GRAND PRAIRIE -- No, it's not a mirage: The Oasis is back and open for business.
The floating restaurant has been an institution on Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie for nearly a quarter-century, a favorite spot to order a tropical drink and seafood while enjoying a view of the water. But the restaurant was hit by historic flooding in 2015, and had to close twice at length -- most recently in December.
The Oasis is built on floating blocks, so it rises and falls with the lake level. While the restaurant itself never flooded, it was left unaccessible when the water rose high enough to cover the parking lot, nearby streets, and buildings.
"If we didn't float, we'd have been 18 feet underwater a couple months ago," said Matt Stepanian, an assistant kitchen manager at the restaurant.
After being forced to close initially last May, they were able to reopen briefly in September, before the water rose again. They lost out on millions in revenue, and had to spend almost as much to make repairs to the facility.
"The restaurant floats and the marina floats, but all the electric and everything else was affected by the flood," said Mildred Walker, who owns the business. "It took a lot of grit to keep going."
They've taken the last three months to revamp The Oasis, installing new decking and boat slips and hiring a new management and staff. At lunchtime Tuesday, they were ready when people started walking in the door.
Bob Leach was the first customer to arrive. He's been coming here for 19 years, and he wanted to be part of the reopening. At a table near the bar, he ordered a bowl of clam chowder.
"It's great, it's awesome. So glad to be back," Leach said. "It's really the only non-chain restaurant that's down here. Hopefully, three times is the charm."