They tore down the Porpoise

[ProcrastiGATOR]

Full BALLS Frontal....LOL

 

[rogdochar]

I love this thread. Keep talking folks. Wish I had some cool stories myself, but Im boring and mostly I studied. My very occasional trips to PP, The Swamp, Joes, and Leonardos never resulting in anything but decent to great food and a warm buzz after a fews beers. I wish I had gone to UF undergrad.

Studiuos-ness was the same for me, Law. For my freshman indoctrination, after reading my
entrance evaluation tests UF gave, my personal college counselor told me that I would most
likely flunk out. I studied scared and made the Dean's List every trimester. Whew-sweat !
UF was academically strident, making it an excellent preparer for future success. I'm proud to be
a Florida Gator and to associate with the same-folk GC-Nation.

 

[Swamp Queen]

There were a couple of other places that popped into my head.

Brown Derby - way out SW13th - huge place. Finally closed in '94.

Copper Monkey - I think that's still there.

A couple of my frat brothers started a pizza chain called Gumby's Pizza. Lots of free pies after that.

Some place on University - kind of upscale on the same side of the road as Leonardos... something like Julians or Lillians or something.
Double date one night there and I told my buddy..."hey, your date is wearing light brown underwear...just got a glimpse, - by accident of course."
He smiled and said..."she's commando tonight"...oops.

And the Holiday Inn at the corner of Univ and 13th had a bar - wasn't it called Stacks back in the 80s? Not sure.

There was also a great sub shop kind of near the original Skeeters called Hogan's Heroes...anyone remember that?
They had a contest where you enter to drink every type of beer they had in 24 hours and if you did they would set you up with a special stein, picture on the wall and some type of deal on those subs. That shop reminded me of The Hobbit in Tallahassee... great sandwiches.

And a soul food place called Mama Lo's... picnic tables inside - old school with awesome southern cooking:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070405/GUARDIAN/70404038

Copper Monkey is still there and still has tasty burgers.

Jabber is a big Hogan's fan. Also a great spot!

Damn, Mama Lo's...only got to experience it once but so freaking good! My brother went there all the time when he was in school.

 

[rogdochar]

Copper Monkey is still there and still has tasty burgers.

Jabber is a big Hogan's fan. Also a great spot!

Damn, Mama Lo's...only got to experience it once but so freaking good! My brother went there all the time when he was in school.

SQ, exactly what spot on Jabber are you remembering as great ?

 

[Zambo]

There were a couple of other places that popped into my head.

Brown Derby - way out SW13th - huge place. Finally closed in '94.

Copper Monkey - I think that's still there.

A couple of my frat brothers started a pizza chain called Gumby's Pizza. Lots of free pies after that.

Some place on University - kind of upscale on the same side of the road as Leonardos... something like Julians or Lillians or something.
Double date one night there and I told my buddy..."hey, your date is wearing light brown underwear...just got a glimpse, - by accident of course."
He smiled and said..."she's commando tonight"...oops.

And the Holiday Inn at the corner of Univ and 13th had a bar - wasn't it called Stacks back in the 80s? Not sure.

There was also a great sub shop kind of near the original Skeeters called Hogan's Heroes...anyone remember that?
They had a contest where you enter to drink every type of beer they had in 24 hours and if you did they would set you up with a special stein, picture on the wall and some type of deal on those subs. That shop reminded me of The Hobbit in Tallahassee... great sandwiches.

And a soul food place called Mama Lo's... picnic tables inside - old school with awesome southern cooking:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070405/GUARDIAN/70404038

I remember just about all of those. At plenty of Gumby's and Mama Lo's. Copper Monkey is still there. They had $1.89 pitchers, of which I partook many a time. The other place you're thinking of is Lillian's Music Store but I don't remember it being upscale. I remember it just being an older crowd.

There was a hot tub place called The Park out on 13th that had bladder bust night and nickel beer night. They had about 6-8 hot tubs out back that were each in their own little cubby...you could rent a tub by the hour. Gross! We did charter that whole place out once every year for date event called Bottoms Up. A buddy broke his nose diving in headfirst.

That reminds me of another date event I ran for a couple of years called Make Me Wet. We rented out Wild Waters park in Ocala from 8pm to midnight. Our fraternity and 3 others chartered about 10 busses to take everybody and their dates out there. We had Pili Pili reggae band playing and the "dance floor" was the shallow end of the wave pool. Open bar and kegs. Lots of girls in bikinis. Good times. The second time was pretty much the last thing I did in Gainesville before heading out to Parris Island to start a new life.

 

[Gatordiddy]

There was a hot tub place called The Park out on 13th that had bladder bust night and nickel beer night. They had about 6-8 hot tubs out back that were each in their own little cubby...you could rent a tub by the hour. Gross! We did charter that whole place out once every year for date event called Bottoms Up. A buddy broke his nose diving in headfirst.

Lillians...that was it.

Oh yeah...The Park.
My girlfriend at the time got a little tipsy as we were at The Park but not slobbering drunk - and she started to literally pass out and go under the water... kind of scary.
Had to get some guys to help me pull her out - dead weight.
They were about to call an ambulance but about a minute after she got out of the tub and had some water she was fine.
I'm thinking it was the heat and some dehydration... or something sinister in the water.

There was also a Wing place right near Burrito Bros on the corner of 13th and University... was it Nellie's?
They had some real hot wings - something like 'Nuclear' and 'Trotters'. I could be way off though.

 

[stephenPE]

Must have been nice to party in college. I was working too much. I did drink some beer at the Orange and Brew once and made a few Halloween Balls at the Plaza of the Americas. And all the real gator growl we had once. Brown Bag Subs by the famous taco place. And Leonardos when you could get a slice and a drink for less than $2. My younger brother did hang out at CJs and the Park so I heard stories.......

 

[alcoholica]

There were a couple of other places that popped into my head.

Brown Derby - way out SW13th - huge place. Finally closed in '94.

Copper Monkey - I think that's still there.

A couple of my frat brothers started a pizza chain called Gumby's Pizza. Lots of free pies after that.

Some place on University - kind of upscale on the same side of the road as Leonardos... something like Julians or Lillians or something.
Double date one night there and I told my buddy..."hey, your date is wearing light brown underwear...just got a glimpse, - by accident of course."
He smiled and said..."she's commando tonight"...oops.

And the Holiday Inn at the corner of Univ and 13th had a bar - wasn't it called Stacks back in the 80s? Not sure.

There was also a great sub shop kind of near the original Skeeters called Hogan's Heroes...anyone remember that?
They had a contest where you enter to drink every type of beer they had in 24 hours and if you did they would set you up with a special stein, picture on the wall and some type of deal on those subs. That shop reminded me of The Hobbit in Tallahassee... great sandwiches.

And a soul food place called Mama Lo's... picnic tables inside - old school with awesome southern cooking:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070405/GUARDIAN/70404038

If I remember right the Brown Derby burned down and there is now a derka derka Mosque there

Copper Monkey still there and another location in Jonesville

Gumby's is still there. They added a Court of Heroes name. I think it added a sandwich shop in there at some point. They recently added a Metro Diner in that shopping center.

The Holiday Inn had a Denny's there when i was in school. Now it's a Piesanos, good pizza.

Hogan's is still there, and they opened another location on S 34th St at Williston Rd

 

[alcoholica]

Oh and Burrito Bros moved to the Presbyterian Student Union and remodeled last year....now serving beer

 

[biggator6]

Still nothing more 'gainesville' than the original Skeeters.. lines out the door all night, great food and a 400lb woman singing bluegrass at 2am.

Kesl's Coney Island down by the Hippodrome had some interesting food.

It saddens me that most of the classics are gone. Leonardos and Copper Monkey are still there.. I think Cafe Gardens, too.. but Joe's Deli, Skeeters, etc..

 

[Swamp Queen]

Still nothing more 'gainesville' than the original Skeeters.. lines out the door all night, great food and a 400lb woman singing bluegrass at 2am.

Kesl's Coney Island down by the Hippodrome had some interesting food.

It saddens me that most of the classics are gone. Leonardos and Copper Monkey are still there.. I think Cafe Gardens, too.. but Joe's Deli, Skeeters, etc..

Pretty sure Cafe Gardens is gone too. Really liked that place!

 

[biggator6]

Pretty sure Cafe Gardens is gone too. Really liked that place!

Damn.. just looked. Closed 2010.

 

[GR8 2B]

Were you cooking between 1982 and December of 1986?
We would hit CJs a lot...
When I worked at Rock 104 I promoted a local area band called Spoiled Brat. We did a show at the Florida Theater ('85) and maybe 30 people showed up.
But they rocked it... and we went to CJs after the show where the drummer proceeded to dump a full pitcher of beer over my head in celebration.
Hooked up later that night and we were walking to her apartment across this huge field across the street from CJs where there is massive retail these days.
Got horizontal and she ran her fingers through my 'beer-do' and that pretty much killed the mood... long walk back to CJs.

The guys apparently got in trouble for taking this picture in the rear of the building where CJs was located:

The 80's... Big Hair - Good times...

That looks like one of the matching Porsches

 

[Detroitgator]

I haven't seen this link posted anywhere, but I would be stunned if it doesn't come up on everyone else's Facebook timeline as well..
https://longlosttees.com/product-category/gainesville-u-f/

 

[TLB]

Brown Derby - way out SW13th - huge place. Finally closed in '94.

Copper Monkey - I think that's still there.

...

There was also a great sub shop kind of near the original Skeeters called Hogan's Heroes...anyone remember that?
They had a contest where you enter to drink every type of beer they had in 24 hours and if you did they would set you up with a special stein, picture on the wall and some type of deal on those subs. That shop reminded me of The Hobbit in Tallahassee... great sandwiches.

And a soul food place called Mama Lo's... picnic tables inside - old school with awesome southern cooking:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070405/GUARDIAN/70404038

Family always went to Brown Derby for birthdays. Not a great place, but special memories.

Copper Monkey was always a good stop. There's one off NW 39th Avenue in a small shopping plaza I believe....may have been a Panama Joe's?

Hogans was also a good place growing up there. I'd hit the one on 13th and spend some time in The Blue Chip arcade when I was in HS. I can't recall which came first, Hogans or Joe's.

Mama Lo's I only went to once, but I recall my first boss (old guy from Waaaayyyy back, like before 8th avenue was paved) who would take business associates there as a treat.

That reminds me of another date event I ran for a couple of years called Make Me Wet. We rented out Wild Waters park in Ocala from 8pm to midnight. Our fraternity and 3 others chartered about 10 busses to take everybody and their dates out there. We had Pili Pili reggae band playing and the "dance floor" was the shallow end of the wave pool. Open bar and kegs. Lots of girls in bikinis. Good times. The second time was pretty much the last thing I did in Gainesville before heading out to Parris Island to start a new life.

Pretty sure Wild Waters closed down, as has Silver Springs essentially. Shame, I was hoping to take my kids there some summer.

Still nothing more 'gainesville' than the original Skeeters.. lines out the door all night, great food and a 400lb woman singing bluegrass at 2am.

Kesl's Coney Island down by the Hippodrome had some interesting food.

Skeeters IS old G'ville for me. Family would do Sunday breakfast there when I was a kid, several of us took our dates there for prom night, and college years provided a different time to visit (ie, bars closing).

Hippodrome was a good spot for beer and live music, not sure if it is still used for that.

==============

While Skeeters is OLD G'ville, my heart always goes back to Leonardo's (by the slice) and Sonny's (any of them) as a staple for me growing up there. I take the wife to 706 for a date night whenever we visit my folks, and I make the family indulge me in a Sonny's visit as well whenever we find one.



Memory also brings me to Orange & Brew on campus for a quick drink and crappy food.

But I also recall my dad talking about the Rathskeller(?) being a popular place when he attended. It was out of business by the time I got to HS.

Nobody has mentioned Dubs out on 441? With all the live music there? Only band I recall seeing there was Europe (yeah, the final countdown), and watching a magic night of football at TN (31-0 in '94).

There was another music and beer place down near SE Depot Ave if I recall, just don't remember the name of it.

Non-beer places worth a mention for a local that college students only may not know:
Doug's Dairy Twirl on 13th and 23rd as a small shack with a boatload of ice cream and shakes. Hated to see that close.
Louis' a burger shop launched in 1928 just SE of downtown, closed in 2010 after 82 yrs.

 

[bradgator2]

Pretty sure Wild Waters closed down, as has Silver Springs essentially. Shame, I was hoping to take my kids there some summer.

Wild Waters officially closed this summer, that place turned into a HUGE dump. Silver Springs was bought by the state and turned into a state park. Trust me.... it is 1000 times better now. All the animals were removed and the place got one hell of a cleaning. We rent and take kayaks out onto the Silver springs often.
http://www.silversprings.com/

 

[TLB]

Wild Waters officially closed this summer, that place turned into a HUGE dump. Silver Springs was bought by the state and turned into a state park. Trust me.... it is 1000 times better now. All the animals were removed and the place got one hell of a cleaning. We rent and take kayaks out onto the Silver springs often.
http://www.silversprings.com/

Hmmm....maybe I will take the kids to SS then. My 30yr HS reunion is this summer.

 

[bradgator2]

Hmmm....maybe I will take the kids to SS then. My 30yr HS reunion is this summer.

They will love it. The state has done a remarkable job cleaning it up. They (we) dumped 4 million into the park. They spent another 1 million in surrounding water works in an attempt to reduce pollution and run off. When you are in a kayak and can get away from the spring head... you might as well be 200 years back in time.

Here's a pic of my daughter and me deep in there. You cant tell from the shadows... but that water is crystal clear. Fish/wildlife EVERYWHERE.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Glad this thread was resurrected. Brings back lots of fond memories.

I loved going to Skeeters after the bars closed for the Asher special. Dunno how we didn't all get DUIs on that drive. Nobody was sober. You had as good a shot at getting a girl's number waiting in that long ass line to get in as you did in a bar.

Had a buddy who waited tables there (yes, in overalls and a straw hat). The hours were brutal and drunk, stoned, broke ass college kids aren't the best tippers.

I always enjoyed the entertainment at Skeeters. A dude with an acoustic guitar playing requests--like the theme song from Gilligan's Island, some Jimmy Buffet, and some American Pie because that's a long damn song and he didn't remember all the words.

Alex.

 

[SC Gator]

use to love Steamers.....