Last Updated on May 10, 2024 by Marybeth
Events, pop-ups, shopping opportunities, and especially weddings: hello, roving photo booths set in cute classic campers.
Beyond brick and mortar! Finding a way to set up shop while not shouldering the financial commitment of a building lease or purchase, these inventive entrepreneurs have captured our hearts and imagination with their energy, determination, and most of all, creativity. Taking an old camper or trailer in need of a major fix-up takes vision. And often, tears.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some vendors may be able to travel beyond the counties listed, and some will require travel fees. Contact each vendor for specific travel details. Due to Florida liquor laws mobile bar vendors cannot provide the alcohol; you do that, they provide the rest.
Before you meet them, I just want to tell you how much fun I had meeting them. Most are just kids! Well, they’re my kids’ ages (20s, early 30s) so to me, yes: kids. I virtually spoke with almost all of them, and with some we had old-school phone calls! Who does that anymore? And we laughed, compared stories about our dogs, and how our moms named us almost the exact same names, and managed to circle back around eventually to talk about how their businesses came about.
I shouldn’t have been surprised at how dynamic these roving vehicle owners are; I met so many for our earlier articles and felt like, if we lived in the same town, we’d become close friends. Swapping recipes, planning impromptu happy hours, finding out we have so much more in common than just our love for Florida and for the spirited, industrious service industry that yields so much satisfaction.
Meet these enterprising small business owners and find out the stories behind the scenes, starting in the Panhandle:
PANHANDLE / NORTHEAST FLORIDA
Jacksonville’s first converted horse trailer bar
Type of business: Mobile bar, serving specialty drinks crafted with fresh local and seasonal ingredients; beer and wine, hot chocolate, family friendly mocktails, signature beverages. Craft cocktails and Southern hospitality are the focus.
Vintage vehicle: 1988 WW two-horse trailer, and owner Sarah just launched a second trailer for hire.
Backstory: The Unbridled Bar was converted during the summer of 2018, from a vintage horse trailer to a fully electric bar with a draft beer system and bottle cooler. Using shou sugi ban, a centuries-old Japanese technique for preserving and finishing wood by charring it with fire, the owners prepared her work surfaces. Growing up riding horses, owner Sarah had an instant connection with the idea of owning a horse trailer bar. After 20 years working as a bartender at high-end craft cocktail restaurants and bars, and shooting weddings as a professional photographer, The Unbridled Bar is the perfect platform for Sarah’s experience.
Some FAQs: Do you offer a consultation first? Yes! We want to get to know you and the event you’re planning. There are distinct differences in weddings, birthdays, and other social gatherings. We will work with you and your budget. Are you insured? We are fully insured, carrying both liquor liability and general liability.
Contact and more info: Fill out the contact form on their website.
CENTRAL/ CENTRAL EAST
Jensen Beach
Type of business: Coffee shop serving espresso, chai latte, cold brew, drip coffee, cappucino, and waffle pops. Morning Magnolia is dog friendly!
Vintage vehicle: Shasta camper.
Backstory: Owner Paige found her coffee camper – already set up to be a coffee shop – in Indiana. She had to do some minor work on the camper, including the pretty paint job, and just recently had the interior renovated.
GULF COAST
Art is for everybody. Join us on our journey to bring art to those who need it the most. | St. Petersburg
Type of business: Retired bus turned mobile studio for hands-on, open-ended art exploration; Neighborhood Oriented Mobile Art + Design Studio, whose mission “Art for ALL” has facilitated tens of thousands of interactions connecting people to their creativity – many of whom have little to no access to arts programming.
Vintage vehicle: When I first spoke with artist founder Carrie Boucher I said “I don’t care what vintage your bus is, I want to include you in our article!” This retired, 4-wheeled, 30 ft. bus is a moving canvas and is doing amazing things through healthy, creative expression for so many people. Nomad Art Bus, as the only non-profit on this list, should have its own post – but for now I wanted to include it here to get the word out.
Backstory: Before NOMAD debuted, the vision was the engagements would take place mostly inside the bus, but during the launch the bus filled up immediately, leaving most people outside, waiting. Carrie started handing out art supplies inviting those people to paint the bus while they waited. Now programs happen outside the bus, and washable tempera paint is used so that between engagements the bus is completely cleaned and a brand-new giant white canvas arrives at the next event. The arts enrichment programs are for youth detained at regional, juvenile detention centers; kids in foster care; students in local Title 1 schools; residents in halfway houses and domestic violence shelters.
Ongoing engagements: In July 2020, in response to Covid, NOMAD created their neighborhood MicroCamp initiative. The MicroCamps gather for safe, socially distanced art activities and take-home art supplies in front yards, driveways, parks, and parking spots.
How you can help: Please consider sponsoring a child for a MicroCamp, Neighborhood Outreach, or Justice Studio, the in-house art studio program at Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center; click here to find out how you can make an impact.
Contact and more info: Email hello@nomadartbus.org, or visit their site by clicking on their name above.
Vintage horse trailer turned mobile bar! | Tampa Bay
Type of business: Mobile bar + bartenders for weddings, birthday, corporate events, and more.
Vintage vehicle: Vintage 1979 horse trailer named Shelly.
Backstory: Shelly was found in a field in Jacksonville, brought home, and DIY’d before Covid. Native Welding & Fabrication helped with the cutouts and bar top. Her owner, Carole, has been mixing up cocktails for over 10 years from family owned restaurants to hotels and events. Seaboard was the name of the street where she grew up in Virginia Beach.
Some FAQs: How far will you travel? The first 50 miles is free and there will be a charge for mileage after that. Check the website for accurate pricing. Can I choose my own cocktails? Of course! You can come to us with your own recipes or choose from our list. Once your reservation has been secured, we can set up a tasting date prior to your event to ensure the cocktails are to your liking!
Retro Camper Pop-up Plant Shop | Tampa Bay
Type of business: Indoor jungle plants and vintage home decor mobile boutique.
Vintage vehicle: Unknown origin but possibly a 1968-1972 Aristocrat or Shasta, possibly a build-it-yourself kit (which is so intriguing in itself!)
Backstory: In 2016 co-owner Reese, wanting to take a road trip to CA to become a tour guide and needing a home once she arrived, found a vintage camper – needing a ton of work – via Craigslist. “Dungeon-like interior, primer gray exterior,” the camper was completely gutted and rebuilt by Reese, her father, and her sister Marin. After Reese’s tour guide job ended in 2020 and Marin had virtually graduated from high school, the sisters found an opportunity for growth (both literally and figuratively) working at a plant nursery, and collecting plants for their own enjoyment during quarantine. The idea of creating a community of plant lovers was born, the camper was converted into a Pop-Up Plant Shop Experience, they began applying for markets in the Tampa Bay area, and appeared at Armature Works as their first event.
Tampa’s Original Photo Booth Bus
Type of business: Photo booth business with 5 options to hire for your event.
Vintage Vehicles: 2 VWs: a ’68 and a ’69 – Sunshine and Little Bleu; the new addition of Shasta, a ’67 Shasta camper; Daisy the vintage tricycle photo booth that will fit in venues too small for the VWs or campers; and Redwood, a ’72 VW bus not fully restored but a perfect vintage prop or backdrop for any photo shoot.
Backstory: Our backstory with Wildhearts is featuring them in our original 2019 article; since then they’ve added to their fleet and so we wanted you to check out the new options for your event. Their backstory: Owners Markee and Joey, as lovers of classic cars, photos, and road trips, restored the vehicles themselves. Markee has been a professional photographer for years and wanted to create something unique within the Tampa Bay community.
Some FAQS: Can you come to any venue? As long as the venue approves Wildhearts, and there is an outlet for us to plug into, or generators allowed, we can set up anywhere. Do we receive the digital files? Absolutely! Along with printing photo strips at your event, we can also provide a USB for $30 so you can download and share the photos as much as your heart desires!
Contact and more info: Fill out the contact form on their website, click their name above.
We crafted this article over the period of months (actually we began last year at this time!) and did some deep diving to find “all” the newest vintage vendors in Florida, BUT, as I like to align myself with Walt Whitman (“No one ever loved Whitman for his cleverness” and “his heart is the point, and his exuberance”) I most likely have left someone – or more than one someone – out. Please let me know. I’m also claiming new-grandma brain. Totally forgivable, I’m thinking – and hoping.
