Sonny's Place

09/03/2026

Grandma Theresa Puccetti, Junior, Grandpa Lawrence Puccetti Sr., and Julius Puccetti, around 1940.

09/02/2026

Shrimp Bun!
Our famous fried shrimp sandwich!

09/02/2026

Galveston's finest taken in Sonny's Place shortly after Hurricane Ike.

09/01/2026

Good Game!

08/31/2026

Jr and Melba in front of Sonny's Place around 1996.

08/30/2026

Jr has been featured in many books, magazines, and newspapers articles over the years.

08/29/2026

Charlie Putman and Jr were really good friends. Jr met Charlie when he was a medical student at UTMB. Charlie was Dean of Medicine at Duke University in the early 90's, and the second picture is apparently Charlie's son presenting Jr a picture of his late father shortly after Hurricane Ike.

08/28/2026

We recently passed what would have been Melba and Jr's 72nd wedding anniversary...

08/27/2026

Jr, Raymond, and I believe, Raymond's son, Lawrence, outside of Sonny's Place around 1950. This gets confusing, but there were 4 Lawrence Puccettis. Junior was Lawrence Puccetti Jr, ....Jr's son was Lawrence Puccetti 3rd,....Jr's dad was Lawrence Puccetti Sr....and Raymond's son was Lawrence Puccetti . To confuse things further....some people knew Jr as Sonny, because he was the longtime owner of Sonny's Place, ... but....Raymond was the son who was originally called Sonny, and Raymond is who Sonny's Place is named after, because Raymond was the first son to go into WW2.

08/26/2026

They are not closing, but the Ladies are retiring! I will miss them, but I hope they enjoy a well deserved retirement!

🦐 HILLMAN’S SEAFOOD CUSTOMER APPRECIATION OPEN HOUSE 🦐

Please join us for a special Customer Appreciation Open House!

📅 Saturday, August 29th
⏰ 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Come by, visit with us, and enjoy complimentary seafood samples as we celebrate our customers and the many people who have been part of the Hillman’s Seafood family throughout the years.

And while “The Girls” may be retiring, Hillman’s Seafood is NOT closing! 🦐❤️
A special message from “The Girls” - Del, Sybil, Jo Ann and Mary:

THE GIRLS ARE RETIRING!!!!

It has been a great pleasure serving this community and all the special people who have filled our lives. The loyalty of each and every one of you overwhelms this family.

To all the commercial fishermen who have provided you with fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, crabs and crawfish, whom we call family. We appreciate all your effort and endless days.

To all the former employees who gave their all…especially during the café days and through hurricanes — the busboys, waitresses, cooks, hostesses and everyone who worked alongside us throughout the years — we thank you!

Whether it be from the days of sh*****ng with our daddy on the boat, or the restaurant from 1959–1983, or from sewing and dipping nets from 1983–2015, along with retailing and wholesaling and shipping products from 1959 to present — it has been quite a journey.

To all the vendors and shippers who have graciously provided all the supplies and needs, we extend our sincere gratitude. A very special thank you to Wilson Hillman for not only refrigeration, but all his knowledge dealing with problems these girls did not have a clue about.

To all the fishermen and women who love to fish, thank you for supporting the bait camp. This is where it all began with our grandpa and the skiffs he built in the ’30s. We have to give tribute to Holden Morris (5th generation), who from such a young age served you with such courtesy at 4:00 a.m.

We have to thank God first and foremost, the knowledge and guidance of special grandparents, parents, uncles and cousins who sacrificed so much for this family. Living on this bayou wasn’t always easy. Faith brought us all through some tough times. Of course, our husbands, children and grandchildren went through the struggles too — keeping this tradition alive.

It goes without saying, the honorable Gallo guys — Zenon, Jimmy, Martin, David, Santiago (Jr.), and their sons, Gustavo, Eduardo and David Jr. — whom we all know have been a Godsend to this business. Their loyalty, honesty, knowledge and back-breaking service are undeniable and so appreciated. It goes without saying how much we love them.

The four of us sisters will be there on Saturday, August 29th to greet all of our friends, family and loyal customers. We would love the opportunity to personally thank you for being a part of our lives. All of you have a special place in our hearts.

Yes, there will be a changing of the tides, yet we will never forget the goodness and support of all of you.

As we begin this next chapter, we are happy to announce that Jo Ann’s son, Kyle, and his wife, Stephanie, will be carrying on the Hillman’s legacy beginning September 1, 2026.

With sincere thanks, we are so grateful God put you in our lives.

With love and gratitude,
Del, Sybil, Jo Ann & Mary ❤️

🦐 We hope to see everyone Saturday, August 29th from 10:00 AM–2:00 PM!

08/26/2026

A very nice post by our friends at ShyKatZ!

08/26/2026

Probably taken in 1944! Raymond "Sonny" Puccetti with his father, Lawrence Puccetti Sr. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the original sign other than this, but it was given to Sonny's Place by Coca-Cola, and above the words Coca-Cola was a large bottle of Coke!

08/25/2026

Grandma Theresa Puccetti probably visiting relatives who had businesses on 21street or on her way to St. Mary's church around 1948.