As with many storied dive bars, this revered local haunt at 1230 9th St. N is referred to through various nicknames, depending on who you’re talking to. To some, it’s Flamingos, to others it’s The Flamingo. Veteran bartender Mary Green calls it Flamingo Bar, and the sign above the front door agrees with her.
All that really matters is that it’s a damn good dive bar filled with regulars who have become like family to both each other and the staff.
Many well-known baseball players have passed through the doors, but the most famous former patron is the ubiquitous Kerouac. The bar's affiliation with the late Beat Generation writer, who passed away in St. Pete in 1969, is echoed throughout the space via newspaper clippings, commemorative T-shirts and his regular order of a “shot and a wash.” This ongoing special consists of a shot of well whisky and a 4 oz glass of Busch Light and will only set you back $3.50, an inclusive price that anyone can afford.
The deals here are always tough to beat, but at the 55th Birthday shindig happening this month, party goers will be offered free hot dogs to soak up those celebratory shots. There will also be commemorative T-shirts and koozies for customers to take home as mementos, as well as various giveaways. The place always packs out for these events, and inevitably stories will be swapped by longtime regulars who each contribute to the fabric and soul that makes Flamingo’s heart beat.
There's no cover for Flamingo Bar's 55th anniversary celebration happening Saturday, Aug. 10 in St. Petersburg. One of the stories recently overheard here is that when Vietnam Veteran Dale Nichols purchased the bar, he asked friends for suggestions on how to get customers. When someone suggested a sign that read “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Nichols ran with it before eventually removing it after enough disappointed customers realized it was a false advertisement.
Like many established dives, Flamingo Bar offers its patrons a chance to buy drinks for fellow customers via a token system—buy someone a drink, and they get a chip so you and the bartender know you have one coming. Lucky drinkers may even be present when Dale pops in and feels generous enough to buy the bar a round. Although some updates have been made over the years, including installing a TouchTunes and adding more TV’s, the pool tables remain at the retro price of 50 cents.
Pete Gallagher from the “Florida Folk Show” on WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM will be on site at 7 p.m. to play some jams on the patio. Tampa Bay has been fortunate to have this local gem around for over half a century, and surely there are many good years to come. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
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All that really matters is that it’s a damn good dive bar filled with regulars who have become like family to both each other and the staff.
Many well-known baseball players have passed through the doors, but the most famous former patron is the ubiquitous Kerouac. The bar's affiliation with the late Beat Generation writer, who passed away in St. Pete in 1969, is echoed throughout the space via newspaper clippings, commemorative T-shirts and his regular order of a “shot and a wash.” This ongoing special consists of a shot of well whisky and a 4 oz glass of Busch Light and will only set you back $3.50, an inclusive price that anyone can afford.
The deals here are always tough to beat, but at the 55th Birthday shindig happening this month, party goers will be offered free hot dogs to soak up those celebratory shots. There will also be commemorative T-shirts and koozies for customers to take home as mementos, as well as various giveaways. The place always packs out for these events, and inevitably stories will be swapped by longtime regulars who each contribute to the fabric and soul that makes Flamingo’s heart beat.
There's no cover for Flamingo Bar's 55th anniversary celebration happening Saturday, Aug. 10 in St. Petersburg. One of the stories recently overheard here is that when Vietnam Veteran Dale Nichols purchased the bar, he asked friends for suggestions on how to get customers. When someone suggested a sign that read “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Nichols ran with it before eventually removing it after enough disappointed customers realized it was a false advertisement.
Like many established dives, Flamingo Bar offers its patrons a chance to buy drinks for fellow customers via a token system—buy someone a drink, and they get a chip so you and the bartender know you have one coming. Lucky drinkers may even be present when Dale pops in and feels generous enough to buy the bar a round. Although some updates have been made over the years, including installing a TouchTunes and adding more TV’s, the pool tables remain at the retro price of 50 cents.
Pete Gallagher from the “Florida Folk Show” on WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM will be on site at 7 p.m. to play some jams on the patio. Tampa Bay has been fortunate to have this local gem around for over half a century, and surely there are many good years to come. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
