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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> MIAMI SPRINGS and VIRGINIA GARDENS Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1968 - Kwik Chek (left) on LeJeune between NW 36 Street and South Royal Poinciana Boulevard in Miami Springs
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1968

1968 - Kwik Chek (left) on LeJeune between NW 36 Street and South Royal Poinciana Boulevard in Miami Springs

Miami Springs, Florida


In the 50s and 60s this Kwik Chek was frequented by throngs of beautiful young single stewardesses working for mainly Eastern and National Airlines but also Delta, Northeast and Pan Am. A large percentage of them lived in numerous apartment houses along South Royal Poinciana Boulevard just to the northwest of the store. By the early to mid 70s most of them moved out for other locations in Dade County, such as Coconut Grove and Kendall. Kwik Chek turned into Winn Dixie, the parent company's name. This land is now occupied by a Burger King and an Office Depot.

The Miami Springs Holiday Inn is on the east side of LeJeune and located between South Royal Poinciana and the Miami Canal separating Miami Springs from Hialeah.


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Richard Bush 23-Jun-2019 21:45
I worked as a batboy at that KC for a while in the mid-60s. The stewardesses from time to time would would stop by for a few things wearing their bikinis and high heels. Another world and a wonderful time to be a young lad.
Rich Burgel 07-Aug-2014 21:08
Lived in Miami Springs ... during the 1960's do you remember the SIX WEST LOUNGE and then the 747 LOUNGE? Also the great sub deli ship GRACIES DELI on Curtiss Pkwy? Wish I could o back in time!
Diana Robey 22-Jan-2012 17:50
Karen Bruns,
I'm Andy Coccia's daughter. Do you remember playing with me and my sister, Andrea, in the 60's? I have a pic of you, me, and my Dad from 1964.
Diana Coccia Robey
Guest 18-Nov-2011 18:20
Don't forget the Phone Booth Lounge a little further west on 36th Street.
Robert Gallo 03-Aug-2011 19:29
Right accross the street was the Royal Poinciana Motel with the Living Room Lounge. That was our family business from 1957 to 1973. Great times. I loved the Springs
Sandy Taylor Howell 23-Aug-2010 05:36
How come no one mentioned the Green Mansions Motel on Curtis Pkwy close to the Villas?? There was a great bar there ( Or so I was told, I was too young in 1962-64) and alot of Airline people went there too! I had a friend named Eileen from school, Miami Spr. Jr. High who moved here from N.Y. and her Dad worked there or owned it, when I lived in Virginia Gardens, and I went there after school many times with her. Later, I met some really cute college guys there from Ole Miss, those were some "good old days!"
Diana Robey 10-Jan-2010 04:19
My father, Andrew Coccia, was a childhood friend of Art Bruns in Port Chester NY, where I was also born. Art and my father were from very poor families, but Art made some good connections (some story about tending bar and finding chicken livers for a man who was impressed with him and hired him to go into the hotel business). He had our family down to the Villas several times in the 60"s. I don't think I've ever had such a good time as during those times. I still have a framed photo of my dad, mom, and me as a baby posing with Ernest Hemingway, which I treasure to this day. Great memories of Art and Joan and family.
FRED STARKE 22-Sep-2009 19:27
I remember this kwik chek and the 600 clubs very well. I was just out of high school (Jackson) in 1963 and was living right next to the 600 east club in the appartments. Not a great place to live if you wanted to get any sleep. I can't remember the name of the apartments. I still remember shopping at Kwik Chek with my mother and sisters, especially the time my mother found a good deal but it was only 1 per family. She bought one and sent my sister back by herself to get another one. After my sister checked out she ran across the store yelling "mom I got another one".
Thelma V Dugan 23-Aug-2009 21:41
I was one of the bartenders at the "600 Lounge" during 1968-1970. I also knew Eileen Fitzgibbons from high school class of "63, we lived in the same neighborhood in Miami Springs.
Do you remember the Brother's Two across the bridge in Hialeah---I worked there too.
Yeah, "The Villas" was the place to hang for sure---what a shame they let it fall into ruin. That whole area was really "hopping" during the mid-'60's to late "70's.
Thelma (Wright) Dugan
Guest 05-Feb-2008 19:49
Right on, Gino. The pool at the Villas was the place to spend a Saturday afternoon, checking out the stews-to-be sunning themselves while playing pool basketball and trying to connect. After a shower, off to Lum's for a scooner of beer and hotdog, killing time until the action began at Ken's or the 600. Making out at the Essex or Circle. Ah, yes. A teenage rite of passage. I still remember not watching "Prince Valiant" with Melva Shouse's beautiful blond cousin. What was her name?
lmartin14-Jan-2008 21:30
Also, the bar at the top of that Holdiay Inn was ok too.
Gino 11-Nov-2007 19:25
As a student at U of M from 1963 to 1968, one of our favorite stops as we cruised around was Miami Springs Villas where many of the student stewardesses from the Easter Airlines Stewardess school would be living. (Or was the school in 'The Villas'?) Anyway, I have many wonderful memories of great times with those beautiful ladies. (You could always spot a stewardess on the beach because they were always resting their lovely faces on those tiny airline pillows.)
Thanks again for the great memories.
Don Boyd06-Oct-2007 18:56
Thanks for posting your comments Eileen. Anyone who would make out with boys from Hialeah on Saturdays at the movies and later become a National F/A is alright in my book. : ) Were you the Eileen they named a DC-10 after? Did you retire from Delta? Don
Eileen Fitzgibbons 06-Oct-2007 02:27
YO...I was a National Airlines Flight attendant in 1965, who lived in Miami Springs. Went to Miami Jackson '63. Do you also remember the "600 Lounge" that was behind the Winn-Dix ??
I went from National to Pan Am to Delta. Those were the days !!!! Check out the Corvair !!
Oh yeah, the Circle theatre is where I spent my Sat. mornings making out with boys from Hialeah ! Or. sometimes the Essex theatre. I love this! Oh..I also went to Miami Springs Jr. Hi. and Miami Springs Elementry. Here are some names: Marie Sharpe, Mike Ryan, Susan O'Neil, Pat Conroy,
Eileen Fitzgibbons
Lucky Cole 18-Sep-2007 22:13
I remember a bar, I think it was on the other side of the Quick Check, on 36th. Street. I think it was called 6 west and 6 east. This was a great place to meet people, back in the 1960's. I remember the girls always out numbered the guys.
l_cole@earthlink.net
866-479-0427
www.naturesexoticbeauty.com
Guest 27-Aug-2007 13:05
"frequented by throngs of beautiful young single stewardesses"---hence all the Corvairs and Mustangs in the parking lot hehe
jeff 16-Jul-2007 03:00
Across the street from this Kwik Chek (in the 70's) was the Brasserie Discotheque, owned by Jimmy James, who also owned Bus Benches, Inc., Jimmy James Advertising and the Chesapeake Motel. He was the spitting image of Danny Kaye.
AAA 10-Jun-2007 20:51
These are great photos and memories! I was born 1949, attended Springview Elementary, Miami Springs Jr. Hi, and was a 1967 Miami Springs Hi graduate. My mom and I shopped all the time at this Kwik Chek. Also spent a lot of time at Stadnick's Drug Store and the Circle Theater. Thanks for all these pics. Everyone is right . . . great times and a great place to grow up in. I live in Deltona, Fl, and I'm sure I wouldn't recognize anything now.
Bob Weest 09-Jun-2007 16:15
This is the store I began work at (first job) in 1971 and the manager was Bob Steele. He managed the store at NW 27ave and 29st before they closed and moved it to this location. I made a whopping $1.60 an hour as a bagboy
Guest 09-Jun-2007 13:58
Here's where my dad would take me grocery shoppin as a kid. If we were bad, he would leave my brothers and me in the car. Those were the days when you weren't afraid to leave your kids in the car while you went in shopping.
Guest 29-May-2007 05:38
See those were the days..small town Miami..checking out the stewardesses at the Quick Check..sorry looking at these pages makes ME SO MAD AT THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE NOW