Pepe's
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 12 May 2012 12:55
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Pepe’s, Key West,
Florida
We came out of the little train museum,
and en route to buy a bottle of water we met Derek,
our 1st Mate from yesterday. Standing on the corner chatting we looked across
the road and amazingly, there was Pepe’s.
Such a thrill
Our lovely waitress posed in
her t-shirt, the décor great and Bear holding the menu
Pepe’s Café was originally opened by Jose
(Pepe) Pelaez in 1909 at 202 Duval Street in the building that is now the home
of Rick’s Bar. Pepe’s became a popular eating and meeting place for many of the
island’s residents and was open from the early morning until the wee hours.
Some say that more city and county
business was transacted at Pepe’s than in the halls of government. In 1941, Pepe
retired and sold the business to Eduardo Garcia, known locally as Curie. Pepe’s
remained on Duval Street through the depression years and both World Wars. it
was at this location that Harry Truman used to sneak away from the Secret
Service to go go have coffee and talk to the locals.
The business moved to Catherine Street in
the building where El Siboney now resides and spent less than two years at that
location before moving to it’s present location on Catherine Street. Built in
1913, the present structure which is Pepe’s Café, was formerly an ice cream shop
servicing the many soldiers and sailors from the large military build-up during
the World Wars. The building was moved one lot east in 1944 but the old street
address of 806, remains on the door today. The
neighbourhood was very busy in the 1970’s due to the fishing and shrimping
industry, a post WWII economic boom for Key West.
In December of 1977, Curie sold his
business to Allan Miller and Creighton and Barbara Webb. Allan became the sole
owner in the early 1980’s. Pepe’s remains a
gathering place for locals and tourists alike and is open for breakfast, lunch
and dinner every day of the year.
Some fascinating 1909
facts on the back of the menu, including all sailor’s hero – Joshua
Slocum lost at sea
After a BLT for me and a mahi-mahi roll for
Bear we went to the garden shop to buy each other a birthday
t-shirt.
Thank you to the couple we erupted from their quiet table in the
corner to get to the t-shirt cupboard. The gentleman (Glen – also a sailor on
his Cape Dory 270 called Gettinair) took our picture but the lady was the one to
advise me on buying the original Pepe’s logo. The
front and the great picture on the back. So
very fitting as I was born in the Chinese year of the Rat.
The photo that started it - thank
you Steve, Mags and Trooper
ALL IN ALL VERY SPECIAL
EXPERIENCE
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