Sloppy Joe's - Key West, FL - Immortalized in Lyrics on Waymarking.com

From Sloppy Joe’s website: "The official beginning of Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the famous and infamous Key West saloon, was December 5, 1933, the day Prohibition was repealed. The bar was destined to go through two name changes and a sudden change of location before it would become Sloppy Joe’s, seen by millions of visitors to Florida’s southernmost outpost.

Sloppy Joe’s migrated across the street to its present location on May 5, 1937. The move was occasioned by a rent increase that Joe Russell refused to pay: from three dollars a week to a whopping four. Luckily, the former Victoria Restaurant owned by Spanish emigrant Juan Farto was vacant. Located at the corner of Duval and Greene streets, the Victoria had been built in 1917 and incorporated beautiful Cuban tile work, busily whirring ceiling fans, and jalousie doors. Joe Russell paid $2,500 for it.

Over the years Sloppy Joe’s, like rare Cuban rum, has gained a richness and flavor while essentially remaining unchanged. The ceiling fans still whisper busily, a little bit wobbly but carrying on. The jalousie doors open on a Duval Street busier than even Hemingway could imagine, yet still bearing the offbeat ambience that prompted him to brand Key West “the St. Tropez of the poor.” The long curving bar wears the scars of generations of visitors and Hemingway aficionados, drawn by the legend and hoping some measure of magic will rub off on them, and it does.

Open 365 days a year, from 9:00am to 4:00am (from noon to 4:00am on Sundays), Sloppy Joe’s has three complementary divisions: food, beverage, and retail store. The bar offers generous drinks, live music and dancing. The quality of the entertainment, showcased on the huge stage facing Duval Street, is exceptional, and ranges from rollicking bluegrass to raucous rock." (visit link)

From Wikipedia: "Sheldon Allan Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999) was an American writer known for his cartoons, songs, and children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in some works. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold more than 20 million copies. He was the recipient of two Grammy Awards, as well as Golden Globe Award and Academy Award nominations".

Video: (visit link)

Musician: Shel Silverstein Name of Song: The Great Conch Train Robbery Relevant Verse: 'Twas sunset down in old KEY WEST The locals all were high. The tourists snapped their photographs And munched their Key Lime pie. And meanwhile down at SLOPPY jOE'S The drinks were standin' tall With Buffett on the jukebox And Hemingway on the wall. Location website: [Web Link]

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