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Summerlin was also known as a poet, whose scribblings
were called “Archie’s Word of the Day.” Bartenders used to
transcribe the poems from scrap paper onto chalkboards for
customers to read, the Tribune reported. “Some of them are
good, some of them are terrible, but all of them are Archie,”
close friend Tom Quina told the Tribune.
Patty McGee bought the business after Summerlin died
in 1994, and has operated it since. Bartender Amy Cooper,
a 16-year employee, never knew Summerlin. “He opened
this place a long time ago,” she said. “It was just a tiny little
shack, and he was selling beers and chili. Miss Patty just kept
the tradition going and kept the chili and kept the burgers
and kept the beers, and kept the place casual and nice and
relaxing for everybody.” Today, the burger remain Archie’s
signature dish, with readers of Indian River magazine recently
voting it Best Burger on the Treasure Coast.
THE MODERN ERA
While honoring the joint’s casual tradition Archie’s slogan
is “No shirt, No Shoes, No Problem McGee has upgraded
the place significantly over time.
“The decks were just dirt and tables and chairs when I
started,’’ Cooper said. “Now we have all this decking and
beautiful bar and beautiful tables that Miss Patty added over
the years. We didn’t even have T-shirts when I started.”
Cooper said she imagines Summerlin would be surprised
to see what’s happening on Sunday mornings.
“I think he’d be amazed to know there was church service
here on Sunday,” she said. “People are a little shocked
by that. We have from the bikers to the businessman, the
lawyers, the beach people, church people. Patty has bingo on
Mondays! We’ve got rock ‘n roll on Fridays. She keeps it going
around here.”
McGee says she is planning some major upgrades to Archie’s
after the winter tourist season ends, starting with work
on the east deck. It faces Highway A1A, which has been the
focus of major roadwork, including widening, for several
years. Then, in August or September, the slowest time of year,
Bikers are part of the mix at Reach Community Church, which meets at
Archie’s. The pastor, Dave Sheil, rides a bike, too.
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