Fancy Hotel and East End Deli & Bakery. Then they bought, designed, built, and operated Schooner Bay Market Place in Gallows Bay for thirteen years. During that time George died (2004) and Thia Tyler sold Schooner Bay Market Place (2009) to the Crosier family who had operated Gallows Bay Hardware for many years.
Realizing that she was a work-aholic, Thia decided to go back to the beginning, and re-open Alley Galley. Before Hurricane Hugo, Kings Alley and the Comanche Hotel were THE place to be on St. Croix. Streets were lively, music was flowing, and folks mingled and had a great time. Thia Tyler re-opened Alley Galley last year in an attempt to re-create those fun times from years passed.
Alley Galley is open seven days a week serving breakfast and lunch and Kalaloo on Fridays. Look for giant sandwiches, wraps, homemade soups, salads, cakes, cookies, and snacks. As a full service Liquor Store and Wine Cellar, it's the only place in town to buy cold beer, ice, and deli food for boaters, hotel guests, scuba divers, and folks headed to Buck Island plus the cheapest walk-with drinks (Pina Coladas on tap), beer, soda, juices and waters--even Bush Tea.
Alley Galley is a favorite place of locals and visitors with a wide selection of items including meat and cheeses, bread, fruit, cigarettes, ice, and heath care products plus a few kooky hard-to-find items which the owner is famous for. You're guaranteed a good time--meet locals, Danish and visitors and probably Thia Tyler herself! Mon - Sat 7:30 am - 7:00 pm, Sun 9:00 - 5 pm, Strand Street, Christiansted.
