I’m in the middle of spending a month in Key West and am constantly reminded of the Cuban influence here. When we arrived, by boat, a couple of weeks ago, we were in short supply of chemicals for our toilet and holding tank, which is not a situation you want to be in. My wife went off to buy the needed stuff and I assumed she’d be going to West Marine, the chain store up the street from the marina we’re docked at, but instead she went across the street to Key West Marine Hardware, another marine supply store adorned with a sign that proudly boasts “Los Cubanitos.” She was impressed with the selection and the prices, so when I needed some wire and other assorted electrical hardware to repair our boat’s faulty navigational lights, I decided to give them a try.
The friendly woman behind the counter directed me towards everything I needed and when I was ready to pay a young man came up to the register. I asked about the store’s history and the “Los Cubanitos” nickname. He proudly told me that his grandfather and his great uncle had founded the store after arriving from Cuba and that the woman working there was his mother, who came from Cuba when she was just two years old.
The store’s website gives more details of the history.
Founded in 1963 by Joseph Garrido, KWMH initially focused on marine electronics. Recognizing the diverse needs of boaters, Joseph’s brother, Humberto Garrido, joined as a co-owner in 1965, broadening the inventory to include hardware and tackle...Now, operating from its 818 Caroline Street location, KWMH stands as a testament to resilience and dedication…Today, KWMH continues to serve the maritime community with the same passion and dedication that Joseph and Humberto Garrido instilled over 60 years ago.
Sadly, the Garrido brothers both died in 2015. Joseph’s obituary in the Key West Citizen says:
...he was born in Havana, Cuba on Jan. 14, 1937. His Spanish immigrant parents had a deep impact on his ideals and ethics. As a young man he ventured on his own, leaving his country of origin and later joining the U.S. Navy. He was honored to be a part of the crew on the last of the flying blimps before they were decommissioned. In 1963, he lured to our Island town and established his Marine Electronic business. Later he became an active charter member and past president of the Sunrise Rotary Club as well as the Vice President of the San Carlos Institute, which was near and dear to him. The many who knew him always felt his helping hand and straight advice-even if they weren’t ready for it.
It’s often been said that Cubans are succeeding everywhere in the world, except Cuba and this is just another such Cuban-American success story but from the Conch Republic.
This sort of entrepreneurship was standard fare in pre-Castro Cuba, until it was deliberately destroyed and suppressed because the state could supposedly run things better. That failed BIG time, but it was really a moot point–the point was to control everything with absolute power; “the people” were beside the point.
No lie detected, as the kids say.