In 1986, Albert & Lonnie Willis bought the property known as Raintree Inn in Cruz Bay, St. John. The Raintree then consisted of 3 apartment short term rental units, and one cottage.  After running the 3 rental units and the cottage as a long term rental for several years, they were approached by Jean and Bob Matheny who wanted to turn the cottage into a restaurant.  Jean and Bob had local builder Marty Gack build the deck, and they soon opened the Raintree Restaurant & Lounge  serving mostly Mexican food.  After 3 years, Lonnie & Albert decided to  run the restaurant themselves, as the Matheny's were moving their restaurant to where J.J.'s Texas Coast Cafe is now. 

They ran the restaurant for a year until Phil Hoffman of Margarita Phil's fame came along as Chef and together they turned the Raintree Restaurant into the seafood mecca now known as the Fish Trap.  Phil cooked for the Fish Trap for 4 years.  When he left, the Willises checked with their Culinary Institute of America trained chef son, Aaron , who was working  at the "California Café" chain of restaurants, to see if he would like to come home to St. John to take over management.  He said "yes", and he successfully ran the Fish Trap for almost 15 years. 

Under Chef Aaron's management, the Fish Trap Restaurant won multiple awards for the best seafood, and he himself walked away with yearly "Best Chef" awards.  He also enlarged the bar area and set up the first fresh Seafood Market on St. John.  Over the years, Chef Aaron became a  mentor to several local youths, and trained them in food preparation.  Some people here will remember Hartley Metor (now in a management position in the states) and Cyrus Jean (who has since become a Chef himself). 

In 2007, Chef Aaron took a prestigious job with the Yachthaven Grand in St. Thomas. But given the opportunity to come back as the owner and operator, Chef Aaron  decided to come home, now joined by his wife Lisa, also a person with excellent restaurant experience and skills.   The Fish Trap reopened in the first week of June, 2008 with a new menu, with many of your old favorites still aboard. 

In March, 2010, Nathan Albert Willis was born.  He  and his mother can be found from Tuesday til Sunday working at the Fishtrap Seafood Market.