Patrones Hideaway in Grayton Beach Memories & Photos

last customer

Bob, I always thought you were an old softie, and I always thought you were from Orlando...(?)

Bob, I always thought you were an old softie, and I always thought you were from Orlando...(?)

we were staying in grayton....my daughter bought that shell just before closing. she was the last customer

we were staying in grayton....my daughter bought that shell just before closing. she was the last customer

Patrone's was a great little place. I remember that immense hog they use to keep, and the peacocks and rabbits that roamed free.

now, those WERE the days!

Bob - that is a real treasure. thanks for showing it to us! how special is that? we all miss Patrone's and the time it represents. before big ass houses and too much development!

What great memories I have of that place!

darn big arsed howsis

Thanks for those pictures Bob. Patrone's was the first place I walked to when I moved into Grayton Beach 21 years ago next month. Gene Florence and BJ Totten took me to "The Bay Cafe" for dinner, which was in the building The Red Bar occupies. Oli was chef and all I wanted for dinner was dessert! Oli brought out a Chocolate Brulee for me. It was yummy wonderful and we all drank cocktails till the wee hours of the morn. That was my first night in Grayton Beach.

A few months later I would be living in a small apartment in Patrone's, with Oli and Brenda living above me. Fun parties in those days!!!!! Then I started selling my desserts out of BJ's Flower shop and on Saturday's I took Polaroid pictures for $5.00 of tourist & kids with the goats, chickens, rabbits and "Crab," the huge hog.

There's not a time I ride through Grayton that I don't look over where Patrone's once was.....in the heart of Grayton Beach.

Thank you for reminding us all of such a magical place. :wub: I hope everyone will share their experiences of Patrone's.

I've got to find all of my old pictures I took back then.

we were staying in grayton....my daughter bought that shell just before closing. she was the last customer

what a wonderful memory...thanks for posting.

Does anyone have photos they'd like to share??

Does anyone have photos they'd like to share??

It's odd, about places like Patrone's, the Old Seagrove Store, and even the Old Butler Store, that while you're living it, while you're enjoying these places, they are just a normal part of your life, and you never think to take a photo of them...

Patrone's was a great little place. I remember that immense hog they use to keep, and the peacocks and rabbits that roamed free.

The peacocks! They would start to roost right around 5pm or so at which time we declared official "cocktail" hour!!! it was all about the cocktails in Grayton Beach.

Oh My!! I need to dig out the pic's. I have a pic of my son, probably about 6 years old then, with Crabbe, the HUGE pig and her babies. Have pic's of a friend that is now deceased, Barbe Kosik at Patrones. I think it was her last photo. It might be time to burn up the scanner.

Oh My!! I need to dig out the pic's. I have a pic of my son, probably about 6 years old then, with Crabbe, the HUGE pig and her babies. Have pic's of a friend that is now deceased, Barbe Kosik at Patrones. I think it was her last photo. It might be time to burn up the scanner.

D,

I bet you have photos that would make an interesting history of the area from the 60s and 70s forward...I would love to see your collection.

D,

I bet you have photos that would make an interesting history of the area from the 60s and 70s forward...I would love to see your collection.

Glenda, here is a pic of our Jeep on the beach, with both my brothers and my girlfriends ( and dog Budweiser) on my 15th birthday. Circa 1978

The Jeep was a blast back then on the beach. Just imagine 3 teenagers running amuck on all 26 miles of beach, and dunes were not safe either. Ever tried sand skiing?? My past is blasting back.

trying to post pic.......:idontno:

Invalid file......?????

How can I get my picture from facebook to Sowal?? HELP

I loved to hang out at Patrones.
The sounds of animals, the smell of a burning bonfire, Joe's chain saw working a scupture, and Gene running around in the golf cart passing out beer to locals.
Those were the days my friends :wub:

Here's a gallery of some old Patrone's photos

Patrones | SoWal.com - Insider's Guide for South Walton Beaches & Scenic 30A

such a fun and simple time down there, I loved the atmosphere there back then. Like someone said before the area was over developed(in my humble opinion) .

Funny, we love to come to Grayton because we think it isn't over developed like Destin and Panama City Beach have been, yet the locals see it as too much development. From the webcam looks like everyone is enjoying this final weekend of summer. Hope all the businesses have recouped some of what has been lost over this season.

I knew I remembered a place like that. Couldn't figure out what happened to it.

Other searches came up with a story about the life of one of the people who made Patrone special.

Helene Chemaly Erickson

Ellen

How can I get my picture from facebook to Sowal?? HELP

Here you go.

Here you go.

I LOVE YOU, MINNIE!!!!!!!:clap:

Ohhhh my gosh... amazing. I wish to see photos of Patrone's with the Peacocks??? Anybody???

Sitting in a rented beach house in Grayton, I googled "Gene Florence - Patrones" and found my way to this forum. We stumbled upon that magical place in 1994. Our kids were 15, 12 and 7. They ate pizza in the room while gene and BJ welcomed us to a crawdad boil with Denise and a hodgepodge of locals. There was a guy named Miles who was traveling the coast of Florida looking for a place to retire. He found Patrones and just stayed. Frank was a recently retired Firefighter from Connecticut, who also showed no inclination to leave.

I remember the pig trying to eat the baby goats, but they were much too fast to be caught. By the next day, they were standing on its back. We returned again in 1996...wonderful memories...wonderful people....I will try to find photos when I return home to Wisconsin...