The Treasure Island Historical Society - Florida

03/26/2026

Imagine searching the beach on Treasure Island for that perfect shell. Perhaps for something rare, or something beautiful. Or maybe just a certain type of shell with no nicks or cracks. Fortunately, you don’t have to search in vain! The Florida Shell Shop has a large assortment of shells, from ones common to our beach to exotic, unusual finds.

The Florida Shell Shop has been a fixture on Treasure Island since 1955. Looking much like it did then, it sits on the southern part of the island, on the east side of Gulf Blvd. The original owners were German immigrants who came to the US after WWII. Avid shell collector from Sanibel Island, Colleen Elias, bought the shop in 1990 (along with the Whispering Pines apartments behind it). Because St. Pete Junior College was close by, her son Patrick moved here, too. There was no school on Sanibel. Besides, he could help his mother run the store when he wasn’t studying. After two years at JC though, Patrick decided he liked helping at the shop more than college.

Quitting school came with an ultimatum for Patrick: Mom would allow it if he would work hard enough to purchase the shop. It took him 10 years, but he did it. Patrick and his wife, Karen, have been the owners now since 2001. They still sell seashells but have added other items like Florida souvenirs and home décor.

Patrick looks a mix of professor and beach bum. If he was holding a guitar, you’d swear you’d seen him in a trop rock band. Being around shells for him is like breathing. He hardly remembers a time without them in his life. When he was young, living on Sanibel Island, he watched beachcombers wipe out beds of shells not realizing their harm. While Patrick encourages shelling along our coast, he would rather people leave their finds at the beach. He explained that shells with living creatures are needed to repopulate our Gulf, and empty ones can become homes for small animals like crabs and octopus. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission states: “While small-scale personal collecting is sometimes allowed, it is generally discouraged, and in many places prohibited if the shell is occupied.” Wouldn’t it be better to buy that interesting or beautiful shell at the Shell Shop?

Over the years, Patrick has collected nearly 2,000 varieties of shells or sea life items. This collection includes giant megalodon teeth, bigger than the typical human palm. Imagine the jaws those teeth came out of millions of years ago! Patrick and his helper, Hope, love to show them off. They are great curators and full of information about any kind of sea life or shell you are interested in. Let them help you maneuver through the shop to find what you’re looking for. Ask about the Junonian shell – or J-shell— while you’re there. It’s worth a look!

The store’s museum-ish atmosphere mixed with the look of an emporium is probably the reason the Florida Shell Shop is the oldest business on Treasure Island. The easy upkeep helps, too! After Helene and Milton, the plywood floors were no problem to clean up. And most of the merchandise was salt water tolerant. It looks as eclectic now as it did fifty years ago. If you haven’t visited in a while, or you’ve never been, check it out. The place is not only a step back in time but a step into a trove of fascinating, kitschy, colorful products that characterizes Treasure Island beach well. Happy shell hunting!

Treasure Island Historical Society (TIHS) will be highlighting the businesses of owners who are members of the Historical Society. Do you own a Treasure Island business? If yes, join TIHS and we’ll highlight your business, too! Just click on the link: https://treasureislandhistoricalsociety.org/memberships/

03/19/2026

Join us on March 24, 2026, 2:00pm at the St Pete Beach Library for "Smugglers & Speedboats!"

Step back in time through rare and compelling video interviews featuring two unforgettable figures from our coastal past, Steve Lamb, author of "The Smuggler’s Ghost: When Ma*****na Turned a Florida Teen into a Millionaire Fugitive" and legendary boat racer Jack Withrow. Their firsthand accounts bring to life a side of Gulf Coast history that is as thrilling as it is authentic.

03/05/2026

If you have driven down Gulf Blvd at 112th Avenue, you may have noticed that a local landmark is no longer standing. The public beach access, owned by the City of St. Petersburg, once served as the gateway for all things water, sun, and sandy fun. For locals, it was much more than just a beach access-it was the nerve center of activity.

The sounds of the surf band The Impacs reverberated across the sand there in 1963. Later, weight benches and volleyball nets would adorn the beach, adding to the lively atmosphere.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024, the City of St. Petersburg deemed the building a total loss with many foundation failures, and demolition began on Monday, March 2, 2026. But why does this strip of land in the middle of Treasure Island belong to the City of St. Petersburg? The answer is rooted in early 20th-century land decisions.

The Archibald family conveyed the Gulf-front property to the City of St. Petersburg for public beach use decades before Treasure Island incorporated in 1955. Because of that early transfer, the municipal beach remained St. Petersburg property. Over the years, interlocal agreements and cooperative arrangements between the two cities have addressed services and management.

One of those agreements involved a boundary adjustment affecting land on the east side of the Treasure Island Causeway drawbridge. For practical governance, the roadway and causeway itself became the responsibility of Treasure Island, while the adjacent neighborhood, Causeway Isles, remained under the jurisdiction of St. Petersburg.

Today the structure may be gone, but the memories tied to that stretch of sand remain. For generations of locals and visitors, it was a place where music played across the beach, friendships were formed over volleyball games, and countless days were spent under the Florida sun. Like many landmarks along the Gulf, it was shaped by time, storms, and the people who gathered there. Its story now becomes part of the continuing history of Treasure Island’s shoreline.

https://impacs.com

02/25/2026

Thanks to all who came out last night for our get together. We had a great time mingling, chatting, and even a T.I. History game!
Thank you to Foxy’s Cafe for hosting us.

02/01/2026

We are sad to announce the passing of William (Bill) Baltz who had a long history here in Treasure Island, Florida and was a longtime member of the Treasure Island Historical Society.

His parents were the original owners of the Bilmar Hotel where he and his sister Margot Baltz Quillen both managed the hotel together; hence the name Bil-Mar. Sit down with Bill & Margot and learn the BilMar’s story here https://youtu.be/3cMOdLh18aY

You will find Bill’s obituary in the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday. A gathering will be held for family and close friends Friday February 6th. from 4:00-7:00 P.M. at the Bilmar Hotel.

01/30/2026

Rebuilding is officially underway at the Sunset Beach Pavilion, with reconstruction from Hurricane Helene’s damage beginning in late January 2026. 🌊

This site has weathered decades of storms and stories. In 1939, the Penguin Beach Club first stood here, later becoming Winston Hunter’s Penguin Restaurant in the late 1960s. After Hurricane Agnes caused major destruction in 1972, the beloved igloo-shaped structure was built, remaining a Sunset Beach icon until 1999.

From 2000 through September 26, 2024, the Sunset Beach Pavilion served the community as a classic example of Florida Vernacular architecture, hosting countless weddings, gatherings, and sunsets. Located directly on the Gulf, the park features playground equipment, showers, restrooms, bicycle racks, vending machines, shaded picnic areas, and protected dunes, continuing a long tradition of bringing people together by the sea.

The Treasure Island Historical Society depends on monetary donations and membership dues to preserve the history of Treasure Island for future generations. To join, donate, or volunteer, click: https://treasureislandhistoricalsociety.org/memberships/

01/20/2026

Before Buffalo Wild Wings, before even Ho***rs, Foxy’s Café on Treasure Island was the place to go for a basket of chicken wings. In 1981, siblings Sher and Greg left Buffalo, New York, and opened Foxy’s in the shopping center on the north side of the Treasure Island Causeway (160 107th Avenue). Greg and Sher brought with them from Buffalo, the recipe that other restaurants attempt to duplicate. Foxy’s customers know though, no other place makes wings as great as theirs!

When Sher and Greg bought the restaurant (do you remember Rubes?), they brought their restaurant owner parents to Treasure Island, to help them open it. A family friend’s Buffalo, NY restaurant, called Foxfire, had recently burned down. The name inspired Sher and Greg to name their new place Foxy’s.

For ten years, Foxy’s was open twenty-four hours. For more years than that, they’ve been the go-to place for breakfast and favorite dishes. The menu extends far beyond wings: ribs, burgers, beef on weck (hot roast beef served on a hard roll covered in caraway seeds and kosher salt), meatloaf, pizza, and their yummy “cinnful fried dough.” No frozen hamburger patties. No pre-packaged pizza crust. The food is always fresh and prepared at the restaurant. And the menu includes many vegetarian and gluten options.

The crowds aren’t quite like they used to be at Foxy’s, before the storm. Or even 20 years ago when Randy Savage would stop by for a beer and a basket of wings. The City doesn’t host events like they used to, which draws in the crowds. Used to be there were so many City events, the restaurant kept a billboard with a running list. Hopefully, the City will address this issue and one day soon, people will again say: “If you haven’t been to Foxy’s, you haven’t been to Treasure Island!”

Treasure Island Historical Society (TIHS) will be highlighting the businesses of owners who are members of the Historical Society. Do you own a Treasure Island business? If yes, join TIHS and we’ll highlight your business, too! Just click on the link: https://treasureislandhistoricalsociety.org/memberships/

01/18/2026

Kites abound on Treasure Island! For many, kites and sand are inseparable from our coastal childhoods. Who remembers the inaugural Kite Festival? We’d love to hear your stories or see your photos.

01/12/2026

Take a step back in time with us!

This film gives a look at St. Petersburg's Treasure Island. It shows the single-span Sunshine Skyway and all the usual Florida activities and pastimes, inclu...

12/31/2025

From our past to our future, may you have a prosperous 2026!