Some old pictures of the Sarasota area... (Bradenton, Cortez: condo, hotel)

[narwhals]

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

The Pretzel King was awesome and dearly missed. He'd wear green tights and the medieval dress in the dead of summer. He sold pretzels and pickles and pushed around the shopping cart with the red wood sides fashioned in the shape of a horse. I loved the clip on pickle earrings.

Definitely a Sarasota classic!

I haven't thought about him in forever! I used to be scared of him and think he looked really interesting at the same time, this being when I was like 7 years old. Oh and his pretzels were horrible and stale! But he still ruled.

[FringedNFab]

I love all your area history in pictures SoFLGal and all the interesting people who lived here. It enriches us ones who came from someplace else growing up what this place was once like. The Pretzel King seemed like one interesting character. Keep these photos coming for all to enjoy

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

I think I saw a post asking about a Western Auto in Sarasota.
There was a store on the s/e corner of 301 and 17 St

For some reason I just don't remember the store.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by FringedNFab

I love all your area history in pictures SoFLGal and all the interesting people who lived here. It enriches us ones who came from someplace else growing up what this place was once like. The Pretzel King seemed like one interesting character. Keep these photos coming for all to enjoy

Thanks Fringed! Like I said before, some are mine and some belong to others but there a great collection of pictures, none the less.

The Pretzel King was a hoot! He would yell at the top of his lungs, "The Pretzel King is Here". It seemed like he was always old but he did this for years and years. He was at every Medieval Fair and other festivals.

I guess he did well. I certainly wouldn't put on green tights in the dead of summer is I wasn't making pretty good money!

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by narwhals

I haven't thought about him in forever! I used to be scared of him and think he looked really interesting at the same time, this being when I was like 7 years old. Oh and his pretzels were horrible and stale! But he still ruled.

He was a bit scary but he totally rocked! There's nothing like The Pretzel King

[SoFLGal]

The Doll family with other circus types fishing off the old John Ringling Bridge.Check out the boxes for them to stand on and the attire.



Florida Theater-Saturday mornings you could get in with RC bottlecaps.



This building is a later incarnation of The Inn, Sarasota Hotel was built on the site. Many people don't know that the intersection of Main and Palm also had a drinking fountain for animals.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by ess.ess.ess.esq.

hi
does anyone remember a Western Auto Store in or near downtown Sarasota in 1960?

I was there on my only visit to your town, then a sleepy village. The store owner went to Canton McKinley High with my mother, and we visited in 1960 by taking the train from Cleveland to Orlando, then drove a rented 1960 Ford to Sarasota...car had no heater, a surprise to an Ohioan during a chilly Florida spring!

I'm a bit confused...you have only visited FL one time in the 1960's and you have all these views of the town, weather, people, etc???

Did you actually say it was CHILLY in the spring? Are you really talking about the same FL?

https://www.city-data.com/forum/20673278-post23.html So on this thread you state it's "unrelenting heat and sunshine" and then you say it was actually "chilly" in spring. I think May might be in the spring-right?

For those who ENJOY month after month after month of unrelenting humidity and heat and sunshine, with the glare of that intense sunlight, more power to you!

visit in May and September and see what you think....don't just listen to real estate agents who....surprise!....have a financial interest in telling folks that FLA is a "year around paradise."

On a personal note, I do agree that it is very hot here in the summer but it's also hot in most other states in the summer. I spent some time in NYC this summer and I can tell you it was much hotter there then it was in FL.

Like Rushmore pointed out, if someone comes on here and posts many, many posts that basically say the same thing, people get tired of hearing it-whether the posts are good or bad.

[PixiStix]

Wow, good catch SFG.. why people come on here & do these things is beyond me

[jimsinger]

Hello - interested in LIDO Beach history; including the south LIDO area (south of Helmsley). I have found that the Azures and Three Crown hotels sat where the Ritz Beach Residences now stand. I also found that the Half Moon hotel sat where the Orchid condos now is located.
Anyone know what stood on the site where L''ELEGANCE CONDOS now stand (1800 Ben Franklin). In old pictures it looks like there was a high rise there.

Thanks in advance for any tidbits on the history of LIDO.

[SoFLGal]

Good question! I suggest you contact Larry Kelleher, editor@floridahistoryalive.com or 941-951-7727. If anyone would know it would be him. He is probably the most knowledgeable person on Sarasota history, that is still living.