This early pre-tiki establishment used a headhunter as its logo.
In January 1941, Jack Mitchell opened the South Ocean Club. It was situated north of the Lake Worth Casino when Ocean Boulevard ran directly along the beachfront, extending from the ocean to the lake. For its gala opening, Don Ferrara’s Latin American orchestra kept guests on their feet with congas and rumbas.
The lower floor of the South Ocean Club’s two-story West Indies-style building served as the beach club with colorful cabanas aligned along the shore. Highlighted by a circular teak dance floor, the upper-level restaurant and lounge overlooked the ocean and lake. A colorful mural of big game hunters and headhunters by R. Bushnell Hyman added to the exotic atmosphere.
But World War II deferred Mitchell’s club life. He served as a naval submarine commander from 1942 until 1946, before returning to Palm Beach and building his own club legacy, the Coral Beach Club.
The South Ocean Club was destroyed by fire in 1956.