June 2017   |   21  

stories they’ve carried throughout the years, 
changing hands from owner to barman as they 
paid the price of a stiff drink and earned pride 
of place on hallowed walls.

Notably among them is a saddle from 

John Wayne, a uniform worn by a member 
of the Thunderbirds crew, one of Bob 
Hope’s fl ight suits, and countless signed 
photos of celebrities and prominent military 
personnel who made Trader Jon’s a stop on 
their itinerary as well as numerous bits and 
bobs such as uniform patches, decals, and 
insignias.

It’s a testament of sorts to his ability to 

make friends and fi nagle the most unusual 
items in return for a generous pour, a silent 
answer to his ever-famous question: “What 
did you bring me?” Never one to turn down 
the opportunity to add to his collection, 
Trader Jon turned trading into an art form, 
making it a currency worth far more than 
actual money could ever match.

The bar operated from the early 1950’s 

when Trader Jon purchased it until 1998, a 
year after a stroke left him unable to run the 
bar on his own. Proving that Trader Jon’s was 
no mere tavern but an irreplaceable piece of 
America’s past, it was made a historic site in 
1992; and when threat of being lost loomed 
large, Trader Jon’s Preservation Squadron 
was formed under the leadership of former 
Blue Angels fl ight leader Captain Bob Stumpf 
and US Marine Corps Major Ken Bolin, who 
joined forces in an effort to raise funds to 
buy the property. Despite raising $300,000, 
however, the mission failed; and after 
enjoying three brief years of revival from 2000 
until 2003 under new ownership, Trader Jon’s 
days came to an ultimate end.  

Even after the doors permanently 

closed, the law fi rm of Aylstock, Witkin & 
Sasser saw the need to preserve the essence 
of Trader Jon’s and purchased the entire 
collection to donate to the Naval Aviation 
Museum Foundation. Later transferred to the 
University of West Florida, the collection is 
now on exhibit at the Wentworth Museum.

“The purpose of this exhibit is really 

to recreate one of Pensacola’s iconic 
establishments and share artifacts from the 
bar with the public,” says Robert Overton, 
Jr., Executive Director of the UWF Historic 
Trust. “Our greatest hope is that this exhibit 
will bring back fond 
memories for those 
who visited the bar 
during its years of 
operation, and we 
feel that Trader Jon’s 
served as a memorial 
to our military—and 
Naval aviation, in 
particular—and, by 
extension, that the 
exhibit will serve 
as one, as well,” he 
continues. “The T. 

T. Wentworth, Jr. Museum is the gateway 
to Pensacola’s history, preserving artifacts 
from the rich and diverse history of the fi rst 
multi-year European settlement in the United 
States, and that’s a source of pride for our 
community. The museum is also a driver of 
cultural and heritage tourism, which has a 
positive economic impact on our region; and 
having Trader Jon’s as one of our exhibits is 
extremely important in providing visitors a 
more complete picture of the city’s past.”

It’s a picture unlike any other, created 

by a man who valued a good treasure and a 
good tale far more than turning a profi t. And 
for anyone who remembers those glory days 
when Trader Jon’s was open for business, it’s a 
return to a time and a place where history was 
unfolding every moment, and you never knew 
who—or what—you would see when you 
walked through the door.

The T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State 
Museum is located at 330 South Jefferson 
Street, Pensacola, Florida 32502. Open 
Tuesday- Wednesday 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.; 
Thursday- Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.; 
and Sunday 12:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. For 
more information on admission prices and 
exhibits, call (850) 595-5985 or visit
www.historicpensacola.org.

“Our greatest hope is that this exhibit will bring back fond memories for those who 
visited the bar during its years of operation, and we feel that Trader Jon’s served as a 
memorial to our military—and Naval aviation, in particular—and, by extension, that the 
exhibit will serve as one, as well.”

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5/22/17   4:53 PM