A historically designated social meeting spot from the 1950s is being restored in Miami’s Brownsville district.

Georgette’s Tea Room House holds many memories for members of Miami’s Black Community.

The classic 1950’s boarding house, meeting place, and tea room is built like a brick with Lath Plaster walls, CBS construction, mid-century architecture in full blossom.

Over the years, the building has been under major restoration. Bill Dozier heads the renovation/restoration project. “True Craftsman’s ship. We don’t build them like this anymore,” he told us.

Kim Johnson, the driving force behind the project, told us,  “We are not just restoring the building, we are restoring the history, legacy of what was built.”

The history of Georgette’s Tea Room House goes back to the segregation era of Miami 

Georgette Scott Campbell designed, built, and operated Georgette’s Tea Room House.

A Georgia native, she lived in New York, moved to Miami, and brought with her the vision for an elegant venue, which included classic table settings, excellent food, a place to see and be seen, not only for the locals but also for big names who came to and stayed at Georgette’s Tea Room  House.  

She ticks off the names of the famous, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Louis Armstrong, The Ink Spots, Nat King Cole, and jazz singer Billie Holiday, who was a frequent guest.

In the 40’s and 50’s, well into the 1960’s, in Jim Crow Miami, black entertainers could not stay in segregated Miami Beach Hotels where they starred but had to depart when the shows were over.

Kim Johnson reminded us that Georgette’s was important to the locals.

“This was the place you had your social events, Weddings, receptions, holiday celebrations, and community strategy meetings,” she said.  

Historic pictures lined up in a front room reveal what was unique about the venue. There are a lot of white folks in those pictures.

“Georgette Scott Campbell had a vision far beyond a classy meeting venue. She had blacks and whites sitting together at the table in the room where you are sitting. Do you understand the importance of the restoration of this house? What we are preserving is a legacy, a legacy that has to be seen. The next generation has to know what we went through and how a woman saw the vision, took hold of it, and made it a reality,” Johnson said.

Georgette’s Tea Room House is owned by the Bethany Seventh-day Adventist Church. The restoration is funded by state and local grants.

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