Facebook Group Walks Miami Natives Down Memory Lane

The longer I live in Miami, the more I realize there aren’t many born-and-raised locals left. But that was before I came across a Facebook page called I Grew Up in South Florida in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, which proves there are still plenty of us old-schoolers around—some going back even further than me (and I go back decades).

The site, launched in April by Matthew Leibowitz, has amassed 4,620 followers, growing at a rate of 600 new followers a week. It’s a constant stream of old pictures, memorabilia, and news clips from South Florida that will stir your memory if you grew up here during those years.

Currently, ten administrators run the page, but it’s mostly Leibowitz and Clyde Jewett doing the posting. Leibowitz, 43, grew up between North Miami Beach and Miramar, arriving from New York in 1978. About three years ago, he launched a Facebook page dedicated to gathering Miramar memorabilia, reaching 1,700 followers. But as he kept collecting, he had enough material to encompass all of South Florida. Today, the page has more than 2,500 pictures.

A Virtual Reunion for Miami Natives‍

The Seasonal Side of Miami

‍Alvin Lederer, who has been collecting South Florida memorabilia for 18 years, became an administrator a few months ago. He graduated from North Miami High in 1976 and remembers a very seasonal Miami.

“I remember when nobody worked a whole year in Miami,” he said from his home in Leesburg, Florida. “In Miami, you only worked six months a year and made enough money from the tourists to last the rest of the year.”

The Cuban Side of Miami‍

Jewett, born in Miami to a Cuban father and Miami-born mother, remembers the Cuban side of Miami, going out with his family to Versailles, the city’s most famous Cuban restaurant.

“(I remember) going to Versailles Restaurant in second grade and ordering a cheeseburger. Drove my parents crazy. I refused to eat Cuban food outside the house because that is all my abuela cooked. I had ropa vieja and potaje coming out of my ears. I also remember my father’s family talking about Cuba and the land and money they lost. My uncle Robert Fuller was a big topic of conversation as he was executed in Cuba on October 13, 1960. He had assembled a team and tried to take back American-owned property in Cuba. They failed. Many a drink and toast were done in his honor during family gatherings.”

The Jewish Side of Miami‍

Administrator Jeffrey Alman, who grew up in what is now Pinecrest, remembers the Jewish side of Miami.

“By the time we got here (late 50s), Miami and Miami Beach were all about the Jews—and the Jews were all about the food. Gone were the days of restriction and exclusivity (for the most part). Wolfies, Rascal House, Pumpernick’s, Corky’s, Juniors…from South Beach to Miracle Mile to South Miami to North Miami Beach, if you were Jewish in Miami in the 60s, the food was awesome. Baskets of the most beautiful rolls came to the table—onion pockets, pumpernickel onion pockets, salt sticks, mini onion rye—(at breakfast add danish) accompanied by bowls of cole slaw, pickles, green tomatoes, cucumber salad—all before the order was even placed! In those days, there was so much food that you were literally full before your meal came! I fondly remember doggie bags of rolls, leftover untouched corned beef sandwiches on rye with mustard only, hundreds of roasted chickens—there were always great leftovers in the fridge. That’s what I remember the most—the abundance of fabulous Jewish-style food!”

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on August 04, 2011. Updated in 2026; with Carlos Miller's original story preserved.