When Lost Boy & Co. co-founders Randy Alonso and Chris Hudnall opened Lost Boy Dry Goods in downtown Miami, they had more on their mind than just creating just another trendy pub.
“The goal was to create a sense of community and neighborhood in the inner city, which we thought was lacking in the area at the time,” Hudnall told the New Times.
The story of Lost Boy goes even deeper, however: he took up residence in a room that once housed a boutique, inspired by Alonso’s family business that was founded in Cuba.
In the 1950s, Alonso’s grandfather and great uncle ran La Epoca, one of the largest department stores in Havana. Like many stores, the store closed after the revolution and the family fled to South Florida to start over. In 1965 they restarted La Epoca, choosing a ground floor space in the DuPont Building in Miami, and later expanding to the Walgreens Building across the street.
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“As I got older, my vision was to create an area with thriving businesses,” says Alonso, who grew up in the area.
He took his first step in 2015 and opened a boutique selling denim and cowboy boots with his brother in the same DuPont store where his family’s business resided.
“It was a sign to open Lost Boy Dry Goods in La Epoca’s original Miami home,” says Alonso. “But it was short-lived. We closed the department store in 2017 – and with it the two-year-old denim shop. After so much work, I didn’t want to give up the DuPont area. I’ve always dreamed of having a bar but didn’t know what the business was or where to start. ”
Step inside Hudnall, a friend and longtime hotel professional from Arizona. With experience at Mondrian South Beach and Soho Beach House, he worked with Alonso to convert the retail store into Lost Boy Dry Goods, which opened in 2018.
“It was a hit,” says Alonso of the bar, which combines the aesthetics of a country inn, western saloon and English pub with vintage items like his grandfather’s vault, old mannequins and the original La Epoca signage from Havana.
Now the duo is expanding their portfolio with the opening of their first restaurant concept Tropezón in new territory.
Nestled in the Mediterranean corridor of Española Way in South Beach, the Andalusian tapas and gin bar, whose name means “stumble” in Spanish, is due to open at the Esmé Miami Beach Hotel later this month. The cozy restaurant and bar serve Spanish classics under the direction of the local chef Raymond Li.
“The idea is to bring this culture to our guests and give them a feel for what it’s like in Andalusia, but we wanted to bring a chef who could come up with his own ideas, and Chef Ray was a perfect fit,” Hudnall explains. “With his education and personal background, he managed to create the menu we envisioned: traditional dishes with global elements inspired by other cultures such as his Chinese, Cuban and Colombian roots.”
Inspired by the carefree drinking in village bars in Spain, Tropezón’s tapas menu was designed to absorb and experiment with the food traditions of the Spanish Andalusian region, a cuisine with Arabic, African and Mediterranean influences.
Tomato bread in Tropezón
Photo courtesy JCKC Productions
Li Tropezón’s Spin on pan con tomate is a prime example: It has all the traditional flavors of the classic Spanish dish. It is presented as a deconstructed presentation of braised tomatoes and served with a sourdough bread spiced with turmeric that reflects the Moorish influences of the area.
The bar also celebrates the duo’s love for a real gin and tonic and offers variations from a collection of more than 20 homemade gins that are flavored with teas, seasonal fruits, nuts and even sausages.
And the couple don’t plan to stop here. Tropezón is one of several Lost Boy concepts slated to open in the coming year, say Alonso and Hudnall. Also in the works: spearheading the Esme Hotel’s food and beverage program and reviving the staple Fox’s Lounge in South Miami with the concept of a liquor store, Sherron Inn Liquors, slated to open in late 2022.
The team also has plans for two new establishments in Miami Beach, starting with an indoor / outdoor restaurant that aims to embrace Australian cafe culture with New Orleans flavors, and a neighborhood dive bar. Both are located in the Variety Hotel on Alton Road.
“Our goal – our passion – has always been to build this community and neighborhood that we call our home,” Hudnall told New Times Experience. ”
Tropezón. 512 Española Way, Miami Beach (at Hotel Esmé Miami Beach; 305-809-8050; instagram.com/tropezonmiami. Opening at the end of November 2021.
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