Bobby Ingram's Coconut Grove
10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes.
(A lagniappe version).
People are emailing me and stopping me in the street telling me how much they like this 10 With Tom series about Coconut Grove memories. So let's continue.
Musician Bobby Ingram is an integral part of Coconut Grove's history. You probably see him around the village often and not realize that he was witness to Grove history from the 1960s on. He was here when the Grove was the Grove. When it was a bunch of clapboard stores and restaurants surrounded by trees, forest and shotgun houses. This photo is from historian Arva Moore Parks' book, "Coconut Grove," courtesy of Tucker Gibbs and the Village Post; it shows Bobby at right, with David Crosby. They played at the Flick and the Gaslight.
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the "old" Coconut Grove? A scent? A street scape? A store?
My fondest memory of the Grove when I arrived was that the sky was not blocked by any condominiums.
What year did you arrive in Coconut Grove?
1962
Did most of the performers live back in the Mary Street/Center Grove area? Or was it more South Grove near Plymouth Church?
I don't know. All over the Grove I guess.
I heard you were involved with the Flick, were you part owner or involved?
I was on the bill playing a duo with David Crosby, Vince Martin and Oz Bach were on the bill as well. Winter 1964 I was an investor in the first coffee house, Douglas Road 1962.
Peacock Park seemed to be a big hangout during the day, was it always full of people smoking pot, playing guitars, etc. or is that a myth?
I presume there was pot smoking in the park since pot was illegal at the time. I preferred to smoke in private.
What was your favorite restaurant back then? The Country Store? etc.
The country store on Rice Street.
Florida Pharmacy at the Engle Building.
Candlelight Inn on Commodore ( it wasn't a log cabin then)
When the Taurus opened in the 70's it was the best steak house this side of Dania.
Do you remember the A&P on US1 and 27th Avenue, near where the Burger King is now? What about Winn-Dixie, where Sapient is now? I remember the Winn-Dixie and the A&P, where our current dysfunctional post office currently is.
Who are some of the famous names that hung out and wrote songs here.
Writers: Fred Neil, Vince Martin, Mike Smith, Steve Goodman, David Crosby, Neal Young,
Buffy St. Marie, Rambling Jack Elliot, Jerry Jeff Walker, John Sebastian, Jimmy Buffet, Van Dyke Parks, Joni Mitchell, y mucho mas.
Did you attend the Doors/Jim Morrison concert at the Expo Center in 1969?
No I had no interest in Morrison
Tell me about the Taurus.
What happened in the Taurus Stays in the Taurus
Please add anything else you would like add about the old Grove.
I miss all the characters, free spirits, singers, sailors, artists.
I will not miss the Sarnoffs when they are gone.
10 questions in 10 minutes.
(A lagniappe version).
Musician Bobby Ingram is an integral part of Coconut Grove's history. You probably see him around the village often and not realize that he was witness to Grove history from the 1960s on. He was here when the Grove was the Grove. When it was a bunch of clapboard stores and restaurants surrounded by trees, forest and shotgun houses. This photo is from historian Arva Moore Parks' book, "Coconut Grove," courtesy of Tucker Gibbs and the Village Post; it shows Bobby at right, with David Crosby. They played at the Flick and the Gaslight.
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the "old" Coconut Grove? A scent? A street scape? A store?
My fondest memory of the Grove when I arrived was that the sky was not blocked by any condominiums.
What year did you arrive in Coconut Grove?
1962
Did most of the performers live back in the Mary Street/Center Grove area? Or was it more South Grove near Plymouth Church?
I don't know. All over the Grove I guess.
I heard you were involved with the Flick, were you part owner or involved?
I was on the bill playing a duo with David Crosby, Vince Martin and Oz Bach were on the bill as well. Winter 1964 I was an investor in the first coffee house, Douglas Road 1962.
Peacock Park seemed to be a big hangout during the day, was it always full of people smoking pot, playing guitars, etc. or is that a myth?
I presume there was pot smoking in the park since pot was illegal at the time. I preferred to smoke in private.
What was your favorite restaurant back then? The Country Store? etc.
The country store on Rice Street.
Florida Pharmacy at the Engle Building.
Candlelight Inn on Commodore ( it wasn't a log cabin then)
When the Taurus opened in the 70's it was the best steak house this side of Dania.
Do you remember the A&P on US1 and 27th Avenue, near where the Burger King is now? What about Winn-Dixie, where Sapient is now? I remember the Winn-Dixie and the A&P, where our current dysfunctional post office currently is.
Who are some of the famous names that hung out and wrote songs here.
Writers: Fred Neil, Vince Martin, Mike Smith, Steve Goodman, David Crosby, Neal Young,
Buffy St. Marie, Rambling Jack Elliot, Jerry Jeff Walker, John Sebastian, Jimmy Buffet, Van Dyke Parks, Joni Mitchell, y mucho mas.
Did you attend the Doors/Jim Morrison concert at the Expo Center in 1969?
No I had no interest in Morrison
Tell me about the Taurus.
What happened in the Taurus Stays in the Taurus
Please add anything else you would like add about the old Grove.
I miss all the characters, free spirits, singers, sailors, artists.
I will not miss the Sarnoffs when they are gone.
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
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14 Comments:
Bears repeating:
"My fondest memory of the Grove when I arrived was that the sky was not blocked by any condominiums"
One can only add: "And they're not done yet" "Look at the massive 27th av towers or what's looming at Grove Isle, to block another piece of the sky"
And the bayfront, waterfront? Where did it go?? oh, Seminole boat ramp!
"Not to mention the endless street constructions everywhere".
Condos started going up in the late 70's. One thing no one is recalling about the "good ole days" are complaints about the Mutiny or Yacht Harbor or Grove Isle.
I guess those were the "good" condos, and the new ones are the "bad".
"I guess those were the "good" condos, and the new ones are the "bad"."
No, 12:51 pm, it's a human trait to become accustomed to blemishes as one ages, but to become alarmed at any new outbreaks.
Folks, a pox is among us...it's an epidemic and it seems there's no cure.
And to think that Pointe Group's Man of the Year grew up here and has done his multi-level, high-rise, art-killing, best to destroy the heart , soul, and unique image of Coconut Grove...and that he was aided and abetted by City Hall is a crying shame.
Luv this! Told you Bobby was a comic/realist/activist... the guitar-pickin' Jon Stewart of the Grove. The songwriting poet who has millions of stories to tell. thanks for sharing Bobby, but we know this only scratches the surface of what you've seen & contributed...condos aren't the story... you are...and your contribution is loved & appreciated. So glad I got to share our Grove with you, and all the characters, free spirits, singers, sailors, & artists...we put the groove in the Grove...lest anyone forgets! See you at your next gig!
I arrived in the Grove in ’46; however, I only recall back to the ‘50s when the Taurus was the La Casita Tea Room, Jaguar was the Five & Dime and the Ferrari dealership was next to the Grove Theater, which Dad and George Engle turned into the playhouse. I went to Grove elementary and was followed by my son 40 years later; after 65 years the cafeteria smells the same. Some things never change...
Like a true artist he left his best line for last:
"I will not miss the Sarnoffs when they are gone."
Let's not wait any longer than necessary to see "the Sarnoffs gone!"
Let's all take a solemn oath to do everything we can to bring that day closer.
Most of all you MUST vote. In the primary, and in the runoff if there is one.
The Cynical Sarnoff plan is to count on a very low turnout and skate in with the votes of isolated elderly residents of nursing homes and votes "delivered" by special interests.
They assume YOU are too busy.
Please do not let that happen.
"Folks, a pox is among us...it's an epidemic and it seems there's no cure."
--The typical response to change from the old guard: hysterical and exaggerated out bursts.
…“a pox is among us” Is the ‘pox’ developers? Do we want to be like South Beach, or Brickell?
Check it out! https://www.google.com/search?q=Brickell&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=683&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CDMQsARqFQoTCLed-ZmToscCFYOZHgodPMkI8Q&dpr=1
I wouldn’t piss on Marc Sarnoff and his developer cohorts if he and they were on fire.
My grandfather, Dr. John C. Gifford, said: “Miami is the city of palms, and everyone is itchy”.
At the rate the Sarnoffs are raising money they will be spending about $100 per voter to win in a landslide with 4500 votes.
those were the days my friend
i thought they'd never end
a time when my children roamed the streets of downtown coconut grove in safety and watched over by the storekeepers and police without locking them up
Nice life Bobby your are s Lucky Man. I too miss a lot the characters that have moved on to the next life ; sometime I see a glimpse or memory on the street and then realize its just a ghost ...
Carry on and keep on being a modern day character :)
Change, change, change; evolution, evolution, evolution; adapt, adapt and most important, adapt; otherwise keep up the old days rhetoric! I'm adapting, moving ahead, moving on and making a profit. Jobie Steppe
Does anyone know where the Gaslight was located?
- kathryn
I think it was originally on SW 8th st and 57 ave and later in grove near ponce
Chuck Azar
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