After reading the announcement that D&K's was closing I'm curious which restaurants would make your South Walton Hall of Fame?

- D & K's
- The 331 a/k/a The Blue Bar
- Seabar
- Nick's
- Salty Dog
- The Lake Place (coming back soon)
- Luna Del Mar
- Yanni's
- Criolla's

Feel free to add any I've missed. No particular order, just a way to remember the greats.

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Wheelhouse
Blue Orleans

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But hey...Top Ramen tastes a whole lot better when you eat it off of a Granite Countertop. (Mr & Mrs Too Much Homebuyer)

Florida State Flower

~Grayton Corner Cafe
~Cafe Sublime

and from a long long while back....
~The Sand Castle
~Paradise Cafe
~Basmati's (when it was at Seaside)
~Bailey's by the Bay

Not in any order. Each had it's own uniqueness!

I agree with most above and will add:

Organically Yours

Coco's

Atlantis Fish & Chips

SeaBar

331

The Silver Bucket (what was the other name?)

Cafe Sublime

the old Amore'

Baithouse for breakfast

the old Hurricanes (although, I love the Taco bar in it's place!!)

The old WaterColor Market

the old open air D&K's

Snapperheads

CoCo's...JUMBO!

...I see a pattern with this old thing...all from an old chick. I guess the real word is former.

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

Grayton Corner Cafe, for sure!

Cafe Spiazzia (with the original proprietors)

Bayou Ann's

and along restaurant lines.....Sip and Dip

Jolly Roger

Y'all have pretty much summed it up! Kinda sad, there are so many.

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Buy the book, kiss the cook - AlisonCooks.com

...that's the one I was looking for! Best name, ever!

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

The old Amore and 331!

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The enemy is ignorance.

* Chapman's way way back when it was at the foot of the north end of the 331 bridge! That place used to rock until they sold out.
* Nick's at the beach (used to eat T'giving dinner there every year)
* Salty Dog (most current incarnation)
* LeBleu's (Shallowsnole's favorite place and great breakfasts)
* Open air D&K in Grayton

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Never got to eat there, but from what I heard of it: Sandor's

Sentimental journey.... I miss every one! I worked at Criollas' in the very early days. Sad to see the sign come down the other day. Nice to know that there are so many "old timers" out there to remember when. I want to add Prescotts' ( it was at Miramar Beach) to the list.

Well Sandor's building moved to an east 30A location....Alys Beach. Now "George's at Alys Beach"

Speaking of Sandor's ...who can remember what was there before Sandor's. For some reason I can see the inside of it, but forget the name. I believe it served sandwiches and was also a seafood shop. Doug and I almost bought it in 1992 when it was for sale. But instead found a great spot in CoCoa Historical Village.

Sandor's was wonderful and certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.


Here's two more...Fermentations in Seaside
and one of my old favorites....Mark and Penny's Studio 210 Ruskin Place

Organically Yours, at For the Health of it.

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"You are your choices"
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I would kill for the recipe for the avocado tortilla soup from Luna Del Mar. Remember that? I still think about it when I drive past.........

Luna del Mar was the best Mexican that's ever been around. I remember the place before Sandor's, but can't remember the name either. Fermentations was great. Before Bud & Alley's was "The Seaside Grill", $1.95 for a hamburger, $.50 a beer. Can anyone remember the first movie ever shown at Seaside (at the Seaside Grill) ?

The building that housed Sandors' was originally Seagrove Seafood Market, I do believe. Dennis Franklin (RIP) built the place himself and ran the market/cafe with his family and Kenny Aziz. Best slaw ever!

YES! Amy you got it. Doug and I loved Dennis...he was so kind and his kids were always around. Those were such special days. A few years laterafter that it became Lazy Daizy Sandwich Shop....I think that's how Teresa and wasn't it Kenny? (I may be wrong) spelled it. I remember the sign was a Daisy and every petal was a different color. But then they moved on and opened the Wine Bar in Blue Mountain on the opposite corner of For The Health of it. If Doug was awake he could probably remember the name....we all had so much fun there with live music, a neat bar, couches and little round tables and chairs. It was always packed. It was such a locals spot. Alice Bergeron played there quite often and Hubba Hubba. Geez weren't those the dayzzzzz!

If you didn't live in SoWal before 1996-98 you missed a hail of a lot!!!! Big sighhhh.

Are you referring to Chateau de Vin?

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The name of the restaurant before Sandor moved in was Lazy Daze Cafe. It was in the back, and owned by Kevin Boehm. His girlfriend was Teresa. They went on to open Indigos/Affinity Wine Sushi Cigar and Jazz Bar in Blue Mountain Beach. Affinity (sp?) was the antique store half of the business. The late great Jim Cooper used to play there with Greg Barnhill, Alice Bargeron, Melissa Baxter and many many others.
Later the antiques were moved out. The place was AWESOME! Jeff (who still lives in the Panama City area) and Kevin kept the place packed at all times. Jeff built the custom bar.
Kevin ended up moving to Chicago where he is Co-Owner/Boka Restaurant Group: Boka, Landmark Grill & Lounge, Perennial Restaurant and has come along way since his humble beginnings at Lazy Daze Cafe.

And don't even get me started on the Jolly Roger. I'm one of the unofficial historians. Drunkkenmemories..................... :)

If I had a gazillion dollars, two place I'd reopen? Collaborations and Jolly Roger. Life don't get much better than that.

Of course I already miss D&Ks and I haven't been there in forever and thats all my fault cause I can never get my butt back to the beach enuff.....

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Nope.....where is Amy or Bobby J when I need them?

Thank You Thank You DKA....I knew I was on the right track. Of course it was Lazy Daze and of course it was Indigos with Kevin and Jeff.....and it was wonderful! The bar was fantastic! I always sat right on that comfy velvet couch in front of the music slumped down and enjoying the heck out of life!!! Wasn't it just crazy Kenny!!!!

And, YES you are right again! You should have met me at D&K's for lunch.....and now we're closing.

But you never know where the roads takes you east or west on 30A!

you
Your friend.....Kat

The mere mention of D&K's cafe and my mouth is watering... I'm still obsessed with the jumbo butterflied shrimp, wrapped in bacon, topped with monterey jack cheese I think, served over a bed of cheese grits...

What was the name of the place that Stacia had there in Grayton Beach, had the sign out front for the Big Ole Ice Tea? She and Lou previously had Hectic Eclectic up on 30A where the hair salon/gallery is now.....Bobby, Beverly, someone help me out here....

Thanks for mentioning Atlantis Fish and Chips- Best grouper sandwich on 30A!

When I first moved to 30A and worked at Tops'l Beach Resort, there was a BBQ place on the west end ..... what was it. Had something to do with Pigs/Porches? I think the building is now a real estate office.... It was there before Flamingo Village went in. Caddy corner across the street and down the ways from Elmos...

Though Angelinas is still there and doing well.... I went in there the other night for the first time in FOREVER and didn't recognize the place. What happened to all the poker chips and Vegas/Rat Pack memorabilia? I'd give anything in the world to go back in time and sit up at the bar next to Al and listen to his stories.... I miss him.

As for Luna Del Mar.... I'm still so upset that they are gone that I'm boycotting the Old Florida Fish House. Yes, I've been in there, 3 times to be exact, and have no desire to go back. I want Luna Del Mar. I want THE TORILLA SOUP. I want the chicken quesadillas and I want that BLACK salsa that drove me wild.

I'm going to San Antonio in June and am sidetripping this time up the street to Dallas in search of Lisa's other restaurants. If anyone knows their names and/or locations, feel free to pm me. Miss Kitty? DD?

Did anyone mention Fudpuckers of Seagrove and the ArtBar?

And what is the story with the WheelHouse?

Anyone remember the OLD Donut Hole 2 restaurant when Jimmy Van Zant was behind the counter, yelling at customers to come sit up there as the service was better and the food was hotter! I miss him too.

Enough of food memory lane. I now feel older and hungrier....

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You're right! I snoozed, I loozed. And now it is is time for my own brainphart. What was the name of the place that you and Doug had down on 30a... Cafe Tango? I walked in there one night for the first time many hundreds of years ago, in Jeans and polo type shirt and immediately realized how underdressed I was you made me feel right at home. You've always made folks feel at home.

I know this whole recession/depression thing is going to get worse before it gets better, and maybe we'll all be eating ramen noodles for months, standing in cheese lines and living in tents, but thankfully we'll have our memories of great restaurants gone by....

I meant that in a sincere way.

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I moved to South Walton in 1992 and opened Lazy Daze Cafe with Theresa Barrett. It was an interesting time. WE had six tables and no employees. 30-A was sleepy. We fought hard to make a buck. After selling to Sandor in 94, Jeff Lane and I opened Indigo Wine Bar. The Beach began to pick up and the summer of 95 was pretty magical with Red Bar and us just opening. Great memories.

I miss Ernie's burgers at Village Market, having a glass of wine with Al at Angelinas, Ollie making him & I late night pasta at the Red bar after close, the house I rented at 675 Eden, coffee at Hisbiscus, the swwet sound of Mrs. Modica's voice every morning as I fetched my coffee, and brunch at Bloom's Cafe. Scott Alderson who owns Jambone, is still my dearest friend,and I hope to visit in April. Maybe we can have an Indigo Wine Bar reunion!

Kevin Boehm
Chicago, Illinois

Wasn't the issue with Luna Del Mar that the parent company in Texas got into a financial mess?

Speaking of Lunas, I liked Blue Luna in that little shopping center in Grayton where I think Another Broken Egg is now.

Kenny, I'm not sure about Dallas places. Maybe Kitty can help. Can you give us more clues?

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I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

WOW, LaBleu's, now there's a blast from the past! My first grounded memory of S. Walton Co.. Around 1988, 2 years prior to my moving to Walton Co., out for a sunday drive and stopping at LaBleu's for lunch. I remember thinking "Now here's a restaurant out in the middle of nowhere" and "m r some dusty caps stapled to the ceiling". Now, when I drive by, I can't even visualize exactly where the building stood.
Also, what was the bar and grill in front of One Seagrove Place, that was torn down in the early 90's.( Has that already been mentioned?)

P.S. I make beautiful slipcovers and all other home fashions

I haven't seen Capo's mentioned and I forget the name before that but it was pretty good.

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Speak out freely...Hold to the truth...Question boldly.

I second the Old Watercolor market, we used to eat there all the time when the development first opened, they had the best beer selection to. I really miss that place...

The "financial mess" was due to the hurricanes that hit here.

Mmm Capo's.

Don't miss it, get close to it. Check out Wild Olives over in Rosemary. IIRC the chef/owner/manager is the former chef/manager of the old WaterColor market.

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Are the people from Cafe Sublime still around anywhere? We realy liked that place.

Is the new Amore' open? Is it similar to the old one?

Actually, it was named "Diamond Jims". We all knew it as Whiskey Bar (it had a package store too). I think Greg France owned it. Wonder what became of him?

Anybody remember the mexican place that was in The Red Bar building for one summer? The food was great, but the operators left suddenly. Lots of suppliers took a bath, as it turns out. The name escapes me...

It's time to come on home....

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Buy the book, kiss the cook - AlisonCooks.com

Cafe Sublime was the baby of Justin Gaffrey. He is an artist on canvas these days.

I really miss the Wheelhouse. And although I never made it to D&K's when it was open, I have friends who ate there many times and loved it. Never missed it when they were in town.

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I know I don't get there often enough, but God knows I surely try, It's a magic kind of medicine that no doctor could prescribe!

Cancuns was in that beautiful building "now it's a home" across the street from The Red Bar that leads down to the beach. It had that beautiful bar overlooking the Gulf and lake. But, if you sat down the windows were too high to see the view. Amy, Maggie worked there and didn't Justin chef there too? 1990.....time flys

I remember Cancuns' well. What a strange building for a restaurant. It did make a nice house! But the place I was refering to was actually in the current Red Bar. They even painted the place dark green when they opened. Did not last long... The building was also Aladins' Paradise for a short while. Egyptian fellow named Hanie had it. I tended bar for him on the coldest New Years Eve ever- ther was no heat and a few broken windows! If those wall could talk!

So true Amy! Those walls could talk forever! Do you remember when it was Bay Cafe, Oli was chef and Rebecca bartender. Pierre from his French Cafe (right under the bridge in Fort Walton Beach) was trying to make a go at it. Rebecca hired me as hostess....I lasted 1-2 weeks. That was before Doug and I were married and he, Jack, Paul, and Nicki used to run over after they closed The Grayton Corner Cafe around midnight. Actually almost everyone working on 30A in restaurants with the locals all congregated in the bar. Oli needs to get on and tell his stories about those early years after Paradise Cafe and before The Red Bar. Grayton beach was such a different place back then. I loved the winters that we all helped each other get through.

Gosh I almost forgot.......PATRONES!!!!! Located "In the Heart of Grayton" That's where I had my first "Dessert Shop" Okay....someone needs to come on and tell all about Patrone's. That is a book in itself! Gene, B.J., Art, animals, "Crab", snowcones, hamburgers, beer, t-shirts, canoes on the lake, those dang roosters, Gene's parties all the time out on the covered deck over the lake, ahhhhhh just too many memories.... Okay I'm finished!!!!

The Island Grill and Bar was next to One Seagrove Place, owned by Greg France. CLosed in 91' I think. Now that is a blast from the past!!!

I don't want his head ANY bigger, but kudos to swgb for this thread.

I am loving all the historians chiming in! Keep it up!

Pics would be nice, too!

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

This whole thread has made me think of so many memories...

Oh, and LeBleau's was actually ShallowFuzz's favorite place. In fact, it was just about his only source of nourishment before I came along. "Code D" as it was known at the South Walton dispatch for the Sheriff's Office. We had our rehearsal dinner there. Been a long time.

The "original" Donut Hole II was "Code G."

I like the days we have now, but I sure miss the old ones.

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Wow! That is a blast from the past. Anyone remember Emory from the wheelhouse location. I had my first restaurant job there washing dishes. 8 hours and 15 dollars later i never went back. And then in the same location, Docs? This thread brings back lots of memories.

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

Long time Kevin! Hope you are well. I still surf every once in awhile with Jeff. Next time I visit Rockford I will come see you. I remember one crazy night at Indigo with my bro, Marsha, and Bev. Look us up when you get in town. Maybe we could all meet at Jambones.
Take Care,
Bobby Johnson

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
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The Mediterranean restaurant in Rosemary Beach - was it Mezza? Short lived but superb.

Capo's was short-lived. It was just a cool hang-out bar before that, but the name escapes me. Diamond Jim's was quite a place. I remember giving Scott Wykowski a piece of my mind about how B& A's could charge a dollar more a beer than Greg France did, when they got the stuff from the same distributor.

I do remember this place sgg.

Do you remember the bar, Wisteria....in what was once called the "brickyard" in Blue Mountain? Played darts there! I think it changed the name though.

And, there was another one in that little house by Butler School (east side) in with the big Pine tree growing through the porch. And, later it was an ice cream shop and antiques?

OMG sounds like we did nothing but go to bars.

The only thing that beat a Hubba-Hubba Sunday at Baily's, was a Hubba-Hubba and Silverado Sunday at Baily's!

The brickyard spot was also called "Puzzles" at least for a while.... Darts and pizza and beer drinkin on the roof deck. Just so y'all know- I am not such a drinker that I know every bar past and present! I sold advertising for the Beach Breeze back in the 80s. Every door was knocked on, once a week. Not that many potential clients in those days!

...memory is starting to kick back in... Capo's was called the Riptide before it became a restaurant. I do remember the bar in the Brickyard, but I only went there once. Who can remember all the different names for the "Seagrove Village Market?

was called grayton dunes if you flip my sign their sign is on the other side and the green color on the building is still there

Yep...you are so right...Puzzles

I kind of think Hubba Hubba playing at our Wedding Reception at The Grayton Corner Cafe March 22, 1992....beats all! But of course I would! Now those are some really great pics....and Amy@Avalon took them. She was Kat and Doug's wedding photographer.

Where does the time go?

At one time, before The Paradise Cafe, the building where Picolo's is now was called "Grayton Place" and the part in the back, where the Red Bar is now was the "Short Branch Saloon". I believe it was wiped out by Hurricane Eloise, but my memory is somewhat perforated.

Wow, good memory LVT!

Junie's Mini Mall at one point in the early 80's. Cube let his wife open up separate booths in the back. Do any of you remember Beachview, the horse stables, mini putt and the petting zoo where collaborations use to be? Also Beachview was later turned into T-Scotts. The owner of all this was a guy named Scott Johnson. I heard he recently died in a car wreck.

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"You are your choices"
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ahhh... those were the days!

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Steaks at a reasonable price back in the mid-90's.

Yes, Beachview had horse-rides and later became something like a disco. I won the Holloween costume contest there two years running. Man, that seems like a long time ago. As for "Ernie's"(AKA The Seagrove Village Market) it was called Junie's, like Bobby said ,and before that it was Russell's Grocery and before that (way, way back) it was Thornton's Grocery. I can remember stuff like that, but where are my frigging car keys??!!

Weren't they though! hmmmmmm

What about our good friend Jonathan Qunn's Monet Monet. Doug and I almost opened a restaurant in that gorgeous building when Jonathan was selling. Even though it was never a restaurant there were always wonderful functions with beverage and great food!!!!

JQ you were such an incredible person, a good friend and we all miss you!

I was dressed one year as the tin man and had gray paint running all over me while waiting tables. At one point Scott turned it into a giant arcade and disco. This is where I got my mad DJ skills!

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T. Scotts was so big, all of South Waltons' residents could have shown up at once. Seems to me, a Country & Western (both kinds of music) place was there prior to the restaurant. I need more coffee to think this hard!

And a REALLY intense character with a Corvette that owned it!

He changed it weekly it seems. I worked for Scott from the petting zoo to fine dining phase. he managed to spend all his money. Very interesting guy and I will always have fond memories of him.
He spoiled a whole bunch of us back in the day!

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

The Dallas sister to Luna del Mar is Luna del Noche. Not sure of current status. Maybe Miss Kitty and DD will go get some Tortilla Soup and report back.

Been trying to dig up some old photos I had of Patrones ...
But have been unsuccessful in the search
Thinking this thread needs some photos of all these wonderful places of "old school" SoWal ... anyone ...???

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It looks like there's one near the Kitty. Maybe we just might do that. I had tortilla soup tonight and a whole lot more.

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I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

Luna was on the list for tonight, but we ended up elsewhere. Haven't been there in a while, but we were hot on it for a long time. DD and I can take one for the team.

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

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I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

Thanks for being team players, DD and Miss Kitty. Let us know what is on their menu. Maybe we could get the Old Florida Fish House to have a "Memory Lane" menu night and feature favorites for all the restaurants that once inhabited their lovely spot. Does anyone else remember if it was also another Bayou Bills or was it just Bayou Anns (wasn't there some personal reason for this name switch?)? That would be a fun menu mix. Lots of favorites from Fudpuckers, Luna del Mar, Bayou Anns ... yummm.

I think if I remember correctly Bill sold the building but not Bayou Bills. The new owner had a wife named Ann. Bayou Bill later sold Bayou Bills to Bill Wiley.

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
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Yes, photos of Patrone's would be great. It was a nice place. Does anyone have very early photos of the Seagrove Village Market?

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My mind tends to wander... but fortunately, it's so weak, it doesn't get very far...

And now a short trip down memory lane...


022.jpg

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My mind tends to wander... but fortunately, it's so weak, it doesn't get very far...

When my daughter was toddler, she thought the Patron's pig was the most wonderful thing at the beach...we spent many afternoons eating snowcones while she visited with the pig

Hi -- when was this? Thanks!

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Nature does nothing uselessly. Aristotle

the photo ... thanks for sharing and thanks for the journey down memory lane

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Is this the Red Bar building?

I believe so...an earlier incarnation

Added to SoWal.com home page.

So many great places! Good thread, SWGB!

DKA mentioned the late, great Jim Cooper earlier on and I, for one, miss the original FrostBites...

I know, I know... the whole airstream thing is trendy, but I loved, loved, loved heading over to FrostBites in the building next to the beach walkover, by Spiazzia. Case (Jim's brother, if I remember correctly) was terrific to all of us Seaside students, who would spend hours commandeering his stereo and spinning around on his Coca-Cola bar stools.

Of course, with all the dollar bills that we defaced and stuck up on his walls, he was very well compensated! I must've posted at least $50 bucks up there, all on my own, covered in doodles and BFFs!

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Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. ~ Mark Twain

Great shot! We used to buy gas for our jeep there. It was one of three places to get gas...Grayton Store, JD Miller's Texaco on 98 between 83 and 393, and Shallowsnole's dad's place, South Walton Superette, better known as Dickie's!

Oh, if you look closely at the Grayton shot, you will see that they were a Union 76 station.

How far back did I just date myself?

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Don't worry - I'm right there with you!

Growing up, I worked (obviously) at the Superette. Then the Butler Store n/k/a Red Bar (whoever said those walls could talk don't know the half of it! My name was painted on a couple of tables). Then I worked for Junie McGee at the Village Market. I wasn't even looking for a job, went in there for something, and Todd yelled "MOM! HERE'S A CANDIDATE!" We used to laugh at the funny-looking people that started Seaside - normal men didn't wear long shorts! Little did we know...

After that, it was off to Tallahassee. Those were the days - your job was your social life...

I also remember Emory Elkins at the Wheelhouse. The original Bay Grove Cafe. Clayton's in Santa Rosa Beach.

And Beachview - that was absolutely awesome, at the time. I miss those days, but I miss my youth worse. Can't get either one back, so no use to cry over it!

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Grayt pic. Who the heck is Ricky?
Mr. DD wants to know when it was taken?

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I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

The photo of The Old Butler Store is from the early seventies when it was called Grayton Place. It was just a hang-out for teeny-boppers...pinball, ping-pong table...loitering in the parking lot was how we got through the evenings...all the walls inside were filled with people writing or carving their names into the table tops and booths...

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My mind tends to wander... but fortunately, it's so weak, it doesn't get very far...

the old Grayton Corner Cafe- Before Opal- with Randall cleaning fish on the bar

Cafe Tango of course , 30-A's 1st real fine dining

and Cattle Company! A good Steak for Cheep! In a previous life there was a Bar in the NW corner of the building where all us volunteer idiots would hang. One night there was wreck on 98 and everybody in the place was either a fireman or responder except for one snowbird couple, All our Radios went off at once and the entire joint emptied in less than a minute as everybody ran to the old fire station on S 393. When I went back to pay my tab the next day the bartender said the older couple left inside 'bout went bezerk with our mass exodus and screaming radios !



deadfish

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http://www.deadfishcharters.com
850-685-1092

Or Nicky Frye (R.I.P.) wearing a dress to work!

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

What was the Cattle Company before it was the Cattle Company?

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My mind tends to wander... but fortunately, it's so weak, it doesn't get very far...

wow, don't know whether to laugh or cry reading this thread. So many memories. OMG the Indigo Bar. If those walls could talk!! Jim Cooper....MISS MISS HIM....danced barefoot at Shades at Seaside Many Many thursday nights to Jim's tunes...."brown eyed girl"....... Kid's loved it when AJ's was in Grayton.... Patrones.....what was the little taco place???? LOVED it! When the HOA was on DeFuniak in Grayton EVERYONE always wanted to know what happened to Patrones........Then the Only place to get a burger was a place called Shore Thing in Seagrove 40.00 for three burgers and fries....Anyone remember the woman behind the Magnolia House that sold Mexican Food? You'd bring your own pans and stand in line with everyone else and she'd dish up whatever mexican food she'd cooked that week. It didn't matter to us, we were from Texas and MISSED it so bad. MISS the Grayton Corner Cafe.....What about Jezzabelle's?(sp?) Didn't Teresa have that for a short while? LOVED the decor....and I know it's not in SoWal....but miss June's Dunes in Destin....great breakfasts.

Geeze....I can't believe I've been living here this long.

Kevin!!!! Good to see you posting here!!!

I miss June's as well. Great breakfast & a beautiful view!

Back to the Red Bar / Grayton Place / Old Butler Store...teenage hangout for at least three full generations, possibly four. Ever since there was a bridge across the bay, young people have flocked to Grayton Beach.

Yesterday, my brother told me a tale I'd never heard. My dad was a Walton County Constable in the early 1960's. He also owned some sort of a sawed-off WWII carbine - I always heard it referred to as the Gatlin Gun. (I hate guns, sorry. So what do I do? Marry a cop! ) I have also heard from more than one source that my dad had a reputation for shooting first and asking questions later.

Anyway...there were boys from Fort Walton, boys from DeFuniak, and boys from Freeport - all at the Grayton Store one particular Saturday night (said brother might have been one of them). Of course, a riot broke out and the law was called. I am told that Daddy walked in, yelled stop, but nobody did. So, he walked back to his car, got the Gatlin, and emptied about 30 rounds into the upper walls of the building. After the first twenty, the place was as quiet as a library.

So, if Oli has ever found bulletholes in the walls and wondered where they came from...

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Has anyone mentioned Ceruleans's at Watercolor? Hate that it closed so early in it's magical life here in SoWal.

Lake Place was right up there with Criolla's quality wise.

Jolly Roger for some shots of tequila and a great fish sandwich.

The Terrace, as always. This is a venerable SoWal institution that I feel does not get anywhere near enough credit. Simple surroundings, laid back atmosphere, fabulous food by a family that really cares.

Has anyone been to Boar's Head in the last 10 years?

Great thread ... loving all these stories.

I am so glad I am not the only one who gets sad every time I drive by the old Luna del Mar! It was the first restaurant we went to in SoWal and I miss it terribly ... Kitty and DD go see if you can set something up for us and get them to come back.

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Proud to practice indoctrination
at least when it comes to the GATOR NATION

When Kitty gets back in town, we'll do it!

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I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

I agree with you about The Terrace! Sort of funky, in a nice way, and always solid in the kitchen. I think Chef Tom does most of the cooking himself. That location has also housed Lous' Restaurant and The Blue Heron. Boars Head is same as it ever was- adequate.

Wow! I forgot about the Blue Heron! They use to have this Filet Diane that was incredible!

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Boar's Head is still wonderful and the Wine selection stays consistently wonderful and cheap (it's kind of local secret).

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