Miami legend James "Jimbo" Luznar has died at age 89.
Gramps, the bar in Wynwood partially inspired by the Key Biscayne dive bar and shrimp shack, will host a public memorial to Jimbo this Sunday afternoon.
This is Miami history. You should go.
The original Jimbo's closed in 2012, which means anyone who is 22 or younger, or new to Miami, probably has no idea what Jimbo's was and how important that bar was to our community.
Located at the very, very, very end of Virginia Key was a tiny dive bar that only sold $2 beers, bait, and some seafood. It was swampy and hot and dirty Miami. It looked run down, filled with abandoned cars and junk. There were crippled dogs, one eyed cats and locals that literally lived at the bar.
It was awesome.
There will never be another Jimbo's.
His birthday parties in April were a must attend...
It was a biker bar. Yet frat boys and sorority girls from the U chilled there. Musicians, artists, weirdos, boat heads and Miami scenesters chilled there. You felt safe and welcome there. All were friends.
Hollywood used the bar as a location. Models used it to shoot pictures.
It epitomized Miami weirdness and was effortlessly simply there...
And old Jimbo was always there, wearing his red shirt, taking pictures with girls 60 years younger than him, smiling like the Miami playboy that he was. In his last years, the former shrimper and proprietor of Jimbo's unfortunately suffered from Alzheimer's disease and will be missed.
Gramps is a bar in Wynwood that is literally the closest thing we have to Jimbo's. It's partially designed by the setting at Jimbo's: the bocce ball court the biggest homage, but so is the whole outdoor, tropical, intimate vibe Gramps represents. I haven't been to Gramps in awhile and the last time I went, with a beer and a shot in hand, sitting out back feeling the fans with water, eating pizza from their new pizzeria, I felt very, very comfortable and safe and home, kind of like how I felt at Jimbo's.
It's only fitting Gramps is paying tribute to Jimbo's.
The vibe might be a little older on Sunday, but nothing wrong with that...
Go.
Here is the event info direct from the Facebook page
Remember & Celebrate Jimbo! 1927-2016 RIP
Celebrate the life of the man who brought Miami together and taught us all how to relax the right way!
Honor his memory and celebrate his life by swapping stories, drinking drinks, playing bocce, and dancing to rock'n'roll!*
Noon to Midnight this Sunday!
FREE BUD AND BUD LIGHT (Until the kegs kick). Cheap cans all day.
*A donation will be made in his name towards research for the cure for Alzheimers.