Over Four-Decades
By Frances N. Pinckney
Music from the jukebox in the tavern climbs the steep stairs to the apartment above with a "get down boogie beat" where Mrs. Willie Mae Grayson relaxes in the late evening. "It doesn't bother me none," she said alluding to the live music. "It's a part of the business." And the business has been a part of Mrs. Grayson's life for 44 years.
 "We established a good business and a good reputation, and customers kept coming back." |
When Mrs. Grayson moved here from Panama City in 1924, she had been well groomed for the restaurant and tavern business by her mother who had been in this business for many years. Young Willie Mae learned her lesson well; how to cook right along side her mother, and by keen observation she picked up valuable knowledge of the business that would serve her well in later years. Mrs. Grayson and her husband (deceased) opened their first place of business in St. Petersburg in 1937, a beer garden and cafe located at 1337 3rd Avenue S.
Mr. Grayson's work involved travel and being away from home for long periods of time, so Mrs. Grayson stayed home to manage the business and their three children, two sons (one deceased) and one daughter. "Mr. Grayson worked in the hotel business, which is seasonal work," Mrs. Grayson said. "I traveled with him occasionally, but we both thoughtit was very important to make a home for the children." Mrs. Grayson said she had a full-time job running the business and mothering the children, but they did have hired help in the cafe and beer garden. She said she was a strict parent but preferred to talk and explain, rather than resort to spanking all the time. She did not allow the children to work in the business until they become of age.
Food served in the cafe was not limited to soulful servings of hamhocks and collard greens, chitterlings, neckbones and corn bread, she said. "I served all kinds of food, and probably was the first Black retauranteur to serve lobster and shrimp as an entree." She nostagically remembers serving the "Wings Over Jordan," a famous Gospel singer at that time, and other big name entertainers and major league ball players over the years at the beer garden cafe.
The Graysons were not readily accepted by many of the staunch church folk when they first opened the beer garden. "We were met with some criticism," Mrs. Grayson said, "but we had chosen this business to make a living just as a person chooses to be a doctor or a lawyer," she added. "We ran an honest business and in time we gained the respect of the community."
In 1945 the Grayson opened their second tavern and cafe located at 938 3rd Avenue S. Their first place of business cloased two years ago, after 42 years of successful operation. The Ronrico Club, the 3rd Avenue S. business location is now managed by Mrs. Grayson's son Fred Grayson. Food is no longer served here and the patio out back where big dances were held as big name local bands like George Cooper played until the wee hours of the morning, stands idle and vacant. "Business is still good though," Mrs. Grayson said.
Black businesses especially restaurants and taverns cropped up all over the city since the Graysons opened their business here. She stated that she was not pressured by the competition. "We established a good business and a good reputation, and customers kept coming back," she said. An association for Black business persons was organized at one time Mrs. Grayson said but did not last long. "We still lack the unity that we need to progress."
She vows that she is not politically involved but she had a few remarks to make about Mr. Reagan's cutbacks. "The poor will suffer most, but some of the cuts were necessary," she conceded.
Reflecting on her years in business, Mrs. Grayson said that the business had been very good to them. Her son Fred and daughter Johnnie Ros, both graduated from college and along the way Mrs. Grayson was able to travel extentively throughout this country and to Nassau and Canada. She boasted good naturedly that she was "stunning dresser" and loved to wear big hats. "I sure did like dancing," she laughed," the Camel Walk, the Boogie Woogie and the swing." Nowadays she has cut down on some of her activities. "I no longer go for my daily ride on my bike and of course, I don't dance anymore." The famil gets together frequently and her daughter takes her out to dinner or a movie. She is active in church work and is a member of the First Institutional Baptist, Rev. Morse pastor.
Her home is a distance away from the Ronrico Club but she makes the apartment above the tavern a part-time home. The sounds of dancing feet shuffling on the tavern floor, the sound of laughter, the sometimes boisterous arguments that occur between the customers are familiar sounds -- a part of her li 44 years. Blues king G.G. King sings his sad sweet songs of lost love and hard times, and his guitar answers in sweet refrain. The stains of the blues creep up the stairs and the pleasant lady with the youthful glowing brown skin that belies her years (she has 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren), mother, grandmother, great grandmother and business woman smiles pleasantly and saus: "The musi from the jukebox don't bother me none." (Photo by W.L. Jones)
1998-99 University of South Florida. All rights reserved.
1998-99 Design: Rochelle Lewis Lavin, St. Petersburg, FL. All rights reserved.