Phillips Crab House Closes After Serving Ocean City For 66 Years

OCEAN CITY, MD — Phillips Crab House announced Monday that it closed after serving Ocean City for 66 years. The family plans to sell the property, located at Philadelphia Avenue and 21st Street.

"We’ve served millions of families, vacationers and OC locals," Phillips Seafood, which owns the restaurant, said on Facebook. "Our family feels so fortunate to have earned the loyalty of our guests, who came back year after year to build their vacation memories with us. Thank you for being such a wonderful part of our story."

The restaurateurs thanked their employees and guests for all the good times.

"Led by a strong management team, our staff worked together to deliver delicious dishes, all served up with a warm smile and welcoming Eastern Shore hospitality," the eatery said. "None of our success over the years would have been possible without their hard work and dedication."

All the other Phillips Seafood locations, including its site in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, are still open. The business also has restaurants in six airports, two casinos and one rest stop.

"We will continue to build on the strong foundation that our original Crab House location gave us," Phillips Seafood said. "We remain firmly planted in Maryland and will dedicate our resources in support of our Baltimore restaurant location, Baltimore culinary center and the growth of our retail, club, foodservice, and international business."

The Phillips family similarly closed its Ocean City inn this January. That accommodation, named the Beach Plaza Hotel, had overlooked the 13th Street boardwalk since it opened in 1967.

The closures followed the deaths of Brice and Shirley Phillips, who owned the Phillips enterprise. Brice Phillips died in 2011 at 90 years old. Shirley Phillips passed six years later at 95. They were married for 68 years.

The Phillips estate had owned the hotel and the crab house ever since their deaths. With the estate closing, the family had to decide which Phillips properties to keep and which to sell. Phillips Crab House and the Beach Plaza Hotel fell into the sell category.

"As we say our goodbyes, we just want to say THANK YOU for dining with us over the years," Phillips Seafood wrote. "We've loved being a part of your Ocean City memories."

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