No attitude. No cover. No bullshit.
That's been the motto at Purdy Lounge since the day the bar first opened its doors 13 years ago.
Ever since, we've all come across the SoBe hotspot at one time or another, having started, ended, or ended up staying all night at 1811 Purdy Avenue.
While Purdy's owner Dan Binkiewicz agrees that "a lot of these stories are just laced with alcohol," here are the ten most memorable moments at the bar according to Binkiewicz himself.
See also: Mac's Club Deuce Owner Turns 99! His Top 9 Moments From Miami's Best Dive Bar
Opening the Bar
"When we opened, we thought we were [gonna be] opening a quiet neighborhood jazz bar," Binkiewicz admits.
"Back then, all the clubs and bars had these door men that had strict policies and broken foreign accents," he recalls. "It was kinda douchey and we opened Purdy for everyone, [where] you wouldn't get judged at the door or pay at all at the door."
"We didn't think we were gonna be having long lines. We had no clue," he says with excitement in his voice. "Two months into it, people started asking for music. I was like, 'Hold on a second,'" he laughs.
"When I made it to seven years, I was like, 'Holy shit!' It's definitely been a pleasant surprise."
Love at Purdy
"I can't tell you how many people have called us to tell us that they met their wife or husband here, maybe around 25 [couples]," says Binkiewicz.
"They call and are just like, 'We wanna let you know we met our wife [at Purdy] and wanna celebrate our anniversary there'."
"I don't know, there's just something about it."
Must be the purple walls ... Or maybe just all that sex that goes down in the bathroom.
Bathroom Sex
"From the first day we opened, there was some crazy stuff going on in those bathrooms," admits Binkiewicz. "We are notorious for people having sex in the bathrooms ... And we learned the hard way."
"One weekend, it was one broken sink, the next weekend the other, and we were like, 'Dude, we have to do something!'" he laughs.
"So we built these metal brackets [around the sinks] so that if you sat on them, they wouldn't break."
Problem solved.
Diplo Playing Chocolate Sundays
The no 'tude vibe, cheap drinks, and wild memories give Purdy its rep, but the music is what it's all about. While local faves like Spam Allstars and Suénalo are the norm here, every now and then, you get a surprise appearance.
"We've had Diplo come in a few nights and play for Chocolate Sunday," recalls Binkiewicz.
"Everyone was loving it and shocked. He just hopped on the turntables and did that."
The Marley's at Reggae Night
"We've also had the Marley guys, Stephen and Damian play in one day. It was also kinda of a surprise, but they were doing it for a while."
Singing Jimmy Cliff's "Vietnam" at the End of Every Night
"We used to have a tradition, there's a Jimmy Cliff song call 'Vietnam,' and I don't know how it started, but we would sing it at the end of almost every night," Binkiewicz remembers.
"It's a really sad song, but it has a happy beat. We ended many good nights like that. We were all really wasted, and the guys would take their shirts off and girls would strip down and go crazy."
"I have no idea why we choose [the song]! It's a sad song. It's completely weird how the song became the song, but it did."
Stapling Bills to Steve-O's Chest
"Steve-O came in one night, and I don't know how this happened, but at the end of the night, the waitress that was serving him stapled her tip to his chest," laughs Binkiewicz.
What a Jackass. Just kidding, Steve-O, we love you.
Random Celebrities Popping In
"Andy Milonakis, Jim Brown, Enrique Iglesias, Matt Damon popped in," Binkiewicz recalls.
"I think most people that have never been to Purdy, they ask for local bars at the beach and come in here looking for a local bar."
Guess even celebrities can't get enough of Purdy.
Getting Puked On and Jumping In the Bay
"I think it was our 9th anniversary party, we did a Purdy Rain party. At the end of the night, I took a shot with one of my bartenders."
"The bartender puked right on me, so I jumped on the bay and got cleaned off. Not my proudest moment at 6 a.m.," Binkiewicz's voice faded.
There's no need to be ashamed Binkiewicz, we've all been there at one point.
The Locals
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"For me, the most memorable are always that people I've met there and the locals. Miami gets a bad rep, but I've met so many good people at Purdy, its mind blowing."
"People come to get hammered because it's not expensive. There's a lot of shit that happens with alcohol. But the place for me, it's about the people. It's just a great hang out."
Happy Birthday, Purdy! Here's to 13 more.
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