Sunny Isles Beach Florida - Rascal House is Gone!

Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House … a Sunny Isles Beach landmark that opened in 1954 is gone. With a bowl of cold pickles and a basket of fresh bread and rolls on every table, what’s not to love about this … and I’m not even Jewish!

Progress has hit the corner of 172^nd street and Collins Avenue. Replaced by the Epicure Market, a gourmet deli, café, wine cellar and more, it has terrific selections and ridiculous prices. I don’t have anything against the Epicure, I have shopped there, but some of the old sparkle went out of the old Sunny Isles Beach when the Rascal House was torn down.

Progress? Hmmmmmm ….

Sunny Isles Beach Florida - a Place in History

Sunny Isles Beach … what is it like it live, work or own a business in this tropical paradise?

Citizen’s of the area voted in 1997 to incorporate Sunny Isles as a municipality and since then, this desirable oceanfront community has been in redevelopment. Gone is the quaint motel row that use to dot the coastline. They all had different themes and crazy names. The Waikiki, Tangiers, Monaco, Sahara, The Driftwood, Newport Beach, The Thunderbird, The Colonial Inn, The Marco Polo, The Ocean Roc. Only the Thunderbird, Newport and Marco polo are still there. They are now replaced by mega high rise condos and elegant hotels … can you say Donald Trump?

There is no industry in Sunny Isles Beach so the city relies upon a “privilege tax” imposed by City Ordinance that is collected on every person, firm, partnership or corporation engaged in business within the city.

Business owners can’t open and operate a business until the tax has been paid and all required documentation has been submitted. Part of the documentation required is a valid Certificated of Use, which is issued by the Community Development Department.

In addition to the privilege tax, the other major tax revenue is the property taxes collected from all property owners of shopping plazas, hotels, motels, condominiums and private homes.

You're not in Kansas anymore, Toto ..... welcome to the new City of Sunny Isles Beach!