We have a lot of dollars.
Tacking dollar bills on the wall is a Florida thing, so we're told. As the story goes, fishermen would sign a dollar bill and leave it behind in the bar before heading out to sea. If they came back without catching any fish, they knew that they could still afford a beer, because they had left a dollar back at the bar.
It's become a tradition to count the dollar bills every year on Thanksgiving. It's a pretty slow night and most places in town are closed. The Sandbar is usually open, however, because usually at least one of the employees begs to work, knowing they'll be tired of their family by the time evening rolls around.
Last year we counted around 4,500 bills on the walls, pictures, and doors. Of course this is an estimate because it's really hard to count that many things without skipping one or counting another one twice. And there's more than one bill hidden behind things that we didn't think to move.
Every dollar that is taped or stapled to the wall is meaningful to someone- whether they are commemorating their first visit to The Sandbar, a birthday, an anniversary, or a big win. After people stick a dollar up, they look for it whenever they come back to the bar. It's like a giant wall of memories.
Next time you visit The Sandbar, ask for a marker and tape so you can leave your own dollar on our walls.
