BRADENTON BEACH – Casey Hoffman and Paul “Big Sexy” Weremecki have written a book about the Drift In bar.
Published in March, the 144-page book is aptly titled, “Drift In, Stumble Out” and tells the tale of one of Florida’s great dive bars.
Chapter 1 opens with the following passage: “There’s a host of reasons one would come to the Drift In on Anna Maria Island, such as to enjoy a frosty cold beverage, to try their hand at karaoke, play bingo or bar fun, perhaps listen to some of the best music on the Island or meet up with friends. You may even walk out with a mate.”
Some sections were written solely by one of the authors and others were written collectively. The book also contains numerous photos of the characters, past and present, who’ve contributed to the bar’s legacy, including former owner Babe Ruth, previous owner Joe Cuervo, current owner Derek Williams (Cuervo’s son-in-law) and the staff members, musicians, locals, part-time residents and visitors who helped make the Drift In “one of the most unique watering holes in America,” according to musician Mike “Mac” McConnell.
The book’s front cover features some of the old photos that hang near the front window, including a classic photo of bar manager Doreen Flynn sporting an impressively high and curly Afro-style hairdo.
The back cover notes the book was “Written from the dual perspectives of both patrons and a ‘Dive Bar Worthy’ bartender (Weremecki).”
Hoffman and Weremecki each wrote a chapter about their relationships with the bar. Another chapter is dedicated to the bar’s iconic, sexy and world-renown mannequin, Mannie. Other chapter titles include “As the Barstool Turns,” “Extraordinary Crew Members,” “Timeless Entertainment” and “Drifting and Stumbling Into the Future.”
“Drift In, Stumble Out” book is available at the Drift In for $25 and also at Amazon.com.
Authors’ insights
Hoffman owns the Holmes Beach-based Zegway by the Bay business and serves as a tour guide while giving Segway tours of the Island. She was also the co-founder of the now-defunct AMI Radio station that used to broadcast from the Magnolia Hotel building on Bridge Street that was demolished earlier this year.
In addition to bartending at the Drift In, Weremecki and his wife, Laurie Lancaster, co-founded the Sunrise Hope nonprofit organization that assists foster children (www.SunriseHope.org). He’s also the founder of the AMI drum circle in Holmes Beach.
“The Drift In has been such a big part of my life since I moved here,” Hoffman said. “The book is a way to give back to the community and tell a fun story about our favorite little watering hole and the people that come through there. There’s always a sense of community, family and friends when you come to the Drift.”
“The Drift was the first bar I went to on the Island when I moved here in 2020,” Weremecki said. “I had my eye on working there and it finally happened last July. The book is a quick, easy read and it makes a nice souvenir. We share some memories and some of the things that go on here.”
“We got to sit with Joe Cuervo and he shared some stories with us,” Hoffman said. “We had to verify a couple things, like when Bridge Street became the happening street on the Island, when the original bridge was built, when the Pines Trailer Park used to be a campground and about Babe Ruth owning the bar. It turns out his father owned several saloons back where he was born.”
Once written, the book was assembled in Microsoft Word, saved as a PDF file, uploaded to Kindle Direct Publishing and self-published at Amazon.
“The tricky part was the cover, the spine and the back of the book,” Hoffman said. “We always knew that was the cover we wanted. Thankfully, it worked.”
For those who want to publish their own book, Hoffman said, “I encourage people to give it a try. It’s challenging but very rewarding.”
So far, the pair has sold about 150 copies of their book.
“Some of the proceeds will go to charities supported by the Drift, including Sunrise Hope,” Weremecki noted.
“We’re working on getting the book into some shops on the Island and we’re working on a Kindle E-book version too,” Hoffman said.
On April 14, the authors held a book signing party at the Drift In.
“It was so much fun,” Hoffman said. “A couple people said they already started reading the book and couldn’t put it down. One lady said she read it in one sitting at the beach. We also got some great feedback from the bar owners and Doreen. They were very supportive of our project.”
“We sold about 30 copies in a few hours,” Weremecki added.
Those who want a signed copy of the book can swing by the Drift In during one of Weremecki’s shifts. He’s there Mondays from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m., Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.
“It was lot of fun to write. We enjoyed it and hope whoever buys it enjoys it,” Weremecki said.
“It was a true joy to be able to write the book and help tell the story of a place I love as part of my hometown community,” Hoffman said.
The authors hope to develop a live show at the Drift In that serves as an extension of the book.
“People have emailed saying they have pictures they want to share and stories they want to tell. We’re going to do it live on Facebook and make it a podcast too,” Hoffman said.
Efforts appreciated
Williams and his wife, Helena, bought the Drift In from her parents a few years ago.
“Helena and I both enjoyed the book,” Williams said. “‘Drift In Stumble Out’ is a funny and honest take on an Island original. The team did a great job sharing anecdotes about the Drift: Babe Ruth, the legacy of ownership, the talented musicians and the unique circus of individuals that enjoy our establishment. We’re really proud of Paulie for all he does.”
Flynn said, “I thought it was well-written and I loved the fact that our entertainers were featured.”
General Manager Dan Zelko said, “It’s fantastic. I love the fact that ‘Big Sexy’ helped write the book and that he loves the bar as much as he does – we all do. He did a great job of expressing how the bar really is. He’s here and he understands it. We appreciate that.”
