The original structure was a small office built by Barron Collier in the early 1920’s. After the causeway connecting Everglades City to Chokoloskee was enlarged, the building was moved from behind the Rod & Gun to where it sits to this very day. The Brown, Hamilton, Weeks, Kelley, and Wells families have operated the building as a store throughout the years. The business itself was founded in the 1890’s by G. C. McKinney, the “Daddy of Chokoloskee” who also acted as a midwife and wrote amusing articles for the American Eagle newspaper. In 1891 he persuaded the Postal Service that mail could reliably delivered to the small island of Chokoloskee and became it’s postmaster. G. C. McKinney died at the age of 79 after rowing to Everglades City to replenish supplies destroyed in the 1926 hurricane. Unfortunately, most of the owners lost money because they extended credit to their neighbors. Wise old McKinney adhered to the maxim, “No banking, no borrowing, no loaning. I must have cash to buy more hash.” “Hash” pertaining to meat and potatoes. It was renamed JT’s when bought by John Tifft and his wife Fran in 1989.