Seafood icon adding something new — an upscale bar and lounge in this South MS downtown
Desporte Seafood in Biloxi has been selling fresh seafood on the Coast for about 130 years, and while Sean Desporte keeps busy managing the business and the restaurant on Caillavet Street, he’s now taking on a new challenge.
“I live in Ocean Springs,” he said, and he’s creating The Crown bar and lounge in the city’s busy downtown. It will be a place where a group of women out shopping or a couple looking for an escape from the crowds of the festivals can sneak away for a luxury experience.
The upscale lounge on the east side of Washington Avenue, just north of Government Street and next to Zeal Boutique, will stand out once the new crown sign is in place. While the exterior is narrow, the interior is one of the deepest storefronts in the downtown, Desporte says.
Desporte and Markham Moore, his partner in the new business, are targeting an early April opening.
The Crown will pour higher end wine, cocktails and craft beer in a setting with royal touches. Antique black and white tile will grace the floor. A chandelier and 10 pendant lights over the bar will illuminate the dark walls. Floating shelves, green Italian slate and a brass foot rail and kick plate at the bar will carry the elegant theme.
“We just want to make it feel comfortable,” Desporte said, where customers can feel safe and indulged while they stop in for a mimosa and where they can carry on a conversation.
The bar will be open throughout the day and evening, but won’t stay open late at night, he said.
This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
