They call this place the Conch Republic, a cheerful self deprecating place but really it could be called the Green Republic for it's walking/biking friendly size and the number and size of it's trees.
However the Green Republic, formerly on Southard at Bahama Streets is gone.
There was an eco-restaurant thing going on for a while there in the Southard and Fleming corridor with the venerable Cafe holding it's own splendidly then joined by the Help Yourself venture now apparently firmly established at Fleming and Margaret. Then Green Republic appeared and now has disappeared. The notice in their window said "Corporate" had made a decision and thus I learned this place I always meant to try but never got around to, was a chain store.
They come, they go and perhaps with a photo or two I could have done a better job of recording their passage. The underlying structure of key West seems to remain fixed but at the surface where new arrivals show up in town all starry eyed and dreamy the chances of the Keys accepting and making them welcome seem completely arbitrary.
Some businesses come and stay, and if you want an expensive lap dance I have no doubt Living Dolls can provide just the blond blue eyed thing from Latvia or Lithuania or Ukraine or some other not-quite-First-World-economy but across the street organic sandwiches cannot hold their own against corporate need. I'd take the sandwich, even though I have never yet patronized the Living Doll emporium either and have no direct knowledge of it.
My decks at home are not near so picturesque as the one shown above but I like to think I spend more time observing the salt ponds west of my home of an evening than I have ever seen anyone sitting on this lovely balcony observing the comings and goings below. That other fact of Key West life is that for many people it takes not two but three jobs to maintain a life, which leaves precious little time for playing Juliet upstairs.
However the Green Republic, formerly on Southard at Bahama Streets is gone.There was an eco-restaurant thing going on for a while there in the Southard and Fleming corridor with the venerable Cafe holding it's own splendidly then joined by the Help Yourself venture now apparently firmly established at Fleming and Margaret. Then Green Republic appeared and now has disappeared. The notice in their window said "Corporate" had made a decision and thus I learned this place I always meant to try but never got around to, was a chain store.They come, they go and perhaps with a photo or two I could have done a better job of recording their passage. The underlying structure of key West seems to remain fixed but at the surface where new arrivals show up in town all starry eyed and dreamy the chances of the Keys accepting and making them welcome seem completely arbitrary.
Some businesses come and stay, and if you want an expensive lap dance I have no doubt Living Dolls can provide just the blond blue eyed thing from Latvia or Lithuania or Ukraine or some other not-quite-First-World-economy but across the street organic sandwiches cannot hold their own against corporate need. I'd take the sandwich, even though I have never yet patronized the Living Doll emporium either and have no direct knowledge of it.My decks at home are not near so picturesque as the one shown above but I like to think I spend more time observing the salt ponds west of my home of an evening than I have ever seen anyone sitting on this lovely balcony observing the comings and goings below. That other fact of Key West life is that for many people it takes not two but three jobs to maintain a life, which leaves precious little time for playing Juliet upstairs.
A small apartment, with balcony, a couple of jobs neither of which is too onerous and a pink bicycle with basket. Life in Key West would be complete.
5 comments:
The owner of the Green Republic was going to make a killing with his smoothie concept store, turning it into a franchise on the order of Starbuck's.
He was a bit of a jerk. We went in there twice, being served the second time by the owner, intent on getting rich as quickly as possible.
One does not place a stake in the Keys looking for wealth; it was meremly a matter of time before cayo karma cught up.
Like Bonnie and Clyde's, The Keys Piano Bar and a host of other failed businesses, the Green Republic went the way it was fated to go.
I've been told one must age a phone book for three years here - if your name is in it after three years, then you're worth patronizing.
On my third year,
Chuck on Fleming.
I wish I was on my 3rd year! Still in Ft.Myers.
Mr Conchscooter:
Small town British Columbia is similar to KW in that city folk are not immediately accepted by the locals. Even the City of North Vancouver are not very accepting of Vancouverites across the water. I found this out when I had to commute to my job in North Vancouver, it is a separate city with their own Mayor, city hall and other services. They even have a different Police force.
. . . and the Pink bicycle matches your Pink Crocs
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
The last paragraph reminds me of William Carlos Williams....stunning...
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