Margaritaville Jamaica with the Parrot Heads is the brand of singer/songwriter, musician/ author and master storyteller Jimmy Buffett. Do not confuse Jimmy Buffett with financial billionaire investor Warren Buffet. His share price is over $200,000+ per stock for Berkshire Hathaway. Nope, this Buffett, Jimmy that is, is the musician who wrote the hit song “Margaritaville.” He is also the author of New York Times Best Sellers “Tales from Margaritaville”. According to Jimmy Buffett, “If you can listen, and you have a bit of imagination, you can create”
Margaritaville Café
Well, Mr. Buffett did plenty of listening and imagining. After writing the hit song Margaritaville, Mr. Jimmy Buffett opened a store called Margaritaville. His store was in Key West Florida in January 1985. As the story goes, people continuously enter the store looking for a restaurant and a place that serve Margarita drinks. Mr. Buffett listens and soon after in December 1987, Margaritaville Café was opened.
Margaritaville Poster photo courtesy of Margaritaville photos.
During opening night, Mr. Buffet told the story. He said, “When I started out playing bars in this town, he only wanted enough money to buy a boat.” Mr. Buffett went on to say, “The alternative was to buy my bar so I could hire myself…” Jimmy accomplished his goal, so, “Welcome to Margaritaville.”
That was a state of mind from the beginning to start a chain of Margaritaville Restaurants. This would be from the Florida Keys to the Carolinas and the Caribbean. Margaritaville started out as a song and it created its own Parrot Heads. It was known for its entertaining environment and transformed that level of excitement. Many more Margaritaville Restaurants and Margaritaville products were produces.
Margaritaville Parrott Head photo courtesy of Margaritaville photos.
Margaritaville Jamaica
At the beginning of the 90s, Parrot Heads following became more popular and there were no stopping the Margaritaville Brand. By the end of the 90s, there were Margaritaville Hotel, Beach, and Restaurant. I can imagine Jimmy Buffett saying, how sweet it is. Margaritaville, wow, what a beauty-ville thing… The Margaritaville brand became hugely successful. They had their brand of Tequila and Margarita Mix.
Margaritaville Montego Bay Jamaica.
Courtesy: Margaritaville
While Jimmy Buffet was opening Margaritaville in the United States, two Margaritaville Jamaica opened in Jamaica West Indies. They were started by two Jamaican businessmen in 1995 and 1996. The Margaritaville Restaurant Montego Bay opened in 1995 and Margaritaville Negril in 1996. Both Restaurants were doing very well. In 2000, the businessmen teamed up with Jimmy Buffett to start a franchise. As a result, the Jamaican businessmen became franchise owners by 2001.
In 2001 after the deal was closed, Air Margaritaville at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay opened. The largest Margaritaville Restaurant in Jamaica was opened in Ocho Rios in 2002. Margaritaville Ocho Rios is located on the beach in the Island Village shopping complex. This is a step away from the Ocho Rios Cruise Port Margaritaville Caribbean was becoming a staple in the Caribbean. In 2006, Margaritaville Turks and Caicos opened. Shortly after, Margaritaville Cayman opened which is said to be the biggest location. Now in 2011, Margaritaville Falmouth opened inside the Falmouth Cruise Port complex. Jimmy Buffett said, “If you can listen, and you have a bit of imagination, you can create”. As a result, the Margaritaville franchise was born.