paint on the vine vero beach
August 20, 1989|By Jovida Fletcher of the Sentinel staff
KISSIMMEE — Aback Al Key talks about growing up in Osceola County, his memories amount not alone his teen-age years but beset people, times and contest which played an important allotment in his and his brother Ben's life.
''I bethink the lion's barrage at night and I bethink bodies spending their Sunday afternoons at the zoo.''
The bobcat was bound at the Kissimmee Zoo on the beach in the 1950s.
Al Key reflects: ''Mr. John Bronson cared for the animals and he was actual absorbed to an old monkey at the zoo. He advised the monkey like a child. He agitated it about with him and aback he would appear city he would get out of the car and put the monkey on his hip and backpack it in the food with him.
''I bethink the aroma of orange bark actuality austere at the Osceola Fruit Distributors, at the bend of Vine and Main streets.''
Osceola Fruit Distributors austere bottomward in the 1960s.
''When Tupperware captivated its anniversary jubilee, the city merchants would put signs in the windows affable the sales people. They would additionally put on sales promotions to allure those bodies to the city breadth of town.''
He added: ''We bare the Tupperware business aback again as bad as we allegation the day-tripper business now. We aloof don't see a jubileer city any more.
''I bethink the bounded grocery food would bear advantage and would additionally allegation them. Their affairs point was carrying to families in the county. That was an added benefit. Aback we would go arcade it would booty a brace of hours. We would stop and appointment with association we knew and bolt up on the news. Now you actual hardly accommodated anyone you apperceive aback you shop.
''Back again the alcove of business actively awash city Kissimmee.
''The boondocks association would put on old appearance days. That advance would accompany bodies city and on the streets.''
''I bethink the boat-a-cade. City businesses would put on appropriate sales and caders would appearance off their boats at the lakefront.''
When Al Key and his ancestors confused to Florida from Harrelson County, Ga., in the mid-1950s, their aboriginal home was in Yeehaw Junction in south Osceola. He was 14 and his brother Ben was 12.
Al Key, 49, said his dad, Benjamin, formed at the Desert Inn in Yeehaw Junction. Desert Inn again consisted of a gas station, motel, restaurant, amalgamation abundance and allowance shop, Al Key said. ''There were houses addition for about a mile on U.S. Highway 60 action west, and we lived in one on the property.
''We had to get up aboriginal to bolt the academy bus about 6:15 a.m. and had to go all the way to Vero Beach to school. It was about 35 miles. Aback we alternate that afternoon it would be about 5:30 p.m. There wasn't a lot of ball action on. About there you either formed or studied,'' he said.
''Ben was adolescent than I was and he was accomplishing some above artisan assignment at the age of 13. He was affairs active off cars and accomplishing valve jobs aback we were in Yeehaw Junction. We abstruse by doing. Aback again cars were not as abstruse as they are now.''
Al said that beyond the alley from the Desert Inn sat the Hunters Inn which consisted of a restaurant, gas base and garage. That's breadth the brothers got their alpha acclimation cars.
''One day this man from Jamaica came in the garage. His car had a absolute gasket. The buyer larboard the car for Ben to adjustment and alternate to Jamaica. Because Ben was too adolescent at the time to drive, he had to get one of our cousins to drive the car to Miami breadth Ben put it on a address and alien it to the buyer cat-and-mouse for it in Jamaica.''
Key said they lived in Yeehaw Junction for about a year and again confused to St. Cloud.
Ben Key went to assignment for Smithy's Amoco in Kissimmee in 1957 while Al Key formed for Summers Standard at the present armpit of Key's Account Center on Broadway at Drury downtown.
When Al Key went into the Army in 1960, his brother abdicate Smithy's and went to assignment for Summers.
Ben Key, 47, said aback his brother alternate from the Army, he formed for a abrupt time for Smith Lumber Co. because there were no jobs accessible at the station.
''We had a three-man operation at the base then: Mr. John Summers, Don Rogers and myself. Aback Don Rogers larboard Al came back.''
In January of 1967 Summers absitively to retire. ''He knew we capital to buy the base but did not accept the affairs to do it.''
Al Key said Summers agreed to advertise them the business with no bottomward payment. ''When Mr. Summers angry the business over to us, the gas tanks were abounding of ammunition and there was operating money in the banknote register,'' Key said.
Down through the years Key's Account Center has been a acquisition abode for residents.
Out of about a dozen account stations that accept operated in boondocks during those 22 years, Keys Account is the alone hometown base remaining.
Four years ago the brothers had the gas tanks removed and now do alone adjustment and account assignment that still accumulate the abode abuzz with activity.
''When we went into business the car analysis law had aloof been passed. That added added cartage and business into our place. Before that we were aloof treading water. That put us over the top.''
Today the hometown atmosphere is still acquainted at the station. ''With the advertisement of Disney advancing to the breadth things grew,'' Al said. ''We backward baby because that was our choice. About 95 percent of our barter is local.''
