About Us

The Jolly Dog story began in the aftermath of the volcanic eruptions on Montserrat in the West Indies. I had lived there since 1989, running a family garment manufacturing, screen printing, and retail operation. In 1995, the long-dormant Soufrière Hills volcano came back to life and changed everything. As conditions worsened and evacuation orders spread, I was forced to leave Montserrat for good in October of 1995.

Having visited St. John since the early 1970s, the island quickly became the obvious choice for a new home. But getting there was not simple.

When evacuation orders were issued for Plymouth, we had only a few hours to gather what we could: a small “go” bag, the essentials, and my dog Apollo — a 110-pound Rottweiler-Shepherd mix. No airline would take Apollo off the island, so our only remaining option was passage aboard the SV Avontuur, a working down-island cargo schooner. The captain was ready to leave immediately, and with new evacuation orders taking effect by day’s end, it was now or never.

The voyage was stressful and chaotic. We nearly ran aground entering Basseterre Harbor in St. Kitts at daybreak, then spent days in quarantine in St. Martin while paperwork was sorted out. Eventually, we were cleared for the final leg to St. Thomas, and ultimately Coral Bay, St. John. After everything we had just left behind, arriving in safe harbor felt like a new beginning.

The U.S. Virgin Islands had just been through Hurricane Marilyn in 1995, so things were far from perfect. But compared to the volcano we had just fled, St. John felt like home.

In honor of Apollo’s seafaring escape, I designed a T-shirt for him in 1996 featuring a dog skull and crossbones: The Jolly Dog. The first Jolly Dog store opened at Shipwreck Landing in the fall of 1997. There have been a few versions since then, but the spirit has stayed the same.

Today, almost 30 years later, The Jolly Dog continues to evolve while staying true to its island roots. Jolly Dog Trading Co. can be found at Isola Shoppes on the waterfront in Coral Bay, St. John, where we opened in March of 2017 and expanded in March of 2021.

In February of 2019, we launched our sister jewelry store, Zemi Island Designs, also in Coral Bay, which expanded in the fall of 2022. Most recently, we opened our newest location in Cruz Bay, bringing Jolly Dog and Zemi together in one shared island retail space.

From Coral Bay to Cruz Bay, we are proud to keep growing on St. John while offering the same mix of local flavor, coastal style, and slightly offbeat island personality that started with Apollo’s original Jolly Dog T-shirt back in 1996.

We love our beautiful home on the water and invite you to stop in the next time you are on island.

What We Do

Jolly Dog Trading Co. in Coral Bay, St. John is an island retail shop with a little history, a little salt, and a lot of personality. We offer a carefully chosen mix of locally designed apparel, hats, beachwear, gifts, local art, jewelry, and island-inspired souvenirs.

Our style is casual, coastal, and a little weathered around the edges — rooted in St. John, shaped by the Caribbean, and never too polished. Whether you are looking for a favorite new T-shirt, a gift to take home, or something that actually feels like the island, Jolly Dog is a stop worth making.