Bakeries & Bootleggers

The Sea Breeze Building dates to the late 1920's and the prohibition era. It was a pool hall operated by Red-headed Ruby, the local bootlegger. Richard Trebelhorn lived in Rockaway Beach at that time and reported collecting empty pint bottles he’d find at the lot next to the Dance Pavilion. Ruby paid 75 cents a dozen, a large sum in those days. ​

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When prohibition was abolished, Ruby went out of business, and the Trebelhorn family opened a bakery in this building. One day, Richard noticed a square indentation in the bathroom linoleum and found a trap door... There was a secret compartment between the upstairs floor and the downstairs ceiling, loaded with bottles of bootleg whiskey! ​

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The tradition of a bakery in this block has continued at the beautifully restored Beach Bakeshop next door. In the 1920’s and 30’s, it functioned as a butcher shop, a beauty shop, and a bookstore. ​

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One of Rockaway’s original subdividers, Dr. WC Hawk, had his house and office in the current-day Salt Air Plaza. Dr. Hawk was killed in an auto accident in 1923. An open-air fruit and vegetable stand operated here until 1955. Several different owners had grocery stores here until 1971.