The Projects of Key West - Spring 2022

I started The Projects of Key West series in July 2011 to commemorate the renovation of the historic homes of Key West and document the construction of new homes and commercial buildings across our island city.

I have been photographing some of the current projects for nearly three years. The Covid pandemic initially slowed the pace of renovation and then reduced numbers of workers. Later shortages of lumber and building materials produced outside of the United States prolonged the delay. Later home appliances produced in foreign lands were trapped at sea or in storage depots. 

When the public was allowed to return to Key West, existing houses started selling at a surprising pace. Buyers started hiring architects and contractors to design and renovate their new dream houses. Our little fishing town with a drinking problem and a sometimes hardly-able workforce got even more stressed. And, oh yeah, prices on everything went up. That is not Biden's fault. It is the way markets work. Presidents take credit for good times and say it's not my fault in bad times The people who sold at the very start of the pandemic have got to be kicking themselves now because of the subsequent price increases. Some houses that sold in the past year have gone back on the market at crazy ass asking prices. As I said a couple of days ago, our real estate market has gone bonkers. The housing stock throughout the Florida Keys has seen record price appreciation over the past 18 moths or so. While home owners will complain about the higher property taxes, don't expect to hear them grips about price appreciation.

Historically most new construction and most renovation projects take well over a year to complete. Renovation or restoration projects take longer than new construction primarily because so much time is spent getting approval from our Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) to approve any project. The Key West Tree Commission has become a player in the process and determines what property owners may and may not be done with regard to trees. As the projects get underway the city's planning and building departments step in to grind progress to a snail's pace ensuring no part of the construction process is over-looked or not documented.

I added CLICK HERE links to each project so that readers can view multiple progress photos. I spent a lot of  time photographing these projects. I hope readers will look at some or all of the photos They do help illustrate the story of how each project and type of property was built or renovated. Let's see what happened in 2021.

813 Waddell Avenue - Casa Marina Area

The original one story house was built in 1954 and sat on 10,500 Sq Ft lot located across from the Casa Marian Resort parking lot but also a two block walk to Higgs Beach. I heard the new owner wanted to take down the old house and build a new structure. Even though the house is located outside of the historic district our Historical Architectural Review Commission refused permission take down concrete block house and required the owner to renovate it instead. The house was gutted and rebuilt on site keeping the original facade and footprint and rebuilding the interior. This aggressive decision by HARC caused this homeowner to spend more money than necessary to renovate than to raze and build the house he wanted. This interference in the property rights of ordinary citizens has gone on now for four decades. It began in Old Town and has expanded into Casa Marina.

 CLICK HERE to view progress photos. 

1100 Flager Averne  -  Casa Marina Area

This 4,185 Sq Ft house sits on 9,000: Sq Ft lot just east of the White and Flagler Avenue intersection - one of the busiest locations in Key West. But it is also just a couple of blocks north of the Key West beaches. It was built just after World War II. The house has just been completed. The builder painted everything WHITE! and added custom closet systems in all of the bedrooms. The original landscaping was removed and replaced with a bunch of new palms and tropical foliage. (The photos below are in sequence and show the lot before renovation, after being cleared, and currently.).

1100 Johnson Street - Casa Marina Area

Some people believe Johnson Street is the most desirable street in the Casa Marina Area because many of the most expensive homes in Key west are located there. Others prefer the more rural streets like Von Phister with its giant Mahogany trees or Casa Marina Court with its direct ocean views. For the uniformed even though Key West is an island, it has very few homes with actual ocean views.

I showed 1100 Johnson Street a couple of times when it was offered for sale a few years ago. The house was built in 1959 when America was infatuated by big cars - hence the sweeping driveway. The original foyer led to a step-down living room like in the Dick Van Dyke Show The entire house had MAD MEN vibes. The house was recently renovated inside and outside and now has a new driveway, a pool, and 21st Century Vibes.

 CLICK HERE for more photos

1120 Johnson Street  -  Casa Marina Area

The home at 1120 Johnson Street was built new in 1995 on a previously never built upon lot. The most recent owner just completed a more than year long interior renovation and redesign of the fence and landscaping.  

733 Poorhouse Lane - Old Town

I represented the buyer who purchased this hovel located on the backside of his very expensive property on an adjacent street. This house was rebuilt and expanded during the pandemic. The owner encountered all kinds of. It sold as soon as it hit the market in the spring of 2021 for $2,300,000 or $100,000 over asking. This was a wake-up call. Buyers wanted quality homes in Old Town Key West and were willing to spend lots of money to get them before someone else got the opportunity. The land rush was on.

CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE for more photos

 533 Petronia Street - Old Town

The old house oozed charm but suffered from years of neglect. It sat back from the street further than any other home on this street. It actually had a front yard and covered off street parking. And it was located just a short walk to Duval Street. The simplicity of design and location beckoned a would-be renovator to recreate the best version of the original cottage. The front and rear yards were overgrown with trees which were infested with termites. HARC allowed the homeowners to move the house forward on the lot thereby creating space enlarge the house and to add a pool and guest cottage. The Tree Commission allowed the owners to take down diseased trees (at a huge expense). The owners hired a good architect and competent builder. The house was lifted up and moved forward on the lot and placed back down on new piers.  The rest is history and a lot of money. But it was worth it. The place is spectacular. This home received a Ceramic Star for Excellence in Preservation for 2022.

 

CLICK HERE to view progress photos.  

522 Petronia Street - Old Town

In 2014 I blogged about the two small cottage style homes which were joined together decade earlier to create a larger home. The original renovation and unification of two houses into one was novel at its time. It was the direct view of the of the neighboring Episcopal church garden that made this place so enchanting. A few months ago I noticed exterior work was underway. I had great expectations for a major renovation. Instead I only saw clean-up to make the entrance more inviting.

 CLICK HERE for more photos

1104 Petronia Street

I sold this prominent house last year. My buyer looked at it on a Saturday afternoon when the Royal Poinciana tree facing the Key West cemetery was in full bloom. It was a sight to behold. In earlier years there was an adjacent house to the west.It fell to fire. Who even knows about the great fire on Petronia Street. I didn't. The house has been gutted on the inside. The foundation is being rebuilt in place. Let's see what happens here. For now a few photos of what was and a couple of progress pics.

CLICK HERE for more photos.

903 Eaton Street - Old Town.

I represented the buyer who purchased this property several years ago with the intention of building a new home here. The original concrete block house sat at the rear of a 5,200 Sq Ft lot. HARC policy allows concrete block houses to be razed. After spending over $50,000 in architectural fees, the owner concluded he could not satisfy the city employee who controlled HARC. He sold the property to another party who built the new house seen in the bottom photo. My buyer/seller is not the first property owner to give up fighting city hall. He won't be the last to walk away in disgust either. 

 CLICK HERE for photos of 903 Eaton Street

627 Caroline Street - Old Town

I blogged about this once great old house several years ago when it was offered for sale. Two elderly sisters rambled around inside this place. It reeked of piss when I saw it. They had no clue what was going on. The layout was dysfunctional for modern living, but the lot size, location, and stoic beauty of the building made the cost of renovation worth the investment. It appeared almost finished in December 2021. It is still not finished in March 2022.  A pool and guest cottage were added at the rear. There are a lot of photos Take a look. 

CLICK HERE to view progress photos. The house was elevated while new piers were built. This house was raised higher than it originally sat on the site. I think this may be related to concern about future flood elevation concerns. It is not an issue now. The shell of the house was lowered onto the piers systematically taken apart, and totally rebuilt with mostly new lumber. The disjointed flow of the original house was built anew. . 

805 Olivia Street - Old Town

I wrote about and showed 803 Olivia Street several times over the years. Renovations were done in the 1999 - 2000 era.The house showed very well. It is/was located adjacent to the Key West cemetery and across the street from a neighborhood convenience store both of which spooked some potential buyers. The property had an extra large lot with an existing small cottage which allowed the owner to maximize lot usage. I drove by one day in 2020 and noticed a huge new house was being built on the adjacent lot. Construction on this property was some of the fastest I have witnessed. 

 

818 Olivia Street - Old Town

I wrote abut this little gem a couple of times over the years. It was one of the cutest homes I ever wrote about. It is located opposite the Key West cemetery which scared away many potential buyers, but not all. I started taking photos of the most recent update in 2020 when I saw changes taking place. I don't know if anything was done inside. The facade and porch were taken apart and rebuilt. It looks as sharp as ever. This house also received a Ceramic Star for renovation in 2022.

CLICK HERE to view more photos

710 Caroline Street

This house has been on and off the real estate market for almost as long as I have been selling houses. I remember showing it several times years ago. It had been renovated and used as a monthly vacation rental. Workers recently began a new renovation.
 

 

CLICK HERE to see progress photos. 

520 Grinnell Street

The 1,382 Sq Ft concrete block house at 520 Grinnell Street was built new in 1953 and sits on a large corner lot adjacent to Hibiscus Lane. The house became bank owned in 2019. While HARC guidelines would allow the owner to raze this non-contributing structure, this owner (a local designer) elected to add some space up front and renovate the CBS house instead. .

 

CLICK HERE to see progress photos which include the original house before it became bank owned.

 714 Passover Lane - Old Town

This will be a very interesting project to watch. I blogged about the original house when it was listed for sale. It was located near the end of the walking lane extension of Passover Lane. The street section of Passover Lane starts where Margaret Street and Angela Street meet at the northwest corner of the cemetery and proceeds to wrap the west side of the cemetery where it merges into Windsor Lane nat the end of the cemetery. It is quite confusing.

Many years ago wrap-around porches were added to the original Conch revival style house. The house had small rooms and low ceilings. It was cramped and dysfunctional. There was a narrow stairway to the second floor. Later the attic had been converted into living space accessible only by the an outdoor staircase. The most recent owner took off the porches, took down the exterior staircase, cleared the jungle of overgrown trees and vegetation, and cleared the lot. The original house was relocated to the front of the lot and the stripped of most of its siding. New piers were built a the rear and new framing for a new building has begun. I assume the original house will be connected to the new building in some fashion.

The photos below show the location of the house before the porches were added and then afterwards. The subsequent photos show the framing of a new portion of the home near the location of the original house.

 

CLICK HERE to view progress photos

813 Galveston Lane - Old Town

Galveston Lane was itself memorialized by WPA photographers during their expedition to Key West in the Depression. I don't know that the poverty of the people who lived there was any greater than any other part of America, but the photos are memorable. 

I remember seeing a house trailer permanently located in the 800 block of Elizabeth Street. I thought that was odd - having a mobile home on a city lot. Then I saw another at 813 Galveston Lane, one half block to the east. The owners had lived in those places for years and the city did nothing to require a change. The Elizabeth Street lot sold several years ago. The trailer was removed and a very large new house was built in its place. Recently a fire consumed the trailer on Galveston Lane. Locals banded together and built a new home for the owner.

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CLICK HERE to view progress photos

1003 Seminary Street - Casa Marina Area

HARC permitted this owner to move the house forward on the 5,200 Sq Ft sun drenched lot which allowed for the expansion of the original house, the addition of a pool, and the conversion of a garage into a guest cottage with bedroom and bath.

CLICK HERE to view more photos

1227 Washington Street - Mid Town Key West

I blogged about this remarkable old home in April 2018 after attending a brokers open house. I was impressed bungalow style home but it was a relic in time. The large lot was itself dysfunctional.There was a pool and guest cottage. They did not look right. A couple giant trees came down and were replaced by palms. A fence went up giving the new owner more privacy. I drove by the house this past Sunday. Still not complete as far as I could see. I am surprised HARC allowed the owner to the owner o add he dark accent color. I is not authentic to the house.  I would have preferred an all white exterior, but this is not my house. 

 

 CLICK HERE for more photos.

324 Virginia Street - Bahama Village

I remember showing this interesting property a day or two after it was listed for sale in 2019. Several other agents and potential developers were there that day As I recall the property sat on the market for several months. There were multiple heirs that hoped to their share of the bounty of the dearly departed's home. An adjacent property also was purchased and cleared. It looks like the two will become one..

CLICK HERE to view more photos.  This house was moved to the opposite side of the lot, a new cottage built in the rear, new piers installed, and the house moved back to its near original situs. However, the house sits much higher on the lot. It does not look right at this point in time

1221 Royal Street - Old Town

I began to track the renovation of this well located but neglected old house in November 2020. It sold during the pandemic to a local investor/renovator. Workmen began taking the place apart with plans to renovate in place and add a pool. I drove by to checkout the progress and saw the house was down. I called the owner's agent who told me the house collapsed on its own. This mishap allowed the owner to build a brand new house instead. The new house went up in lickety-split time and looks great. Three months ago the owner's real estate agent told me the owner has no plan to sell the house. For now. We'll see about that. Don't hold your breath.

CLICK HERE  for more photos

1435 Flagler Avenue - Mid Town

I blogged about this comfortable mid-century house several years ago. The corner lot was nicely landscaped and had a large but dated pool. The house was dated but well maintained. A new owner started to renovate the property then suddenly stopped. The house was re-sold and razed. I suspected the renovation project was going to exceed the 50% build back limitation. A new concrete block house was begun. New construction built on a lot is subject to building code but not cost of improvement restrictions. It's funny. It looks like the city enforces the 50% cont restriction on some but not all property owners. Isn't that interesting. I wonder if any federal agency that gives money to the city has ever looked into that. This new house has nothing to do with what I just mentioned. I  met the owner at an open house I hosted. Really nice guy. I hope to see the inside someday. Interesting architecture that i snot copy cat.

 CLICK HERE for more photos - including original house.

1217 Johnson Street - Casa Marina East as I like to say

This mid-century house was razed to make way for a new two story "plaza".  It is interesting to see how they framed the first floor before starting the second floor.

 CLICK HERE for more photos

 1301 Atlantic Avenue - Casa Marina Area East

I recently started to follow the construction of this new home in the upwardly trending neighborhood just east of White Street.  The lots in this area are comparable in size or larger than similar lots in the Casa Marina Area but which have sold at a lower price point. This new concrete block with stucco finish stands out from the other homes in the area particularly it is much larger and they are all modular. It looks more like Boca than Key West. That is my opinion. I drove a buyer past the house and he loved it. 

CLICK HERE for more photos. 

1221 Packer Street - Old Town South of Truman 

I could write a book about this place. It consumer weeks of my life trying to keep a deal togehter. My buyer had plans to renovate this older home with nice design and potential guest cottage, pool, and off street parking. Trouble began when the seller could not deliver clear title. Years earlier during the last BOOM MARKET the lender did not examine title as wellas it should. Althought this house sat in the same location for more than one hundred years, the roofline apparently encroached on the adjacent property. A local lender refused to fund a new mortgage. The neighbor refsed to cooperate in an easemntto clean up the matter. My buyer got his escrow back and moved on. Now a new owner is starting a renovation. Let'watch the progress. 

 CLICK HERE to see more photos

There are many more home construction and renovation projects underway. I will include many of this in the next installment of The Projects of Key West. Drop a comment about a house you like or say something in a nice way about a place you don't.

The Power of Google

The Power of GOOGLE exposes just about everything and everyone. Type a name, an address, an historic figure in your browser and voila - it is there. The thing about GOOGLE and the internet is once it is there, it is  there forever. Sometimes you just need to hit the right buttons to find it. 

I was thinking about all the trees that disappeared right after Hurricane Irma ravaged Key West in 2017. We lost a lot of really big beautiful canopy trees. Palm trees are designed to bend and go with the flow. Mahogany and other big trees lose limbs and sometimes get uprooted and topple to their death. 

We don't have apple or cherry trees in Key West. But we have all kinds of other trees including mango, mahogany, gumbo limbo, royal poinciana, and so many more. We even have an Urban Forester and a Tree Commission who exist to serve, to protect, and to defend our trees from homeowners and builders. We also have roving code enforcement officers who drive the streets (even on weekends) looking for homeowners taking control of their property free of government interference.

Let me say this up front: I don't have a dog in this fight. I have no axe to grind. George Washington had an axe and look what that got him. I was looking thru my old shoebox last week and saw a photo I took the afternoon after Hurricane Irma headed away form town. I drove around town photographing the damage. I have a lot of photos of trees that got toppled. Too many of those. And I have photos of trees that survived the hurricane. One particular photo caught my eye. It is of a Key West Fire Department truck driving down the street where a prominent city official lived  - surveilling the damage. The photo also shows a large - unharmed mahogany tree in the official's yard. The tree survived the hurricane  I remember going down that same street a few days later. The tree was gone.

It seems that George Washington biographer Mason Locke Weems made up the story of six year old Washington confessing "I cannot tell a lie" in response to his angry father's demand for an explanation of  how his cherry tree was damaged. I've got the photo!

 

 

TIME OUT- WHO LET ALL THE FOOLS RUSH IN?

TIME OUT! Somebody has to call it. It might as well be me. The Key West real estate market is officially gone bonkers. People who bought homes a year ago and putting them back on the market and selling them at even higher prices. Not a few people. A lot of people. A lot of Realtors are complicit in this. Greed has taken over. What is going right now is insidious.

I am not saying all houses are over-priced or that all Realtors are greedy. Many. Not all. I am referring to Realtors on the second point. I have thought for a long time many of our houses and some condos were under-priced. Many were certainly under-valued. Some languished in the MLS for months while other properties located in a better or more popular area sold more quickly or at a higher price.Now almost every listing sells within days of being listed.

I have seen volatile markets here before and have written about them in this blog over the years. I did a quick search of my blog and found one called Lessons Learned. Boy did I learn that lesson.

For years I would show homes to folks who had a dream of buying a second place in Key West in hope they could retire here later in life. Many scrambled together the money a down payment and figured out a budget they could meet. Some even let strangers sleep in their beds (for a fee) when they were at their full time homes up north. I am fearful that the people who had the dream of buying here someday will absolutely get squeezed out by the people with money who want in on the land grab. And even worse some of these later-comers are going to get burned. Real bad.

What is going on now is different. Some people are using their houses as money machines. They are like Bit Coins you can actually see and use - then cash them in and move on. Insidious. 

 

Mid Town Queen - Key West

Attention buyers lurking on the Internet in all the wrong places for a piece of Key West that you can call your own.

There is more to Key West than the high priced houses in Old Town and Casa Marina. You need to venture out. Open your eyes. Go places you have never been before. 

Take a walk on the wild side. Or ride your bike or drive your car. But do not go at night. Just sayin!

This is the before photo. Before it got reshaped and resided. Gypsies lived here or whatever they called themselves. It got queened up, ... Er cleaned up. And made all aesthetic.

This Sea Side Special won't last long. Priced at just $599,000. That's what a house like this sold for ten years ago. That's a steal. Call me, Gary Thomas, the Mid Town Queen Realtor.

 

Key West Real Estate Throwback Thursday No 44

from February 6, 2014

Key West's Newest Beach

 A tourist recently captured a couple of photos of Key West's newest beach - The Fleming Street Beach located opposite the Monroe County Public Library.

If you would like to buy a place in Key West that has a pool and more privacy, contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642.  I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place (with a pool!) in Paradise.

 

Update A few weeks ago I was driving on Fleming Street and saw the same guy still tanning on Fleming Street. A lot of people don't have pools. Some go to the Dante's, some go to the beach, some create their own place in the sun.

513 William Street, Key West - SOLD

Congratulations to the Seller, the Buyer, the Listing Broker Brenda Donnelly, and the Buyers Broker Terri Spottswood on the sale of 513 William Street, Key West. The closing price was $6,950,000. 

I blogged about this incredible home in November 2021. CLICK HERE to read the blog and view photos of this wonderful property. The Williams Street and Pinder Lane property were purchased separately and at different times. The "Seller"and their team of architects, builders, craftsmen, and landscapers set the high water mark for what could be done with a quality renovation. 

Way back before I had any idea of writing a blog I took photos of both properties while construction was under way. Below is a photo of 513 William Street taken way back in 2006.

The Seller purchased the Pinder Lane property which abutted the William Street house in the rear. The two properties merged into a larger estate type property with the Pinder property becoming a guest and poolside cottage with garage. It too becamse awork of art. Plaine from the street, it swed in person. 

I wish that I could have participated in the sale just for bragging rights. Again, congratulations to everyone involved. This is a true love story. 

Key West Properties Blog Major Award for Over-Looked Renovation

 

I went to the Key West Citizen this morning to view the local news. They rarely print anything newsworthy. It's mostly fluff and ads. But then I saw an article entitled Group recognizes preservation of historic properties which I read. CLICK HERE I sold two of the properties recognized for Historic Preservation Awards ( 806 Southard Street and 533 Petronia Street). The owners, architects, builders and sub-contractors should be proud of the work they did and the recognition they have received. The author of the article misspelled the name of one of the owners of 533 Petronia Street. Nobody likes that. His name is Scott Burau not Buram. Minor point.

806 Southard Street

533 Petronia Street 

Sadly an equally impressive renovation at 1007 Thomas Street  was over-looked. Well, not exactly over-looked because he owner did not apply for an award. But should have. I wrote about the house in my projects of Key West series. I will share a couple of old and new photos and a link for the interested to readers to view more.

1007 Thomas Street  March 2019

I represented the buyer in the purchase of this property. I remember going inside the house with the buyer's architect Serge Mashtakov PE. The front porch had been enclosed years earlier to create more "living space". There was so much clutter inside that I stayed pretty much in one spot as the architect maneuvered around the place. I remember seeing voodoo dolls and other scary things inside. 

I found the black and white photo of the house after it was updated in the 1950s or 60s. The wrought iron columns were so popular back then. The photo shows us the porch was enclosed thereafter.

Shameless plug for the General Contractor

Look thru the open doors. That is the Key West Lighthouse in the background with all the little people peeping out to the wonders of Key West - wishing they could live here. 

I held an open house the day after I listed it. No adverting. Just my blog and Instagram and a couple of signs. I had 81 visitors and a signed contract in a week. Half the viewers were locals who stopped by to see the house. Every person was in awe. Many commented on how horrible the house was and how odd the former owners were. This was a testament to the design and care fo the owner, architect, and builder.

CLICK HERE to view more photos of  1007 Thomas Street which a lucky buyer closed on this week for $1,640,000. My congratulations to the buyer, the seller, Stan Shaw Construction, Serge Mashtakov PE, CHECK Electric, Greg Oropeza Esq, Richard McChesney Esq. and Laurie McChesney, my broker who helped me while I was on the mend.

 

Key West Real Estate Throwback No. 44

from February 14, 2018

Strange Love in Key West - A True Story

I always preference my little tales of Key West by telling my Dear Readers that the stories are true as opposed to stuff that comes out of Washington and reality television. You can't make up the truth, and, sometimes, the truth hurts.

A few years ago on the week before Christmas, I was setting up a listing of my office to host a Saturday afternoon open house. I turned on the lights and opened the door to the pool at the rear. I placed my open house signs out in front and prepared to talk to passersby.

I had been sitting on the cute-as-can-be front porch when I noticed the neighbor was hanging Christmas lights on his two story duplex home next door to the east. I walked out to the sidewalk and started a conversation. I looked up and saw what I assumed was his wife on the second floor front porch. They kept doing their respective decorating as he told me about the joys of this Old Town location.

He told me something I had not heard before. He said he lived on the first floor of this home and his wife lived on the second. I thought the arrangement odd. It was not until three years ago that I found another couple who also lived in a two story house who shared their spaces the exact same way.  I know a lot of folks who live together no long share their bedrooms, but living in separate floors was rather odd even for Key West.

All of a sudden and without notice the wife dropped the hammer from her hand. The law of gravity set in.  It fell. And landed on her husband's head.   He screamed. I instantly appreciated why they lived in separate parts of the house.

Now there can be two theories as to what happened either of which is plausible. One is the wife dropping the hammer was totally accidental. I as a witness could testify to that in court. I could have told a judge and jury she was totally innocent.  On the other hand, I could testify she waited until I distracted him from what he was doing and then she dropped the hammer squarely on his head.

I have told friends this story for years. I don't really know her intent.  But I thought it very strange what happened occurred while I was there to watch it. Who knows?

Update:  I repeated this tale yesterday during an office meeting. My broker has the perfect two story duplex for a couple who get along to live near each other but not with each other. The good thing is it does not have a second floor front porch. The bad thing is it has one in the rear.

Drama Club

I was in the drama club in the ninth grade. I was fifteen years old. 

Sixty years later I sell houses to rich people. Same thing. 

 

 

Key West Kmart - Another One Bites the Dust!

 

One of my earliest memories after moving to Key West in December 1993 was the day I was standing in the checkout line at Kmart. I spoke to the young lady behind or in front of me. I told her how cute her child was and asked if she lived here. (That's a fair question: we have lots and lots of tourists.)  She said yes to which I replied that her kid was a cute little Conch. She said her husband was in the military and they were leaving as soon as possible She was HORRIFIED at the prospect her child would be a Conch. She hated Key West and everything about it. Okay, Karen. The kid was still cute. Conch or Not Conch.

 

Before it was a Kmart, the building was a Zayre department store. Zayre filled for Bankruptcy in the early 1990s. The facade, signage, and store brand and merchandise changed. The Key West population also changed over the years. Key West has had a stable population base of 25,000 for generations. The populations needs and desires evolved as the base population became more affluent.

Back in 1993 Key West had a Burdines, JC Penny, Sears, and Kmart. Kmart had all kinds of departments including apparel for men, women, and kids, home goods, some limited furniture, sporting goods including fishing gear, home and garden including tropical foliage of all sorts, television and electronics, toys, and a Little Caesars Pizza. You could buy just about anything you wanted. You can do that now with Amazon except for the pizza part.

Kmart was located in the Keys Plaza Shopping Center at 2900 North Roosevelt. The Gulf of Mexico is located across the street to the north separated by a Home Depot and a string of town homes. The shopping center was swamped in 2005 during Hurricane Wilma. All stores flooded. Kmart was never the same. The Albertsons grocery store (previously a Woolco department store) later became a Publix.grocery store. 

I remember going back inside Kmart after Hurricane Wilma flooded the eastern end of the island. I was surprised at how the store changed - they didn't fix anything. The tile floors buckled from being under sea water. Departments disappeared or shrank in the amount of goods offered. It was like shopping in a third world indoor flea market. I only shopped there a few times thereafter. I had a "why bother?" attitude about Kmart and its merchandise. Kmart closed its doors forever in Key West last week. Another one bites the dust!

The Searstown center is located three blocks east of Kmart. SEARS was the anchor store for decades. Like Kmart it had a variety of departments plus furniture, mattresses, tools, and automotive center.Years ago each department had a cashier and sales people for that department. The Key West SEARS had a large and well stocked supply of televisions and major home appliances. A few years the store changed. There were fewer sales people who assisted in various departments (if you could find one).  And there only two checkout counters with people standing in line.  I renumber looking for a Blu-ray player at SEARS where once there were many and then there were none. The TV department had three TV sets. They gave in to Amazon and other internet sales sites. The departments and sales people had vanished. Cost savings measures led to lost business opportunities. SEARS closed its Key West store forever in 2020.

I feel a sense of loss for all the Kmart and SEARS employees except one - that long-haired assistant manager at SEARS who was a little p-word. Years ago I bought one of those behemoth TVs from SEARS plus an extended warranty. When the TV stopped working while under warranty, I took it to SEARS for repair. It was at SEARS for over half a year. When I complained, the assistant manager told me I should have bought a better TV. He was right. I bought one over the internet just like thousands and thousands of other Americans do each year. 

I later found out that the SEARS assistant manager was Karen's husband. They never left Key West and live in the trailer park behind SEARS. They both now work at the DMV.