Robert is Here Fruit Stand

This travellog covers a visit to Robert is Here Fruit Stand located in Florida City (Homestead).

We visited Robert is Here from our dry camping spot at the Miccosukee Indian Casino located on US-44 (Tamiami Trail) and SR-997 also known as (SW 177th Ave and also Krome Ave.)

Robert Is Here Fruit Stand

No visit to this area would be complete without stopping by Robert is Here Fruit Stand located west of Florida City on the road that leads to Everglades National Park and the Flamingo Campground. The easiest way to find it is to follow the signs to Everglades National Park. Robert is Here fruit stand is on the corner of SW 344th Street and SW 192nd Avenue. If you have a mapping program the address is: 19200 SW 344th Street Homestead, FL. 33034.

Robert's is a "fruit" stand (specializing in rare & exotic tropical fruit) with a few vegetables thrown in and a fresh milk shake operation on the side.

Robert is Here Fruit Stand dates back to 1959 when six-year-old Robert was set on this corner with some of his father's cucumber crop and told to "sell'em!". Robert sat all day on that Saturday and no one stopped. That evening, Robert's father decided "there can't be that many people who don't like cucumbers; they must not see this little boy standing 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 on the corner every day during the Christmas break, with his little sister 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 money in the can on the honor system. The bus would drop Robert off after school and he would work his stand until it got dark and his mother would take 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-acre piece of property when he was fourteen years old. 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, on 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, what that strange plant was you saw, etc., But, don't bet on leaving his fruit stand empty-handed: I know I didn't. People have a hard time resisting the wonderful tasting fresh fruits and vegetables.

Robert cut up a papaya for me just for me to taste. I purchased it. He cut open a pamelo for me to taste, I purchased it. Then I asked him about Florida avocados since they have never tasted as good to me as the "Hass" or "California" avocado. No more will I avoid Florida avocados. Unlike the Hass avocado a Florida avocado (they are the big dark green avocados) have to be SOFT before you cut and eat it. You have to let it sit until it gets soft which is unlike a Hass avocado. Robert selected a nice big avocado for us and said it would be ready the next day. We did not eat it the next day but it was delicious the following day. We are now hooked on Florida avocados.

Robert does this for everyone in the place. He is constantly mingling with the customers, cutting fruit open for them to taste and answering their questions. Spend an hour in his fruit stand and you will taste more exotic fruits than you even know existed.

A sign says they have live music on the weekends during the winter. If you are interested your might try: www.robertishere.com

the phone number is 305 246-1592 and I think I saw where they ship everywhere.