Ginger's Place held an official ribbon-cutting Saturday to celebrate its Jacksonville Jaguars-inspired mural in Jacksonville Beach.
Local artist Scotty Briggs completed the two-story installation on the northern wall of the historic family-owned bar at 304 Third Street.
Members of the family, including Candyce Breidert and her daughters, Samantha Robenolt and Amanda Clark, joined Briggs and Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman to officially unveil the mural. The concept, featuring a jaguar roaring against a Japanese block-style wave, was designed by Jeff Emmerling.
Breidert is the daughter of Ginger Payson, who originally owned the bar with her husband, Ziggy. Robenolt and Clark run the business. They launched a fundraising campaign last October, holding a raffle, chili cook-off, dip contest and other activities to raise the $16,000 needed to fund the mural project.
Ginger's Place celebrates 50 years in business this year. The installation marks the first significant redesign of the building's exterior, which dates back to the mid-1950s.
Former nightclub performer Ziggy Payson and his wife, Darlene Evelyn Lani, purchased the property in November 1976. It previously housed a grocery store, a dress shop and a watering hole called The Glass Bar.
Before settling in Jacksonville Beach, "Ginger" had been a traveling burlesque and mermaid performer known as "Tiza, the Girl in the Goldfish Bowl." Ginger operated the bar for 27 years following Ziggy's death in 1998. Payson died of a stroke in 2003 at age 79.
The bar has had its share of attention over the years at the beaches, from the provocative silhouettes of dress shop mannequins in the second-floor windows, which once drew protests from a religious group, to the long-rumored paranormal activity.
Customers and staff have reported sightings of objects moving on their own and signs flying off walls. Ginger's family said the bar's namesake is simply reminding everybody that it's still her bar.
"She was a great spirit when she was alive," said Robenolt. "She loved attention."
