Building History
We may be the new kids on the block, but if the ground beneath our taproom could talk, it would have some fascinating stories to share.
In the beginning, a different structure stood on the ground where we reside today. Burrell and Helen Chastain moved to Central Florida from Indiana in 1948 and whet their appetites in the restaurant industry before taking ownership of the old Arrowhead Restaurant at 23 N Orange Blossom Trail (our current address) in 1956. The name was changed to Chastain’s that same year and for over 40 years, the family served up home-cooked, generous helpings of American country-style cooking to all walks of life. “Common laborers ate alongside office staff, politicians, sports celebrities, Attorneys General, the sheriff, and Harley-Davidson guys,” Chastain said in an article from the Orlando Sentinel.
In the 1960s, Chastain’s Restaurant was one of the most well-known spots in the area. It was close to popular highways that brought in truck drivers, communities gathered there, and tourists flocked to the restaurant before or after visiting Gatorland.
Chastain’s was a safe space to meet in the 1970s to discuss civil rights issues as the sounds of Elvis played on the jukebox, while the staff served up hot biscuits with honey, steak and eggs, and bottomless cups of coffee.
Even in the 1980s and 90s when the area was drastically changing around it, Chastain’s remained busy with concert-goers who attended the Citrus Bowl to see musicians like the Rolling Stones.
It wasn’t until the late 90s that Bill, the son of the Chastains, who’d been working in the restaurant since he was 14, decided to call it quits when no one else in the family wanted to take over the business after his parents had passed on.
Eventually, the building was demolished, and a 14,000-square foot space was erected housing Al’s Army Navy Store. Al’s had 3 locations that had been part of the Orlando scene in one way or another since the 1950s. These stores were known as Central Florida’s oldest and largest Army-Navy stores, so it was not a surprise when Al’s built a large structure to house military surplus gear beginning in 1996. It was operational on N Orange Blossom Trail until 2019 when we leased the property from Al’s owners.
When deciding where to set up roots for Deadwords Brewing Company, this space stood out. There is history in this location, and we are excited to be a part of what happens next. We believe that craft beer and the sense of community it evokes, go hand in hand, and that a strong community is vital to any city. We are committed to leaving a positive mark by continuing to bring people together in this space – as Chastain’s Restaurant and Al’s did for over four decades.
Click HERE to learn more about Chastain’s Restaurant as told by the Orlando Memory.