Treasure Coast residents and local foodies will have to say goodbye to a favorite local dining spot. Island Burger & Shake, a popular island-casual restaurant located on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce, has permanently closed its doors. The closure comes as the owner makes the difficult decision to downsize his business operations to prioritize his personal well-being.
Owner Taylor Shull announced the closure on social media in mid-April, citing serious health concerns. After enduring brutal medical treatments for throat cancer—marking his second major health scare in the past six years—Shull decided it was time to scale back his professional commitments.
After a lot of thought, I made the difficult but necessary decision to reduce my workload and focus on just two restaurants.
Despite the closure of the beloved smashburger and malted milkshake joint, Shull remains an active part of the Treasure Coast culinary scene. He will continue to operate his two remaining establishments: Hutchinson Island Bar & Grille, located near the Fort Pierce south jetty, and Island Pig & Fish, which recently relocated from Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce to Tradition in Port St. Lucie.
The shifting local restaurant landscape also brings exciting new opportunities for other Treasure Coast favorites. The space formerly occupied by Island Burger & Shake at 2025 Seaway Drive will soon welcome a familiar Indian River County establishment. Erin’s Irish Pub, currently operating its original location at 740 S. Fleming Street in Sebastian, is expanding into the Fort Pierce space to open its second location.
For residents keeping track of the Treasure Coast dining shuffle, here is a breakdown of the recent commercial real estate and restaurant changes:
- Island Burger & Shake on Seaway Drive has permanently closed its doors to allow the owner to focus on his health.
- Erin’s Irish Pub, a popular Sebastian staple, will be moving into the vacant Island Burger & Shake location to open a second pub.
- Island Pig & Fish has officially moved its operations from the Harbour Cay plaza in Fort Pierce to a new location in Tradition.
- LocOhana Tropical Grill, an upcoming Florida fusion restaurant, will soon open in the former Fort Pierce location of Island Pig & Fish.
While the gourmet hot dogs, fries, and milkshakes of Island Burger & Shake will be sorely missed on Fort Pierce’s South Beach, the Treasure Coast dining scene continues to evolve, bringing new flavors and exciting expansions to both Indian River and St. Lucie counties.
