Fort lauderdale in the 1980s (Miami, Sunrise: plantation, bikes, subway)

[Rumann Koch]

Originally Posted by missing the 80s

Do any of you remember Blaine the manager at September’s? He was a good guy and I wondered what he was up to now?

September's was owned by Stephen Vincent, the same guy that owned Montego Bay. They had a great house band and the female lead singer, Suzie, was terrific!

We used to dress up more to go to September's, but since we were still in college would park in the seedy hotel (the one with the infamous Jungle Room) next door and climb over the wall and through the landscaping and enter by the pool to avoid the valet and cover!

[missing the 80s]

The name of that motel I believe was the Bon Soir it was on the north side of September’s. There was also another motel that had a bar that would get jammed on the weekends called dina’s hideaway. This was before it became a gay bar.

[City Guy997S]

While not necessarily "the 80's" it was still a Lauderdale beach highlight:

Elbo room owner is selling "pieces" of it, you can engrave a brick on their patio for $250. With bars being closed, they are trying to stay afloat:
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/enterta...lem-story.html

[Bette]

Originally Posted by Philip R

I was born in Hollywood in 1964.
I am pretty sure that the Gold Coast Rink was the one just east of Federal at SR 84, next to "The Copa." The coolest dance club was Nepenthe, an Egyptian themed club on Federal Highway. We danced at Pete and Lenny's on the South side of Commercial ( or was it Oakland Park Blvd?)
The Haunted House attraction was at 1313 Andrews Avenue and was painted gray and deliberately dilapidated. It is now a sunny yellow and houses a law office. Not as fun. I will check with my Mom on the name of the skating rink, I also remember it .

I had a Firebird with the T Tops. It was charcoal gray with light gray leather seats. My disco car LOL.
And yes, Pete & Lenny's - it was in the 2600 block of Commercial.

I even went there with my husband (now husband) and friends. So much fun.

Everyone danced.

[Bette]

Originally Posted by Rumann Koch

The Down Under was located on the on the Intracoastal, on the other side of the bridge from Yesterday's (SW corner).

The Ambry is a German restaurant (3016 E Commercial Blvd), and is still there. The steak place you are thinking of was The Brave Bull on 3536 North Federal Highway (West side of street, directly across from the Roselli Building). An upscale steak place, the main dining room and the Bull Ring Lounge was on the ground floor while an exclusive dining area, La Corrida was upstairs. It is now a plastic surgery office.

I used to meet my mom there for lunch. So good. (Brave Bull)

[Arikirick]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

LOL, I used to have drinks (and more, it was the early 80s) with Belle on occasion. Ever hear what happened to her? Was your friend at the pool bar at the Marlin Beach by any chance John? He was my first ever crush...loved the man. Sadly I was a shy 19-20 year old and he never knew. Do you recall a gay club in Miami called Cheers? It was near UM off of Coral Way I think. It was a lot of fun, you could dance on giant speakers next to the dance floor.

Cheers was at 5922-30 S. Dixie Hwy (US1) in downtown South Miami. Cheers opened as a small gay bar in '84 or '85 and quickly expanded in '86 as a club. It was briefly a lesbian bar (mid 90s?) before it was converted to a 'gentleman's club.' Worked there for a few months in 1986. Good times and awesome club .. cheers!
PS - The building is still there.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Arikirick

Cheers was at 5922-30 S. Dixie Hwy (US1) in downtown South Miami. Cheers opened as a small gay bar in '84 or '85 and quickly expanded in '86 as a club. It was briefly a lesbian bar (mid 90s?) before it was converted to a 'gentleman's club.' Worked there for a few months in 1986. Good times and awesome club .. cheers!
PS - The building is still there.

The last club there was BT's (google maps), which is an odd name but after looking at it, it is the Booby Trap brand just shortened to be more politically correct.

Years between BT and the gay clubs I believe it was called Lipsticks (or Lipstix). A girl I went to school with danced there.

[Coversrus]

Unlike some of you that may not relate to this I was actually part of this experience.
It all actually started before Uptown /Montego bay / September trifecta.
There were only 2 places in town, The Playpen and Pete and Lenny’s . I started out as a customer in Pete and Lennys and wound up working there as a Dj then bar back bartender( the best bartender in Fort Lauderdale for many years) LOL and eventually a manager.
Any guesses???
Anyway, was a haven for cocaine ( when it was actually pure) . Thus why I left town in the 80s . It was that or overdose.
I don’t think it’ll ever go back to the fun party town it was back then. Everyone knew each other wherever you went.

[-Moe]

My favorite bar back in the day was Durty Nelly's by Oakland on the intracoastal.

[Rumann Koch]

Pete & Lenny's was truly a legendary super night club. Located at 2680 E. Commercial Blvd, it was opened in 1973 by Pete Boinis and Lenny Boyer, both from Long Island, New York. A a high-class club it featured three levels of bars, seating, and lounges so you could find whatever you were looking for - whether it be right where the action was or be more intimate in the booths on the upper level. The ground floor had a large stage where live music was played by both house bands such as The Real Thing and Ecstasy, and the biggest headliners of the day: The Village People, Vicky Sue Robinson, Tavares, Donna Summer, Odyssey, and many others. You could get lost and dance the night away on the huge circular dance floor complete with underfloor lighting and the requisite disco ball above.



From the IMDb website:

The first nationally (US) syndicated Disco (Music & Dancing) TV show. It aired on CBS & CBS owned & operated stations. It was filmed at the disco Pete & Lenny's, 2680 E Commercial Blvd in Fort Lauderdale, FL. and featured the greatest of disco stars performing their hits as well as dancers dancing to disco music. Disco 77 was filmed as a trial of four episodes and was so successful that CBS ordered more episodes in 1977 and in 1978 the name was then changed to Disco Magic. Disco 77's theme song by Sassy became a disco hit. (Sassy-Disco 77) that year. The show can be said to be the Bandstand of the Disco Era, and it was shown in 75 other countries around the world.

After Disco faded out Pete & Lenny's became Confetti in 1984.

Clubs must have run in the family as Pete Boinis’ brother, John Boinis, opened Christopher’s in Fort Lauderdale in 1977.