When people in South Florida woke up on Sept. 4, many of them turned on the news and watched Grifs Western literally going down in flames.
Al Griffin, owner of the store, woke up to a phone call that morning telling him the 36-year-old store was on fire. The mostly-wood building and everything in it was lost, but Griffin said they intend to reopen there at some point.
Griffin’s family first came to Broward County in 1908 when his great-grandparents moved down from Kentucky. They and his grandparents later helped to found the town of Davie, and Griffin Road is actually named for them as early settlers.
Griffin and his cousin started the Davie location of Grifs Western 40 years ago, when he was 21, selling mostly feed and grain for the horsemen and ranchers in the area. They opened the Coconut Creek location a few years later to serve the north part of the county and Palm Beach.
“I didn’t know the horse business was going to get so great in Florida,” Griffin said. “We were just looking to serve the local need…I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
How have customers reacted?
The only good thing that came out of this is that every single person I’ve spoken to or has called and has a good word and a kind word. They were really sorry that the store wasn’t going to be there. You know, they’re customers for years and they don’t know what they’re going to do… Every word has been kind and it makes me feel pretty good that so many people like Grifs Western.
Did you expect the store to become the huge staple and landmark it became?
I started a very small store Davie; it was probably about 1,500 square feet. I just started in the feed and grain business. It was just me and my cousin. No, I didn’t expect I’d be this big or successful. I thought I’d be good because the demand was there, but I couldn’t really see this far in the future.
You have a worldwide customer base, correct?
It’s incredible that for western wear we have people come from Europe and South and Central America. Because Dade and Broward counties are international centers, so we’ve got customers from all over the world. It’s incredible to me, but they come.
What do they buy?
They all want boots, which is the big thing. They want the authentic American western boots. The ones made for Americans are different in style…They buy boots and cowboy hats. We even get a few horsemen in who buy saddles and tack because they’re more affordable.
How will the destruction of the store affect your business?
There’s not anything really to absorb because all the stock and merchandise in the store burned up. If the people will drive down here [to the Davie store], we can take care of them. We’re in the feed business, so we can also deliver some things to them too.
