A few Grove memories from 1990

An old Ensign Bitters sign at the Mayfair.

A friend showed me an oldish book he acquired recently. It's a 1990 Guide to Coconut Grove - almost 30 years. It's hard to believe that 1990 is 30 years ago and it's hard to believe that so many things mentioned in the book are such a distant memory. This was right before CocoWalk was completed, Mayfair had been there a couple of years by now. 

While I do remember most of the places mentioned in the book, there are a few places I don't recall, such as Southampton Porch, which was at 2801 Florida Avenue. The book says, "In our opinion, this new store is destined to become of the great and really important stores in the Grove. It sold "chic comfortable furniture and accessories" for the home. Never heard of it. So I guess it didn't last long.

The book lists so many nightclubs, which were a staple of the Grove - Club Casablanca at the Doubletree Hotel; Ensign Bitters at Mayfair (you can still see their name in tile at the Mayfair promenade if you look hard), Regine's at the Grand Bay Hotel, one of the most famous places in the world at the time - both gone now. Stringfellows, Who's in the Grove, and so many more. Remember Suzanne's in the Grove?

The book lists so many long-gone restaurants: Buccione, Cafe Brasserie, Havana Clipper, The Lime & Coconut Cafe, Mandarin Gardin, Tigertail Lounge, The Pampered Chef, To Market To Market, Village Inn, Zanzibars, Peacock Cafe and so on. They call Buccione, "One of the best kept secrets in the Grove." It goes on to say their are more expensive cars parked outside Buccione than any other restaurant or club in the Grove.

Memories.