Everyone knows Red Garter has already blown out more than 50 candles. That it was founded in 1962 by an American, you probably know too.

But who that American actually was is a detail most people don’t know.

The man who brought America to Florence was called John Francis “Jack” Correa, and he was in love with this city. So head-over-heels that he didn’t just decide to move here, but

also to open a venue completely different from anything Florence at the time had ever seen. He did it in one of the most beautiful and touristic neighborhoods (certainly not as touristy as today), Santa Croce, so that Americans spending time in the city could have their own place to gather and feel at home. Those four walls with the bar counter, decorated with reclaimed materials and plenty of elbow grease, became — deep down — a bit of his home too.

The story goes that Correa exported the American “brand” Red Garter to Italy — a series of venues scattered around the United States, born in the late 19th century as saloons serving gold prospectors and merchants, with a red garter as their signature logo.

And so Red Garter in Florence too became a banjo band venue. But these weren’t Florentines doing impressions of a world they didn’t know. They were American bands Correa flew in from the States. Within a few years the venue became a reference point for anyone wanting to truly taste a piece of overseas.

Over the years banjo bands gave way to other genres, and Monday nights — by Correa’s explicit wish — became the night dedicated to jazz, a genre he passionately enjoyed.

Over the years Red Garter has certainly changed, but what has stayed is the heart of his Florentine dream: a place to have fun in a simple way, meet different people, and feel a bit more at home when you’re in a foreign country.