Hippies, Woolworth and a famous Coppertone billboard: Looking back at old Miami

Miami’s past comes alive through photos of Coconut Grove’s hippie street scenes, old head shops and historic buildings like the Mariah Brown House.

Stores such as Woolworth, Zayre, and Spec’s once shaped the city’s retail landscape. And iconic images like the Coppertone billboard with the mechanical dog remind us of playful roadside advertisements from a different era.

Little Havana’s landmark status comes from Calle Ocho’s street views and music from Celia Cruz blaring in record shops.

Let's leaf through the photos from the Miami Herald archives:

NO. 1: REMEMBER THESE OLD STORES IN MIAMI? ZAYRE, WOOLWORTH, SPEC’S AND OTHERS. TAKE A LOOK

Step back in time and let’s go shopping. | Published May 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

NO. 2: COCONUT GROVE USED TO LOOK LIKE THAT? SEE PHOTOS OF HIPPIES, HEAD SHOPS, STREET LIFE

This village has some history. | Published October 18, 2024 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

NO. 3: LITTLE HAVANA USED TO LOOK LIKE THAT? SEE THE OLD PICTURES FROM THE 1960S, ’70S AND ’80S

The president had lunch there. | Published February 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archive

NO. 4: WHAT DID THAT SIGN SAY? TAKE A LOOK AT OLD HIGHWAY BILLBOARDS IN MIAMI

Remember the Coppertone girl whose dog pulled down her swimsuit? | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.