Margaritaville Aims to Hang On After Jimmy Buffett’s Death (2024)

Jimmy Buffett, who died of cancer on Friday, was many things: a singer, a songwriter and a spokesman for tropical escape.

But beyond crafting music that inspired listeners to grab a cold drink and take it easy, Mr. Buffett was also a businessman who turned his personal brand into a lifestyle empire that included everything from restaurants and resorts to lines of merchandise such as at-home “frozen concoction makers” and cornhole game sets.

Along with music sales and tours, Margaritaville’s success helped propel Mr. Buffett into the billionaire ranks; in April, Forbes estimated his net worth at $1 billion. Now, Mr. Buffett’s empire, named Margaritaville Enterprises after his signature song, must find ways to sustain its business without its founder.

“On behalf of everyone (who works, visits or lives) in Margaritaville, we mourn the loss of Jimmy, a true national treasure, and express our heartfelt condolences to his family and everyone around the world who loves him,” Margaritaville wrote in a statement posted on its website.

Representatives for the company declined to comment on its business.

In the days after Mr. Buffett’s death, retail and marketing experts said his legacy would continue to lure his fans — known as Parrot Heads, along with their children, called parakeets — and others to his businesses.

“It’s definitely a lifestyle associated with him and his personality and his music that he created,” said Barbara Kahn, a professor of marketing at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. But, she said, because his business is “bigger than just that, it could definitely live on.”