Hooray! The rain has stopped and the sun is out – hope it’s the same type of lovely morning for all you RetroRoadap Readers. As promised here are some of the great Key West vintage signs and sights I discovered while walking around one sunny morning.
This first one has a special place in my heart, as it’s the sign for the hotel that RetroRoadhusband and I honeymooned at all those years ago (it now hangs in their lobby):
A & B Lobster House Restaurant
The Strand Theatre – alas now a Walgreens
Shorty’s
The Blue Marlin Motel
The Orchid Key Inn
Blue Heaven Restaurant and Bar
You can see more of vintage Key West signs here on the RetroRoadmap Flickr Page – hope they brighten up your day!
thevintagetraveler
April 17, 2011 at 9:42 amLove these. Oh, but I love Shorty’s!
rick
April 17, 2011 at 2:09 pmThe Blue Marlin has been re-done. It’s been far too long since I’ve been down there. Your pictures make me want to get and the car and go!
305 Coconutman
November 11, 2012 at 1:55 pmMy mom was a waitress at Shorty’s. In 1944 my mom and dad lived at the Jefferson Hotel. It was next to the brick bank. Dad was working for the Navy installing anti-mine electronic gear (degausing) in the submarines. Mom made friends with Nelly Galloway who with Shorty also lived in the hotel. Nelly and Shorty operated “Shorty’s” which was part of the hotel. Hours were 4pm to 1am. Nelly offered Mom a job.$20 per week. Mom said she made $ 80 in tips per week. (This was big money back then.) The restaurant had 21 stools, no tables.
Sally Rand was one of mom’s customers whenever Sally was in town performing at the Havana Madrid Club. Sally would come in to eat before the official opening and be done before the reg customers came in. Perry Como dined there once mom said.
Many Navy guys ate there. One customer ran a gambling house and was a big tipper. Shorty relocated to 215 Duval next to Sloppy Joes. The hotel burned down, I’m not sure when. Lloyd M 11/11/12
Mod Betty
November 11, 2012 at 9:46 pmLloyd- thanks so much for adding your history to this thread – how cool! I always enjoy hearing peoples’ memories of these old places – it helps fill in the history, which may have been lost unless you had added this. Thanks!
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