Inkwatu

Old on top of new

Once, when visiting the Roman Catholic cathedral in Mainz, Germany, I learned—and could easily see—that it was a place of worship in continuous use from the 800s right up to the present. Renovation upon renovation over the centuries juxtaposed vastly different styles of architecture: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and 19th and 20th century restorations.

At this point you’re probably thinking I’ve put the wrong pictures with the wrong text. No…it’s simply that this human trait—rebuilding upon earlier sites—applies equally to ancient cathedrals and contemporary tourist traps! There’s a reason for this that’s part of the concept of “power of place,” also the title of a great educational television series. Places do have power. This particular piece of real estate, John’s Pass, has, because of the power of its geographical position, been attracting people–and renovations–for hundreds of years.

History

Check out the history of John’s Pass and the person for whom it’s named, John LeVeque, a pirate who gave up pirating to become the first retiree to settle on Madeira Beach!

Painted around the northern end of the pass between Madeira Beach and Treasure Island, is a series of shops and restaurants, tied together with a picturesque boardwalk, called John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk. True, it’s a tourist trap, but it’s a very good one!

The Mainz tie-in is that the John’s Pass extensive renovation and expansion is nearing an end. Much of the old remains but there is much that is new. The integration of styles is excellent. I was pleased to see that almost all of the charming character of the Village & Boardwalk has been preserved and that the expanded number of new stores are all good, interesting ones featuring quality merchandise.

Friendly Fisherman

The big red fish and faux lighthouse seen in the first photo advertizes the Friendly Fisherman, a restaurant with an entire wall of windows overlooking the John’s Pass waterway. Whenever I go to John’s Pass, I always eat at the Friendly Fisherman. I’m not there for haute cuisine–nor will I find it there! I’m there for the view and the wonderful nostalgia their menu evokes. Locals and tourists alike enjoy this place because it’s the kind of eatery you remember from when you were a little kid visiting Florida from up north when you would get those seafood combination platters with different kinds of fish and shellfish piled high, all deep fried…plus, of course, fritters!

Hubbard’s Marina

This shot HAD (!!!) to have been staged for some earlier professional photographer and then left for us, amateurs, to see and use; if not, if it really was simply an incomplete part of the construction I discovered and capitalized upon, then I was very lucky. Pictured, through a full set of shark’s teeth, is an exterior wall of the expanded Hubbard’s Marina, one of the flagship attractions at John’s Pass.

Past and Present

I was a little saddened to see that the kite store is no longer there (above is an old shot of its interior). It was a riotous festival of color in its own right, but it also reminded me of pleasurable times spent wandering through San Francisco’s Chinatown Kite Shop. Happily, a favorite bit of Floridiana kitsch is still there! Tucked behind the end of the boardwalk is a little cottage diner. Pictured below is its earlier (ca. October 2000) colorful incarnation, followed by its present, albeit somewhat faded, manifestation.

I’m glad John’s Pass is still there and has lost none of its charm. The spirit of John LeVeque lives on.

About Me | Tampabay Links | Blogroll | All Posts
Photos | Restaurants | Store