When you go to Key West, a few things are practically givens. Beautiful sunsets. The sound of roosters. And a huge choice of bars (there are 43 bars on Duval Street alone).
One of the most popular, at least for tourists, is Sloppy Joe’s. Located at 201 Duval Street, on the corner of Greene Street, it’s been serving drinks officially since 1933. Well, more specifically December 5, 1933 – the day that prohibition was repealed – although it appears that Joe Russell, the original owner and a Key West native, may have been selling booze before it was legal, anyway (what happens in Key West stays in Key West).
After Russell’s death in 1941, it was passed down to his son, Joe Russell Jr. The bar has been through several hands since but has been owned by the Snelgrove and Mayer families since 1978.
A second Sloppy Joe’s, in Treasure Island, FL (not far from Tampa) opened on the aughts. That was followed by a third location, this time in Daytona Beach, in 2010. Sloppy Joe’s Dockside at The Perry, located on Stock Island, FL, opened in June 2021.
And now there will be five.
Sloppy Joe’s is expected to open in Orlando this December.
Its 4,725 square foot location will be ICON Park, which is located on International Drive, near the corner of Sand Lake Rd. Other Icon Park tenants include The Wheel at ICON Park, Madame Tussauds Orlando, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, Orlando StarFlyer and the Pearl Express Train.
PC: ICONparkorlando.com
ICON Park already has several well-known and tourist favorites such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips, Shake Shack and Sugar Factory, among others.
This won’t be the first time a Sloppy Joe’s franchise will be in The City Beautiful. There was one in Downtown Orlando, at the then-popular Church Street. It opened in the early-mid 90s, but was the focus of legal problems a few years later and closed.
The Sentinel says the ICON Park Sloppy Joe’s menu will be similar to that of the Daytona Beach location.
Feature Photo: pxfuel
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
1 comment
I’d consider Garden of Eden an iconic Key West bar…. It somehow don’t picture cloth8 g optional bars opening in five different cities! Lol