I love this picture., wish I knew who took it. The bartender was Debbie, that worked for us for many years and that we loved dearly. The gentleman on the right hand side was a school teacher here in Key West, Al Canfield, that would come in and have a few very proper martinis with extra olives every day. Family, to us. both of them.
I was too young to work there at the time, but the thing I love the most about this picture is how it highlights the business cards. There were thousands upon thousands...some of them 4 and 5 deep, all a crazy collage of people from all over the world that wanted to "leave their mark".
The story Daddy told (with a wink and a nudge) that two "lady friends" from Las Vegas came to visit him and he put their cards up to help "promote" their business. Then people saw the cards, and starting adding their own. We sure went through a LOT of staples. One of Daddy's favorite games was to tell people if they could find Jimmy Buffet's card they could drink free all day. Well they never found it because there wasn't one =).But they sure had fun looking! I also heard tales from people that had been called from Capt. Tony's, from someone who had "had" a few and decided to start calling people who's business cards they had found. Love it!
If someone didn't have a card, they would often substitute with dollars, upon which they would write their name and staple it up. I experienced a few broke Spring Breakers trying to use them. Of course I wouldn't accept them, but usually took pity and just gave them the drink anyway. Another common occurrence was people trying to search for cards they had put up the last time they were here. But since the bar was so dark they would often try to light up where they were looking with matches or a lighter. Not a good ideas in an old wooden building with so many layers of paper!
Memories, so many memories...and I promise I'll tell you how all the bras that are there now came about another time...
XO
Smiles,
Toni
I was too young to work there at the time, but the thing I love the most about this picture is how it highlights the business cards. There were thousands upon thousands...some of them 4 and 5 deep, all a crazy collage of people from all over the world that wanted to "leave their mark".
The story Daddy told (with a wink and a nudge) that two "lady friends" from Las Vegas came to visit him and he put their cards up to help "promote" their business. Then people saw the cards, and starting adding their own. We sure went through a LOT of staples. One of Daddy's favorite games was to tell people if they could find Jimmy Buffet's card they could drink free all day. Well they never found it because there wasn't one =).But they sure had fun looking! I also heard tales from people that had been called from Capt. Tony's, from someone who had "had" a few and decided to start calling people who's business cards they had found. Love it!
If someone didn't have a card, they would often substitute with dollars, upon which they would write their name and staple it up. I experienced a few broke Spring Breakers trying to use them. Of course I wouldn't accept them, but usually took pity and just gave them the drink anyway. Another common occurrence was people trying to search for cards they had put up the last time they were here. But since the bar was so dark they would often try to light up where they were looking with matches or a lighter. Not a good ideas in an old wooden building with so many layers of paper!
Memories, so many memories...and I promise I'll tell you how all the bras that are there now came about another time...
XO
Smiles,
Toni
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