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Just saw where Fast Buck Freddie's, a wonderful locally-owned department store that's been in downtown Key West on Duval Street for 37 years, is closing.......another little bit of old KW set to vanish.

Another thought......Margaritaville is right next door. The original store, but tiny......a far cry from all the "mega" M-villes that have been built since.

Could this be an expansion project????

Fast Buck Freddies opened in the mid to late 1970's. Hardly old Key West. It was basically a move aligned with the expanding cruise ships permits of the time to provide tourist garbage to the Duval Crawlers. David Wolkowsky knew darn well how to make a "fast buck." Although he did hire Jimmy Buffett back in the day so I guess that is something. Demolish it. And then take down Margaritaville too.

While in Sarasota last week, I spoke with Ron (Geed here on BN) a shop owner at St. Armonds Circle. He gets down there quite a bit. Ron informed me of the closing. Much to Jon's distaste of the place, we actually like Fast Bucks and have purchased clothing items from the store. I had the same thought about Margaritaville. I believe that those spaces are jointly owned..so I think it could be a great idea for the place. The K.W. location is too small and the corner space is a great locale. It could open up for outside seating on the corner of Duval and Flemming. Jimmy get your guys on it if you haven't already!

MacPhin wrote:While in Sarasota last week, I spoke with Ron (Geed here on BN) a shop owner at St. Armonds Circle. He gets down there quite a bit. Ron informed me of the closing. Much to Jon's distaste of the place, we actually like Fast Bucks and have purchased clothing items from the store. I had the same thought about Margaritaville. I believe that those spaces are jointly owned..so I think it could be a great idea for the place. The K.W. location is too small and the corner space is a great locale. It could open up for outside seating on the corner of Duval and Flemming. Jimmy get your guys on it if you haven't already!

The only Margaritaville Cafe I ever liked
was the original Duval Street location.
I remember the buzz in the Mville Store
that "we're opening a restaurant next door!"
back in the late 80's.

Perhaps because it was (is) small
it always just felt more .... personal.

The others I have been to,
granted only a few,
just seemed too "theme parklike" and
"Planet Hollywoodish" to me.

surfpirate wrote:

MacPhin wrote:While in Sarasota last week, I spoke with Ron (Geed here on BN) a shop owner at St. Armonds Circle. He gets down there quite a bit. Ron informed me of the closing. Much to Jon's distaste of the place, we actually like Fast Bucks and have purchased clothing items from the store. I had the same thought about Margaritaville. I believe that those spaces are jointly owned..so I think it could be a great idea for the place. The K.W. location is too small and the corner space is a great locale. It could open up for outside seating on the corner of Duval and Flemming. Jimmy get your guys on it if you haven't already!

The only Margaritaville Cafe I ever liked
was the original Duval Street location.
I remember the buzz in the Mville Store
that "we're opening a restaurant next door!"
back in the late 80's.

Perhaps because it was (is) small
it always just felt more .... personal.

The others I have been to,
granted only a few,
just seemed too "theme parklike" and
"Planet Hollywoodish" to me.

Agreed. The big ones seem to be trying too hard. Nashville was OK, it wasn't nearly as big as the ones in Vegas or Myrtle Beach.

Here's the original Coconut Telegraph story
(October 1987)
excitedly talking about
the new restaurant .......

"But wait, there's more! On the same block, at the same location, under the same roof
will soon stand the Margaritaville Restaurant."

"...... and even Jimmy's grandmother's secret potato salad."

Jimmy would miss an opportunity if he didn't expand. Yes, the store there now would be a great outdoor-table place. The store as is, is now WAY too small. I was in there one time and I couldn't move, literally. You get more than a few people in there or one mom with a stroller, and you can't get around. Several times, I have just given up and got outta there.
I sure am gonna miss Fast Buck Freddie's, though. They had some cool stuff, especially the 'naughty' merchandise in the back.

citcat wrote:Jimmy would miss an opportunity if he didn't expand. Yes, the store there now would be a great outdoor-table place. The store as is, is now WAY too small. I was in there one time and I couldn't move, literally. You get more than a few people in there or one mom with a stroller, and you can't get around. Several times, I have just given up and got outta there.
I sure am gonna miss Fast Buck Freddie's, though. They had some cool stuff, especially the 'naughty' merchandise in the back.

Yeah .... disclaimer.
I've only visited Key West in July/August
non-tourist and non crowded times of the year.

My wife and I used to housesit in the
late 1980s and all through the 1990s
each year in a friends house
on William Street in Old Town.
We had that gig for 10+ years
and were there every summer
for 2-3 weeks.

That time of year, Margaritaville
and almost every other bar
were rarely crowded
except maybe on Friday/Saturday nights.

Oh ... and the cruise ships hadn't yet invaded.

surfpirate wrote:

citcat wrote:Jimmy would miss an opportunity if he didn't expand. Yes, the store there now would be a great outdoor-table place. The store as is, is now WAY too small. I was in there one time and I couldn't move, literally. You get more than a few people in there or one mom with a stroller, and you can't get around. Several times, I have just given up and got outta there.
I sure am gonna miss Fast Buck Freddie's, though. They had some cool stuff, especially the 'naughty' merchandise in the back.

Yeah .... disclaimer.
I've only visited Key West in July/August
non-tourist and non crowded times of the year.

My wife and I used to housesit in the
late 1980s and all through the 1990s
each year in a friends house
on William Street in Old Town.
We had that gig for 10+ years
and were there every summer
for 2-3 weeks.

That time of year, Margaritaville
and almost every other bar
were rarely crowded
except maybe on Friday/Saturday nights.

Oh ... and the cruise ships hadn't yet invaded.

It's very crowded when the cruise ships are docked in KW.

surfpirate wrote:

citcat wrote:Jimmy would miss an opportunity if he didn't expand. Yes, the store there now would be a great outdoor-table place. The store as is, is now WAY too small. I was in there one time and I couldn't move, literally. You get more than a few people in there or one mom with a stroller, and you can't get around. Several times, I have just given up and got outta there.
I sure am gonna miss Fast Buck Freddie's, though. They had some cool stuff, especially the 'naughty' merchandise in the back.

Yeah .... disclaimer.
I've only visited Key West in July/August
non-tourist and non crowded times of the year.

That time of year, Margaritaville
and almost every other bar
were rarely crowded
except maybe on Friday/Saturday nights.

Oh ... and the cruise ships hadn't yet invaded.

We've visited in recent years in May and late October and it's not crowded at night then. However, M'ville could use a bit more space and outside seating would be a plus.

i don't know how crowded it is the other 51 weeks of the year!!.....when I'm down there for MOTM there is about 3500 Parrotheads on KW.....so they all go there. Not sure if they would expand , unless it's always like MOTM there. We need to hear from a local on that.

I think I'll buy it and open a t-shirt shop. There aren't any in KW are there?












but really Margaritaville needs to expand you cant even walk around on a non-busy day in there

Jimmy could open a clothing-optional section of Margaritaville..........

Bfan53again wrote:Jimmy could open a clothing-optional section of Margaritaville..........

A buncha naked folks
my age and weight (and above)
eating and drinking .... ?

No thank you.

If Margaritaville does take it over, they will not be able to offer any outdoor seating. They tried to install a "cafe district" on that block and an adjacent one where they would shut down Duval Street on those blocks to allow outdoor seating for the restaurants. It was shot down when other restaurants on the street threatened to sue because they weren't being offered the same opportunity.

popcornjack wrote:If Margaritaville does take it over, they will not be able to offer any outdoor seating. They tried to install a "cafe district" on that block and an adjacent one where they would shut down Duval Street on those blocks to allow outdoor seating for the restaurants. It was shot down when other restaurants on the street threatened to sue because they weren't being offered the same opportunity.

Couldn't they remodel and open up some of that property and offer outdoor seating without affecting Duval Street traffic? Something like Fogarty's setup?

chippewa wrote:

popcornjack wrote:If Margaritaville does take it over, they will not be able to offer any outdoor seating. They tried to install a "cafe district" on that block and an adjacent one where they would shut down Duval Street on those blocks to allow outdoor seating for the restaurants. It was shot down when other restaurants on the street threatened to sue because they weren't being offered the same opportunity.

Couldn't they remodel and open up some of that property and offer outdoor seating without affecting Duval Street traffic? Something like Fogarty's setup?

It's a historic two story building.

Here's a little history about it: http://www.explorekeywesthistory.com/DS ... l%202.html