Before and After Mutt and Jeff’s Drive In : A Brief History
by J. Kent Thompson
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In 1910 Claude A. Pichard Sr. purchased the property at of the corner of Seventh Avenue and what is known as “Five Points” denoting the intersections of Thomasville road, Meridian road and Seventh Avenue at the gates of Los Robles. Through the years he leased it out to various businesses. The first to occupy the site was a woman who opened a juice bar and landscaping business called the Nectar Garden. She put a renovated building on the lot and opened in 1927. Unfortunately, the business quickly failed. Next came Arthur Collins, brother of LeRoy Collins who would become Florida’s 33rd Governor. He enlarged the building and made it a drive-in. The building was painted blue and white and on the steep roof he painted a huge dipper resembling a well dipper. He named his business the Little Dipper. Collins opened in July of 1932.
The Little Dipper
In 1934 P.D. DeMilly, Jr. took over management.
A fire destroyed the building in 1935.It was rebuilt and renamed Blue Heaven.
Opened in May of 1936, it was operated by Mrs. Baldeschwieler and Mrs. Neil Bradford. The business was takeout only and sold hamburgers, sandwiches and beer. In 1941 the building was leased to the Veal brothers from Moultrie, Georgia who operated it until 1948. In 1948 new owners re-opened it as Mutt & Jeff’s Drive-In, taking the name from the popular Mutt & Jeff comic strip that featured a very tall character and a very short one. The comic had been created by Bud Fisher in 1907 and drawn for fifty years by Al Smith, it remained in syndication until 1983. Owners Harvey Dewitt Trawick, Jr. was Mutt (the tall one) and Claude A. Pichard was Jeff (the short one). They would operate the business until their retirement in 1981.
Mutt & Jeff’s Legal Notice 1948
Mutt & Jeff’s If you lived in Tallahassee anytime between 1948 and 1981, you knew about Mutt & Jeff’s Drive-In. You probably cruised the parking lot on the weekends checking out the girls and guys. Or you stopped by with your date then returned after you dropped her off to meet up with your friends. Maybe you got into a fight, all had roots in the parking lot of Mutt’s.
Mutt & Jeff’s The Drive-In became a favorite teenager hangout for the next four decades. The business closed for a three-day spell in March of 1964 when the original building was torn down and they moved into a new building. The new building was placed in the back of where the old one had stood. The new building had six booths and eight stools at the counter as well as curb service, a walk-up window and a drive-in window. The new configuration of the property changed parking to the front rather than the side as before.
The new building behind the old one before it was torn down
Any memory of Mutt & Jeff’s probably includes their soft drinks such as the Icky which was regular lemonade with a little vanilla syrup added or a Cherry Coke made with real cherry syrup. As for the food, Slaw dogs made with Oscar Myer hotdogs served warm on a white bun probably topped the list. The hotdog was covered with a chopped green cabbage slaw mixed in a sauce containing mayonnaise, hot sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, water, and barbeque sauce. Other favorites were the Wimpy hamburger with a side of onion rings or fries. Kids in the 50s and 60s remember picking out toys from a small chest they kept at the counter. From 1927 to 1981 the location housed Tallahassee’s oldest continuously operated drive-in. After Mutt & Jeff’s closed the Pichard family sold the property to Bill Childers. Between 1981 and 1990 the building was used for an upholstery business called the Recovery Room. Childers later sold the property to Fincher Smith. In 1990 Smith and partner John Thomas opened a restaurant called the Coconut Cowboy Grill. They specialized in smoked Adel Chicken with lemon mustard sauce, smoked ribs, pork sandwiches and a grilled Cowboy Club sandwich. In 1991 the restaurant changed its name to the Florida Grill. In 1992 it became the Paradise Grill and Bar.
The Paradise Grill and Bar
Smith and co-owner Drew McLeod opened the Paradise Grill and Bar on July 15, 1992. They kept the famous Mutt & Jeff’s slaw dogs but also became known for their fresh grouper sandwiches and salads, Caribbean flavors, and Jamaica jerk specialties. Patrons also enjoyed local bands playing on the back deck . After eighteen years the owners decided in late December of 2010 it was time to move on. They hosted a final farewell dinner, serving until they ran out of food. After the Paradise Grill closed, the lot sat vacant for the next three years. When the lease became available Matt and Adam Wells opened the Midtown Caboose on February 13, 2014.
The Wells Brothers closed their original restaurant on Tharpe street July 13, 2020 to concentrate on their business in Midtown. They offer a variety of delicious foods including a “PB&J ” burger covered with peanut butter, cheese and your choice of jam, or a surf and turf “Sushi Chef” burger to name a few. They also offer a great vegetarian menu. They are aware of the history of their location and strive to create their own for years to come.
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