During the summer of 1948 the family (Little Jimmy was 3 years-old) would travel down to Little Conch and Duck Key and collect conchs so they could sell the meat to the local fisheries. At that time the meat in one conch sold for approximately .25 and the fisheries threw the conch shells out. Sometimes during a good week they would earn as much as $100. That was the first of many times when a light went on in little Jimmy’s head, there’s money to be made here.

From the time he was 3 until he was 12 years old they spent their summers in the Keys, fishing and shelling through the bountiful Islands. During this period the family put a down payment on the Famous Caribbean Club property but the deal was never finalized due to a fire. Lucky for all of us because Shell World may have never become a reality.

At the age of 12 Jimmy moved to the Florida Keys full-time with his family. He spent his days mating on local fishing boats, beachcombing, fishing and catching lobsters and turtles. Over the next several years Jimmy grew into Jim and after a number of roads less traveled the final path led him back to his real home in Key Largo. In 1972 Jimmy’s American Gift & Gas was founded. After thousand’s of hours and much support from his family Shell World was born and has continued to be a destination for millions of people traveling the beautiful islands of the Florida Keys.