Kapok Tree Restaurant {Red} ~ Clearwater, Florida (1970)

Just after the Civil War, a local resident planted a kapok tree from India on his property near the western shore of Tampa Bay in Clearwater. People came from miles around over the years just to look at this tree.

The 200-seat Kapok Tree Inn opened on that property in 1958 and immediately became a hit with locals and tourists alike. It offered a setting of fabulous antiques and tropical palms with the backdrop of the famous kapok tree and its offspring.

By the 1960s, the New York Times and Holiday magazine named the owner of the Kapok Tree, Richard B. Baumgardner, as one of the top ten restaurant operators in the world.

At its peak, the Kapok Tree had 12 dining rooms and the restaurant was so popular it went public in the 1970s and opened several other Kapok Tree Inns in Florida and Maryland.

The original in Clearwater closed its doors in 1991. You can still see some of the remaining fountains and landscaping at the Sam Ash Store, 923 McMullen Booth Rd, Clearwater, FL 33759.

Perfect to frame and give as a gift! These 1970s vintage matchbooks go for $6 each! All are in good vintage condition. Matchbook measures 2" T x 1.5" W.

• PRICE PER MATCHBOOK
• THREE AVAILABLE

Orders will ship in 7-9 business days after receiving the order. All sales are final. 💕