A NOTE FROM DONNIE BROUGHT BACK A BUNCH OF MEMORIES

"Don the Beachcomber was once a national chain of bars.  I bought this deck of cards.  The figure even looks a bit like me."

Don the Beachcomber (from Limestone County Texas) was known by several names, through the years, and got his start as a bootlegger during prohibition.

Don had a chain of bars that followed his first establishment in Hollywood.  It quickly became famous as a favorite watering hole to the stars.
 
He always reminded me of Capt. Tony, the Key West legend, who had a bar there.  Capt. Tony is gone but the bar survives.  Rita, Carl, Kathy and I have a sipped a few at Capt. Tony's through the years.

Don the Beachcombers biggest competition was Trader Vic who had a popular night spot in San Francisco that also became a chain.

Both Don and Vic claimed to have invented the Mai Tai.  Which reminds me, didn't there used to be a bar in La Crosse called the Mai Tai?  I think I had a few drinks there once.  Of course, there aren't many bars you can name, in the continental United States, where I haven't had a few drinks.