Over 100 Years of History
Our History
From a humble watering hole at the end of a wooden bridge to a bar once owned by baseball's greatest legend — the Drift-In has been pouring drinks and making memories since 1925.
The First Drifters
Long before the bridge connected the mainland to Anna Maria Island, the only way to reach this slice of paradise was by boat — or, as legend has it, by raft. Visitors would ride the current, quite literally drifting to the island. That's how "The Drift-In" got its name.
The island's first permanent settler, George Emerson Bean, had arrived back in 1893 at what is now Bean Point. But it wasn't until 1921 that a bridge was built from Cortez to Bridge Street, opening the island to a new wave of visitors and locals alike.
In 1925, a modest watering hole opened at the west end of Bridge Street in what was then called Cortez Beach (later renamed Bradenton Beach in the late 1920s, with the city incorporating in 1952). That watering hole would become the Drift-In — and it has never stopped pouring.
The original wooden bridge was eventually converted into a fishing pier that still stands today, a quiet monument to the island's earliest days.
The Babe Ruth Era
The Sultan of Swat Takes Ownership
By the late 1930s, baseball's greatest legend had found his way to the little bar on Bridge Street. George Herman "Babe" Ruth — the Sultan of Swat, the Great Bambino, the King of Crash — became a regular at the Drift-In during his time in Florida.
The story of how Ruth came to own the bar has become part of island lore: One evening, the Babe enjoyed himself so thoroughly that he departed without settling his tab. When he returned the next day, rather than simply paying what he owed, Ruth decided to buy the bar outright.
Ruth ran the Drift-In as a personal homage to his father, George Herman Ruth Sr., who had been a bar owner himself in Baltimore. For Babe, owning a bar wasn't just business — it was a connection to his roots, a tribute to the man who raised him.
During this era, the Drift-In became more than a local watering hole. It became a place where a living legend held court, where the greatest baseball player of all time pulled up a stool and bought rounds for the house.
Babe Ruth — By the Numbers
The Mack & Sherick Families
Three Generations of Island History
After the Ruth era, the Drift-In passed into the hands of the Mack and Sherick families, who would steward the bar for over half a century across three generations. Under their care, the Drift-In became a cornerstone of Anna Maria Island life.
In 1944, the families expanded with a second location on Cortez Road in Bradenton, originally called "Sip N' Serve." The Drift-In's reputation grew from a Bridge Street institution into a regional landmark.
By the mid-1990s, the torch was ready to be passed again. Ed and June, the last of the family operators, brought in a new figure who would help write the next chapter: a local beverage distributor named Jose Cuervo.
The Jose Cuervo Era
Card Games, Karaoke & the Queen of AMI
In 1995, Joe and Angie Cuervo purchased both Drift-In locations and began putting their own stamp on the business. Joe introduced many of the traditions that define the Drift-In to this day: card games, jello shots, karaoke nights, and legendary VIP parties.
One of the most important hires came in 1999, when General Manager Doreen Flynn joined the team. Over the decades that followed, Doreen became so beloved and so deeply woven into the fabric of the island that locals bestowed upon her a title: "The Queen of AMI."
The Cuervo era also introduced Mani, the bar's mascot, who became a fixture — receiving daily outfit changes and greeting regulars with personality to spare.
The Williams Era
A New Chapter, Same Soul
On December 15, 2022, Derek and Helena Williams purchased the Drift-In, ushering in a new era while honoring everything that came before. They renamed it "Drift-In AMI" — a nod to the island it has called home for over a century.
The Williams brought on General Manager Dan Zelko to work alongside the legendary Doreen Flynn. Together with Derek, they formed "The 3 D's" — the management team carrying the Drift-In into its next hundred years.
Today, the Drift-In AMI stands as it always has: a place where locals gather, where strangers become friends, and where the spirit of a century-old island bar lives on in every cold drink poured and every story told.
Be Part of the Story
Over 100 years of history, and every visit writes a new chapter. Come raise a glass where legends have done the same.
Visit the Drift-In