The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce and the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) have named David Pierce, owner of The Lazy Pirate restaurant and the Carolina Beach Boatyard and Marina, as the winner of the Eighth Annual Pleasure Island Entrepreneur of the Year for 2014.
Pierce will be honored at an awards breakfast May 22 at the UNCW Burney Center with other chamber of commerce winners and the 2014 Coastal Entrepreneurs of the Year.
UNCW CIE, the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and local chambers of commerce organized the competition to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming entrepreneurs in the Cape Fear region and to help foster entrepreneurial activity in our region, according to Greg Reynolds of the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce.
For more than 15 years, Pierce has brought the entrepreneurial spirit to Pleasure Island, Reynolds said.
“David is effective and efficient in the recognition and implementation of change on many levels,” Reynolds said. “As our island has grown, he has changed his businesses to grow with it. An example of this is the new volleyball courts and crab shack at the Lazy Pirate. David realized the customers have become more health conscious and recreational, so he redeveloped his go cart track into volleyball courts, corn hole, grassy picnic areas, and added steamed seafood to his menu.
“There is no question that the Lazy Pirate has experienced rapid and significant business growth. Just ride by almost any night. It has become one of the most popular places in town and recently won the Best Wings in Wilmington contest.”
For more information please call the Chamber at 910-458-8434 or email at greg@pleasureislandnc.org.
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