Business Spotlight: Jolly Dog, a Coral Bay Staple Since 1997

We’ve received numerous emails recently asking us which St. John-based stores offer online shopping. Truthfully, the majority do. All you have to do is perform a quick Google search, and you will likely find your favorite St. John store online. But we’re going to save you that Google search today and tell you about one of our favorites… Jolly Dog.

Jolly Dog has been a Coral Bay staple since 1997. It offers a variety of items including clothings, jewelry, souvenirs and more. The Jolly Dog was born in the aftermath of volcanic eruptions on the island of Montserrat. Jeff Donnelly, the owner of Jolly Dog, moved to Montserrat in 1989 and ran a family garment manufacturing, screen printing and retail operation there. In 1995, the long dormant Soufriere Hills volcano rumbled to life and changed everything.

With just four hours notice to evacuate, Jeff grabbed his dog Apollo, a 110-pound Rottweiler/Shepard mix, and all the necessities needed for an ocean voyage. (No airplane would accept Apollo as a passenger.) So Jeff and Apollo set sail and eventually landed in Coral Bay, a place familiar to Jeff as he vacationed on St. John since the 1970s. Jeff arrived on St. John in 1995, just after Hurricane Marilyn devastated the island.

Jeff chose to celebrate Apollo’s ocean journey by creating a t-shirt in his honor. It featured a dog, skull and crossbones -the Jolly Dog. Jeff took that t-shirt design and ran with it. In 1997, he launched his first Jolly Dog store in a space beside the former Shipwreck Landing restaurant. And you guessed it… That t-shirt design made for Apollo became its logo which is still used today.

Nearly 23 years and many Jolly Dogs later, Jeff opened his newest store at Isola Shoppes in Coral Bay. Initially the new spot was meant to be an expansion of his space over at Skinny Legs, but hurricanes Irma and Maria had different plans. So now the Isola Shoppes location is his flagship store. Following its opening, he launched Zemi Island Designs in the space just across the hall.

Jeff has taken the last six weeks of forced closure to revamp his websites, boosting his online store for both Jolly Dog and Zemi Island Designs. You can now purchase nearly everything offered in both stores. And as a thank you to all of his loyal customers, Jeff is offering 20 percent off of everything through the end of the month. For those of you who are on island, Jeff is also offering in-store discounts.

Are you ready to check out the online stores and do some shopping? For Jolly Dog, please visit jollydog.shopsettings.com.
Use code STAYJOLLY20 for 20% off of your subtotal on Jolly Dog online orders over $100. For Zemi Island Designs, please visit zemi.shopsettings.com. Use code MAYDAY20 for 20% your subtotal on Zemi online orders over $100.

If you are able to, please support Jeff and all of your favorite St. John retailers during this unprecedented time.

“We are not alone in this,” Jeff recently wrote to us. “Like so many other St John businesses, we were just about to enjoy a ‘good season’, the first since the devastation wrought by Irma and Maria. We are thankful St. John is such a strong destination with such a loyal following, whom we know will return to St. John’s shores again… once it is deemed safe to do so.”