Island Breezes, like City Island itself, has ridden a wave of great change over the past 30 years. The shop and café has been everything from a kite and toy shop to home to a Jimmy Buffet fan club and merchandise store to its current state as a café.
Built with the rest of RiverSide Village in the 1980s as part of former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed’s revitalization efforts, Island Breezes was purchased by current owners Melvin and Ann Marie Cross in 2001. The couple rebuilt and expanded the store in 2005 after it experienced massive flood damage.
“I saw a City Island business for sale in the Sunday paper, and I said to my husband ‘I think we need to buy that—it’ll give you something to do,’” said Ann Marie, laughing as she relived the story.
The other village shops that Harrisburg natives remember were torn down a few years ago after storeowners closed and the buildings became abandoned.
“Since the shacks have been removed, our foot traffic has been phenomenal,” Ann Marie said.
Island Breezes—which sells hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, funnel cakes, coffee, ice cream cones and even crafts—is so passionate about making RiverSide Village Park family-oriented that the owners actually lowered prices for this season. The handicapped-accessible and dog-friendly café focuses on building relationships with customers to continue to bring more visitors to City Island.
The shop owners and employees have literally watched their clientele grow up. One customer, Josh, has visited Island Breezes almost everyday for 15 years, said Ann Marie, who mentioned how wonderful it is to see returning families.
“We see a lot of women come in pregnant, and the next summer we get to meet their kids in a stroller,” she explained. “We get to meet a lot of interesting people and really watch them grow up.”
Island Breezes’ loyal employee, Tina Magaro-Lewis, explained her passion for what the café brings to the city.
“We want families to come here. It’s a happy, safe place and a safe ground for grandparents to bring their grandchildren because it’s contained,” she said while recounting stories of local visitors and returning customers from all over central PA.
The day of this interview, Island Breezes had even served international visitors from Canada and Great Britain who were staying in Harrisburg to visit Hershey or Gettysburg.
The family-friendly venue gives customers of all ages a reason to come together and enjoy the aesthetic view of Harrisburg’s skyline.
City Island, now an integral part of the state capital’s economy, was not always such a hub of activity. In its unfathomably long history, the 63-acre island has been used for everything from a home to local Native Americans to a venue for Metallica and Grateful Dead concerts, intermixed with periods of abandonment.
The 1970s may have been the low point, with the island then known largely for illicit activity that ranged from illegal dumping to drug dealing, along with the occasional rock concert. In addition, some grand plans—including a Sports Hall of Fame, a restaurant and sports bar—never materialized.
More recent challenges have included flooding and the city’s financial crisis, which made island maintenance spotty.
Visit today, however, and you’ll find that this once-neglected place has improved dramatically.
City Island now is home to the Harrisburg Senators, the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat, marinas, miniature golf, batting cages, Susquehanna Outfitters and Harrisburg Carriage Co. In addition, the Harrisburg City Islanders recently announced a plan to greatly expand and improve its stadium.
Take the scenic walk across the Walnut Street Bridge today, or any warm day of the year, and you’ll find people making their way over the Susquehanna to run, walk, watch baseball and play volleyball, among a range of other activities.
Business-wise, Island Breezes hung in there while others around it closed and, with improving traffic on City Island, it’s now taking advantage of its place as a survivor.
“When you would see those shacks down there with broken windows, [City Island] visitors wouldn’t walk down through the village,” said Ann Marie. “Now, our business has done a complete turnaround.”
Mention this article at Island Breezes on your next visit to receive a complimentary small ice cream cone. The café is open daily from 10 a.m. to dusk during summer months.
