Mongoose Junction is about to celebrate its 30th tourist season. In an article about the shopping area, "This Week", the VI tourist magazine you can get at the airport and on some flight, calls the project "a beautiful example of 18th century Danish building technique with a modern twist."
The architect on the project, and still an island resident, was Glen Speer. Originally, the center offered venues to local artists and artisans. As tourism has increased, and real estate has appreciated, rents in the center have moved up and many of the original tenants have moved on, some to be replaced by branches of larger companies.
The first phase of Mongoose began in 1978. The upscale Ocean Grill has replaced the original open air bar/restaurant. It was the place for business people to have lunch, for real estate salespeople to swap stories around an oval bar, while tourists sat at tables and treated bananaquits to sugar water. The second section, heavy on big retailers, was started in 1988.
You can read This Week's story about Mongoose by clicking here. The St. John section is on pages 64-75.