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 The time frame is late 1976. We had developed a great fan base and were enjoying local fame as one of the “hot spots” in Brevard County.
One night we had a table with 6 or 8 people from a small hotel on the beach side. While we were on break, we were introduced to a man at that table who was interested in opening a night club.
He approached us with the opportunity to become partners with him in this endeavor. We were not sure he was really serious, so we listened to what he wanted to do. We told him we did not have money to invest in that kind of arrangement. We figured that would be the end of the story.
To our surprise, he said our “business” would be our portion of the investment. The club would be our place, we didn’t have to put up money, just run the lounge portion and perform. For Real ?!
Well, I still didn’t take him seriously. A week passed and we got a call with an invitation to meet with him and his banker from Michigan. So we decided to meet with them.
Now, you know that old saying, “It’s a small world.” I was about to be reminded of just how small.
Hold that thought for just a moment. I need to remind you that I moved to Melbourne when I was nine years old from a small town in south Georgia called Cairo. That’s pronounced Kay-ro, not KY-ro. Although, I was young when we moved, I remembered our neighbors.
OK, now that you are reminded of that, we can get back to the story.
 The meeting was held at the small lounge attached to the hotel on beachside. We met the banker from Michigan. He was a friendly guy with a heavy southern accent. His wife was obviously from the south as well. After a while I had to ask how they had such a southern accent to be from Michigan. “Oh, we are not originally from Michigan, we’re from Georgia”. I said, “Really?” I said, “Where?” He said, “It’s a small town, you wouldn’t know of it.” I kept asking, explaining that I was also from Georgia. Finally he said, “It’s a small town called Cairo.” I couldn’t believe it. “That’s where I was born.” I said.
Well, as fate would have it, he and his wife turned out to be our old neighbors. They had moved away, long before we moved to Florida, but had been good friends with my parents. I couldn’t wait to tell my parents who the “new banker” was, and they couldn’t wait to see my folks again.
Now, what are the odds of meeting a person I knew in Georgia, who moved to Michigan, who was in business with a man who moved to Indialantic who wanted to go into business with me and I have not seen or heard from in 20 years? Wow, that was a pretty long drawn out question, but you get the idea.
I took it as an omen that maybe we should consider this opportunity. So we did.
The wheels started turning and that was the beginning of “Larry & Sandi’s Rendezvous”.
The location was to be an existing night club located in the Melbourne Shopping Center currently called La Plaza.
The current owner and our partner came up with an agreement and so we are now on our way to being owners of our own night club. There was a lot to do like getting a liquor license, renovations, decorating, hiring employees, etc. We had two weeks to get everything done. We had to work day and night to get all the renovations done in time for our grand opening.
Did I mention it was the coldest week in January we had had in decades. As a matter of fact, one night we had snow flurries. Some of the workers brought the clothes dryer out of the kitchen, and put it in the middle of the dance floor to create a little heat. We made it through the cold weather to open on time.
It was THE coolest place in town. Our partner had great ideas about lighting and decorating. The east side of the club was elevated about two steps to form a deck. The west side was also elevated to form another deck type area. We had hired a local artist to paint musical figures inside the arched openings. He painted the figures in florescent paints then placed a white sheer curtain inside the opening. Placing black lights inside the arches created a beautiful effect.
The dance floor also used the sheer material. We used the black lights underneath the sheer that was draped like rolls to create a cloud effect. When all the white lights were off or down and the black lights turned on…..wow what a site.
The Rendezvous was a class act. We actually had a little contest with suggestions on the name. I think the name was perfect. It really captured the whole “meeting place” idea.
The invitations were printed, the food ordered.
Oh did I mention we had a restaurant too. The chef was a formerly employed at the Fountain Bleu in Miami. The staff was hired and ready to go.
The grand opening was a full house. We were on cloud nine.
The “Larry & Sandi’s Rendezvous” was officially open for business.
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