Jimmy's Hurricane Drive-In at Bird and Douglas Roads photo

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	Allan Moss

Jimmy's Hurricane Drive-In at Bird and Douglas Roads

Miami, Florida

Photo courtesy of Gary Licko. Jeff Levine advises that this photo was taken by Allan Moss of Pilkington Studio in Coral Gables.

This hugely popular drive-in was located at the SW corner of Bird and Douglas Roads and was frequented by mostly young people cruising in their cool wheels. It later became a Shell gas station.

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Unless otherwise noted, all images are copyrighted by Don Boyd

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Willa (Allgair) Downs		11-Oct-2011 15:55
I was relieved to find you photo of Jimmy's Hurricane. Still looking for Hot Shoppes. Would you happen to have a photo of the Mini Diner?

Guest		24-Jul-2011 23:21
Hi Gale,I was at Jimmys when you worked there

Gale D.		09-Jun-2011 22:35
I worked at Jimmie's from Aug. 1960-Aug. 1962, was a car hop! So much fun! I was able to support my Mom, and 2 kids on what I made. We dressed as Santa at Christmas time, shorts and striped t-shirts in the summer. Would love to see some of the old customers I had, they were great people, and the kids from U of M were fun too. I remember Jimmie going around with the fish basket handing out samples. Was a great time in my life.

Les		17-May-2011 11:56
Tom Bailey died in 2005. When did Jimmy's close? 1968?

Judy		10-Apr-2011 21:56
We stopped at Jimmy's on the way home from Crandon Park for hot dogs and fries when I was a little girl. In high school, at Gables, we went there after football games. Later I ended up working there while going to college in 1963-1965. I was an inside waitress, not a curb girl.

sinclair		24-Aug-2010 20:00
Jimmy was married to a cousin of mine. Her sister was married to Fulton Webb a G-Tech grad who had been in Coral Gables since 1924. Fulton was in the prestessed concrete business and ended up owning two blocks of Coral Gables on Bird - remember Orange motors? When I was at the U in the 60's we used to fish off shore and visit Jimmy's house in Stiltsville. A very colourful and likeable icon.

patrick1639		07-Apr-2010 23:32
Tom Bailey was a very close friend of mine,many years back. As was Gordon , and Nick and Chico and Bill. Tom and I were in C Ty an deucalion at gables before I got shipped off to military school and then to kansas. I heard about his passing from Gordon, what a great loss.he had a big heart to go along with the big guy. My best to you,Patrick

Sid Allen		06-Jun-2009 03:14
Hey Tom! Would that be Black Cesar's Forge?

Tom Orr		28-May-2009 17:43
Ah Jimmy's - I got hooked on their fried shrimp at an early age. Back then 'nice' restaurants didn't serve shrimp or red snapper for that matter - Jimmy's did and we ate there a lot. We also went often to The Forge but I always wanted either fried shrimp or PB&J and they had neither but would send someone out for the PB&J makings. Don, these photos are a blast and thank you for making them available online. I loved the pic of the Red Coach Grill - my father and uncle's favorite hang out. Every politician and journalist in town spent lots of time there. I met the former owner, 15 - 20 years ago, in Largo Fl - great story but I won't bore you with it. Thanks again, Tom Orr (yeah, those Orrs)

Don Boyd		27-May-2009 17:00
Thanks for posting, Tom. Please feel free to elaborate about the Red Coach Grill escapades because I'm sure that others, besides me, would love to read about them. Don

Tom Orr		27-May-2009 13:17
Ah Jimmy's - I got hooked on their fried shrimp at an early age. Back then 'nice' restaurants didn't serve shrimp or red snapper for that matter - Jimmy's did and we ate there a lot. We also went often to The Forge but I always wanted either fried shrimp or PB&J and they had neither but would send someone out for the PB&J makings. Don, these photos are a blast and thank you for making them available online. I loved the pic of the Red Coach Grill - my father and uncle's favorite hang out. Every politician and journalist in town spent lots of time there. I met the former owner, 15 - 20 years ago, in Largo Fl - great story but I won't bore you with it. Thanks again, Tom Orr (yeah, those Orrs)

Paul K		19-May-2009 21:02
Hot Shoppes had the oval sign with a lot of neon (concentric rings, I think). Jimmy's was red and white, with red on white arrow-shaped billboards all down US1 pointing to the restaurant (north) and showing the mileage.

jim winters		11-Apr-2009 08:35
does anyone remember what the jimmys sign and/or the hott shoppes signs looked like? was one of them oval with neon?

Kathleen Roper		03-Feb-2009 21:11
When I was a little girl in the mid-fifty's my parents would take me to Jimmy's Hurricane. I recall that Jimmy used to work the crowd with a plate full of freshly fried "snapper fingers". Yummy!

Sid Allen		15-Jan-2009 11:56
Hmmmm... Ann Marie Magne. I remember you from Southwest High School. 11th grade geometry class, if my memory still works!

Don Boyd		23-Nov-2008 05:46
Thank you for posting your memories, Nancy. It's great to hear from someone who actually worked there. Don

Nancy Deemer Libby		23-Nov-2008 02:08
I remember this so well. I graduated Miami High 1955, went to work there with Margaret Rossey Little on June 15th. 55. Worked till August full time and went to work for Southern Bell. Made good tips and had a wonderful time. We had great customers. Miami was a wonderful place to live during that time. Worked part time after the telephone co. training. Then became a Service Rep in business office in downtown Miami. So not able to work there anymore. Blessings to all who loved our wonderful Miami and Coral Gables.

Maddie		03-Jul-2008 01:25
Nothing like the Chili Dogs at the Hurricane and we would stop there after a movie or party. Does anyone remember Waxy's drive in on Lejeune Rd ?Or Red Diamond Inn on LeJeune?

Guest		06-Jun-2008 02:42
No. Larry Rentz was before my husband. My husband was Tom Bailey, who was Captain in 66-67. Tom passed away in 2005.

Larry		12-May-2008 22:50
Does Sonny's Deli on Bird still exist?

Guest		25-Feb-2008 00:39
Susan, was your husband Larry Rentz?

Ron Valdes		01-Feb-2008 19:42
Loved cruising thru in my '39 Ford coupe. Nothing like a Coke & Fries and cheap gas. ron V.

Susan		01-Feb-2008 04:20
My late husband used to tell me about his (mis)adventures at Hot Shoppes and Jimmy's. He graduated from Gables and was the football captain his senior year in the late 60's. His family had a lumberyard there in Gables as well as several other locations from Stuart to the Keys.

Lanny		20-Jan-2008 22:00
I remember that we high schoolers were not allowed out of our cars unless we went directly into the restaurant. There were off-duty policemen everywhere to control the cruising. It was fun but Hot Shoppes was better for dating because of the automatic call machines and plenty of isolated parking spaces.

Jeff		16-Jul-2007 02:34
Jimmy Ellenburg sold the property to Shell Oil around 1963-64. I met him in the 1980's, and he was also an accomplished artist; his paintings hanging in the living room of his home (not too far from the old restaurant's site)...

Guest		04-Jul-2007 20:45
It is nice to hear about that time and place but I seem to remember that Jimmys was sectioned off, by us, into Coral Gables High and the rest. The rest being Miami, Jackson, etc. we would rarely cross that invisable barrier but if we did it was because one of you had a really hot blonde that needed a Coral Gables boy !

Dave		30-Jun-2007 16:14
I loved going here when I was a little kid. My Grandmother loved the burgers and fries here and took us here in her "Rocket 88" Olds painted hot pink about once a month. In 1957, my mom's younger cousin came to study at UM and would take us here in his Ford Fairlane 500 Convertible. We'd put pillows in the back seat and go to the Tropicaire Drive-in Movie right afterwards. He lived at the San Sebastian Apartments, then a dormitory for UM, just north of Jimmy's. Lots of good memories here!

Parks Masterson		30-Jun-2007 04:00
I remember going to Jimmy's with my family. We ate Grouper Fingers. In 1969 or 1970 when I was in college, a photo of Jimmy's showed up in a text book as an example of the creative use of concrete! That awning was spectacular. Was it painted different colors on the underside?

Cheryl		25-Jun-2007 15:09
Hot Shoppes was on US 1 just south of Bird Road...the BEST after football game hangout (after Jimmy's closed). It is now a US Post office for Coconut Grove residents.

Tyler Penny		16-Jun-2007 12:02
Hurricane Cooler anyone? Jimmy's was closed buy the time I reached dating age, so we had to settle for Hott Shoppe's Orange Freeze, along with the best onion rings in the area.

Guest		26-May-2007 23:54
No, Lyn, Hot Shoppes was farther down US1. Jimmy's Hurricane was the home of the Friday shrimp basket. It was located on the corner of Bird Road and Douglas Road. When you look at the photo notice the building in the background. That was Aerocom, Aeronautical Communications Co. Inc. They made communication equipment for airplanes. My farther worked there from around 1952 until 1967, when he died. He was the shipping manager. Ann-Marie Magne'

DAve Albury		21-May-2007 02:41
No it isn't hott shoppes was on the s/e corner of bird rd & us1. THere is a Shell gas station on the old site of jimmy hurricanes.

Lyn Contopoulo		11-May-2007 01:32
Was this once Hot Shoppes?

Don Boyd		17-Apr-2007 02:28
Thanks Jim! Don

Jim Hays		16-Apr-2007 21:34
That would be the Southwest corner