This was I.R. Burns and H.H. Bell’s building, but they are rumored to have hosted John Ringling on many occasions, and it’s thought that he used this room as an impromptu office and entertainment space. There is also a somewhat-substantiated rumor that the murals in a back room were painted by John Ringling himself.  “There was a historian who came in, and I was told that John Ringling did these murals himself,” says Perna. A potential self-portrait of Ringling—and his signature- adorn the walls, which also showcase scenes of Sarasota in the 1920s. There are even tales of a now-sealed off passageway connecting the room to the opera house, where during intermission the gentlemen of Sarasota would drink together, then reunite with their wives before the performance ended.

A laundry list of location names:

1296 1st Street - 

Azul Steak & Sushi Lounge (since April 2022 and was called Flirt Sushi Lounge until January 2023) used to be Sherwin's Stork Club children's furniture and clothing store from about 1953 to 1958. By the end of 1958, it became the City Collections Office until about 1967. By 1970, it was The Conversation Piece antiques store until 1976. It then became Gourmet Catering until the late 80's as well as Roz's Restaurant for much of that time.  By 1990, it was Limerick Junction Pub & Club and was later Munroe's Restaurant (1995 to 2004), DJ's Restaurant (opened in 2005), Arosa (opened in early 2008) 1st Street Chop House (opened about 2009), Maximo's Pub and Restaurant (opened about early 2012), Roast Restaurant (2013 to 2016) and Umbrellas 1296 restaurant (February 2019 to August 2020).