Robert Is Here Fruit Stand was established by Robert in the late fall of 1959. At that time, six-year-old Robert was set on this very corner with some of his father’s cucumber crop and told to “Sell ‘em!” Robert sat all day that Saturday and no one even stopped. That evening, Robert’s father decided that “there can’t be that many people who don’t like cucumbers; they must not see this little boy s
tanding here on the corner.”
The next day, Robert’s father placed a sign on each side of the table proclaiming in big red letters “Robert Is Here.” By noon Robert had sold all of the cucumbers and walked home. The following weekend, a neighboring farmer added tomatoes to Robert’s display and a fruit stand was born. Robert was out here on the corner every day during Christmas break with his little sister, Rose, helping him. When school started again in January of 1960, Robert’s mother made arrangements for the bus to pick him up and drop him off at the fruit stand. Robert and his mother would set up each morning and leave a coffee can on the table. Customers paid by leaving the money in the can using the honor system. The bus would drop Robert off after school and he would work his stand until it got dark and his mother took him home for his bath and supper. By the time Robert was nine years old, he had hired a neighbor lady to work for him while he was in school. Robert bought his first ten-acres of property when he was fourteen. He planted an avocado grove on it and rented out the house. As a farmer specializing in tropical fruits, Robert has been featured on NBC’s “Today Show”, “World News Tonight”, and in newspapers and magazines across the country. He’ll happily tell you how to get to the airboat rides, where to get a great meal, and what that strange plant was you saw in Everglades National Park. But don’t bet on leaving his fruit stand empty-handed; you’d have a hard time resisting the wonderful aroma of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits like Monstera Deliciosa, which looks like a giant green ear of corn but tastes like banana and pineapple; Carambola, or “Star Fruit”; Mamey; Lychee; Atemoya; Papaya; and in the summer Robert’s pride and joy – MANGOS! He’ll even cut them up for you to eat as you wander through the jars of jellies and preserves, many from his mother’s recipes. Over on the other side of the stand you’ll notice lots of activity. People line up for the fresh fruit milkshakes and homemade key lime pies. For a truly delicious treat, try our key lime milkshake. During the winter, you can also enjoy live music on the weekends, performed by local musicians, while you pick out big, happy sunflowers or delicate snapdragons to remind you of your visit to Robert Is Here. We hope you enjoy your visit to South Florida. If you like we’ll even send a bit of Florida home with you. How about some oranges, tangerines, grapefruit
