Page 45 - some-stuff-i-wrote-and-some-stuff-i-didn't-(2011)-h-morris-williams

Some Stuff I Wrote and Some Stuff I Didn't (2011) H. Morris Williams

Column April 11, 2010

WAYSIDE INN GONE EXACTLY13 YEARS

It’s hard to believe but the venerable Wayside Restaurant has been
closed exactly 13 years this month.

The Wayside’s closing ended a popular local eating establishment
whose tradition dated back to the early 1940’s when it was a bar and

lounge known as Keevan’s.

Moreover, the Wayside’s closing moved us nearer the end of an era
when a majority of our restaurants were locally owned— and patrons

knew the owner as well as they knew the restaurant.

Here are some of those restaurants of yesteryear.

Downtown, fine dining was to be found at the Blanche Hotel. All the
civic clubs met and dined there as did the famous, like Lake City’s
governor Fred P. Cone, and the infamous, like gangster, Al Capone.

I saved my money earned selling morning newspapers on the street
and bought my first strawberry waffle at Andy Williamson’s Blue
Goose Restaurant. Mmmm good!

Gus Kapes’ Coffee Shop was the place to be each morning when
locals gathered to eat breakfast and swap stories. Inman Cox’s OK
Inn was on the other end of town and I ate a lot of free breakfasts
there Saturday mornings with Billy and Gene Cox after Friday night
football games.

You could get a quick snack at any of several downtown drug stores
owned by men like Frank Appell, Mack Lovett, A. B. Collins, Jake
Baumstein, Hill Brannon, R.A. George, Reedy Ogden, Palmer Purser,
and Russ Davis.

Drug stores like the Seminole Pharmacy, Rexall, Walgreen’s, The
Desoto, The Lake City Pharmacy, and the others all also had
complete fountain service and served their drinks in real glasses.

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