Blog Archives

An Automotive Legend JM Family Enterprises Automotive legend Jim Moran first established Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) in 1968 in Pompano Beach. As SET expanded, he moved his headquarters in 1981 to Deerfield Beach in the building above located at the corner of Hillsboro Boulevard and NW 12th Avenue. Jim Moran later established JM Family Enterprises as […]

Themed Dining Comes to Town The Cascades Garden Restaurant & Lounge A landmark eatery in the 1970s, the Cascades Restaurant and Lounge featured waterfalls, lush greenery and a moat around the building designed to resemble a Polynesian hideaway. A lounge downstairs continued the theme with water cascading down the windows and guests seated in a

The Materials To Grow Deerfield Builders Supply The year was 1947 and Deerfield Beach could hardly be called a city, with less than 1500 residents. If Ed Dietrich Sr. had followed his first impulse, there would not have been a Deerfield Builders Supply. Ed’s employer owned a concrete block plant in Deerfield which he sent

Local Businesses Come Together Deerfield Beach Chamber of Commerce After several attempts to form a Chamber of Commerce, Deerfield Beach’s Chamber finally came together in 1953. Robert Sullivan had been developing the Cove area and donated land on Hillsboro Boulevard to be used to house the Chamber. The Chamber of Commerce building was built and

The Promise Of A Higher Education The Butler Scholarship The JD Butler and Alice Butler Scholarship Foundation was created in 1978 through the generosity of Alice W. Butler in memory of their children, Evelyn Butler, Reba Butler, and J.D.Butler, Jr. It was Mrs. Butler’s expressed wish to assist students who graduated from Deerfield Beach High

Pittsburgh Pirates in Deerfield Beach So Very Close Construction had already begun on a spring training facility for the Pittsburgh Pirates when the Florida Supreme Court, in 1966, halted the sale of $1.5 million in bonds that would have financed it. Legal agreements had already been approved and executed in 1965 to bring their minor

Affordable Retirement Living Century Village Century Village East, is one of the largest retirement communities in South Florida.  It opened in 1979 on 800 acres with 8,508 units to sell, and they sold rapidly. Comedian Red Buttons became the face of the over – 55 development. He touted inexpensive housing and all manner of recreational

Island Water Sports Surf Central Kirk Cottrell first opened Island Water Sports in October, 1978 in Pompano Beach. Within a year, they moved to Deerfield Beach. Providing surf gear, surf clothing, surf boards and surf culture; the shop quickly became “Surf Central” in Deerfield Beach. The business boomed during the 1980’s. IWS began to franchise

Local Source of News and Events The Observer William Beck founded the Deerfield Beach Observer in 1962 after business leaders in the community approached him. Beck had started the Boynton Star and they wanted a similar product here. The first editor was Margaret Moore, who had worked for the Pompano Sun before it merged with

Our Own High School Deerfield Beach High School Until 1970, students in Deerfield Beach had to be bused to Pompano Beach or other cities to go to High School. The new high school opened in 1970 and in 1972 the first Senior Class graduated from Deerfield Beach High School. The new school brought a new