Harvey Family History
Dan “Daddy Dan” Harvey was born in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1927, while his Ohio-native family was here on vacation. He would frequently return to St. Petersburg with his family for vacation throughout his childhood. He married Harriet, in 1950, and the two continued to vacation with their three children in St. Petersburg, until they decided to relocate the Harvey family here in 1962. Daddy Dan and Harriet quickly set up roots in St. Pete and dove into the local community. Harriet went into real estate as one of the first women realtors of St. Pete. Daughter, Jane, studied at Northeast High School and scooped ice cream at Bressler’s in Northeast Shopping Center. Her siblings, Dan Jr. and Susan were Green Devils at St. Pete High.
Dan Jr.’s first job was as a busboy at Rolande et Pierre on Fourth Street North, where he would carry flash cards for school in his apron so he could study between shifts. After graduating from St. Pete High, Dan Jr. went to Florida State University and majored in business. After his time at FSU, Dan Jr. worked his way up to managing at a high-end restaurant in Chicago, but he always knew that his dream was to come back to St. Pete to own and operate a restaurant.
Due to the goodwill and support of his close friends and the tight-knit community of St. Pete, Dan Jr. was able to open the iconic Harvey’s 4th Street Grill on April 1, 1984. And it’s been one fun ride ever since. If red rails and wood-paneled walls could talk, there would be too many epic stories to tell of Halloween bashes, Full Moon Celebrations, and Christmas parties late into the evenings. Still a family-friendly restaurant, Sunday brunch is a crowd favorite. And we want to make even our littlest customers feel welcome. Our bartenders make great (stiff) drinks, and we try to keep costs low for our customers.
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Except for when he’s on his annual trip to Costa Rica to fish for tarpon, you can find Daddy Dan in the office working. And Jane can be found next to her dad, ensuring all of the details of the restaurant, big or small, are in order. Dan Jr. can still be seen carrying bus-tubs, greeting guests, and hosting parties. Susan is a close car ride away in Tallahassee.
We have been fortunate to be open for 36 years, and, in addition to our loyal customers, we have our great staff to thank for that. We have watched our servers’ kids grow up to become hostesses and busboys; we’ve watched staff members get married; we’ve cried at funerals; and we’ve toasted to hole-in-one’s and new babies. There are staff members who have been with us from day one, and for that, we are forever grateful.
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We love St. Pete and everything the City has to offer. Our goal is to withstand the test of time and to remain a St. Pete staple for another 30-something years. And to continue on the legacy, the third generation of the Harvey family has started to help out with the restaurant as well.
Thank you for sticking with us for 36 years and cheers to 30-something more!
Daddy Dan, Jane and George, Dan Jr., and Susan and Jimmy
+ 4 granddaughters
+ 3 husbands
+ 1 great-grand daughter
Harriet Harvey passed away in 2014 and will always remain the heart and soul of
Harvey’s 4th Street Grill
