Shortly before Jeff Allen received his master’s degree in accounting in 1992, his Miami-based mother spotted a newspaper ad seeking an accountant for a Key West firm then-called Oropeza & Parker. He applied and got the job.
The partners promised Allen he could handle accounting for an illustrious client: the island’s famed Sloppy Joe’s Bar.
Coincidentally, decades later he would become Sloppy Joe’s CEO.
During the intervening years, he met and married fifth-generation Key Wester Monica Ovide, whom he describes as the love of his life. They raised two sons and Allen opened his own CPA practice, where he continued doing Sloppy Joe’s accounting.
A decade ago he was asked to join the bar’s board of directors, and four years ago he became CEO. He now oversees a staff of 140 people, including two dozen who have worked there for 20 years or more.
Allen is deeply interested in Sloppy Joe’s heritage and its 1930s connection to Ernest Hemingway and the renowned Hemingway Look-Alike Contest and festival. He’s also passionate about expanding the bar’s support for the local community, and as such presides over the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation, which was launched for that purpose.
Allen lights up with enthusiasm when he talks about Sloppy Joe’s and the foundation — as he did recently during an interview with the Keys Weekly.
Sloppy Joe’s must have been quite a unique accounting client. Do you have any particular memories about that? Probably my favorite Sloppy Joe’s story is my first meeting with Sidney Snelgrove, the colorful co-owner of the bar, and my “interview” with him to be their CPA. I was 26 or 27 years old and this was a huge client, so I was nervous when I got to the bar to meet him.
I shook his hand and, in his deep raspy voice, he asked me if I drank. I wanted to be
honest, so I said, “Yes, sir, I enjoy my beer.” His response was, “Good, because I
don’t trust anyone who doesn’t drink.” That was the end of the interview — one
question, and I was hired.
After heading your own successful CPA practice, what made you change course and accept the position of Sloppy Joe’s CEO? I was offered the opportunity to come to Sloppy Joe’s on a full-time basis in 2022 when Chris Mullins, my predecessor, decided to step down after 20-plus years. Public accounting had taken a toll on me, and the tax laws were consistently changing. It was a lot to keep up with for a small firm. They asked me if I was interested — and I was.
Today you guide Sloppy Joe’s Hemingway Look-Alike Contest and festival. How has that affected you? When I was the accountant, I basically saw it all on paper. It’s been a real experience living those events and understanding the depth of what they mean — not only to Sloppy Joe’s Bar, but to the community and organizations like the Hemingway Look-Alike Society. It’s fascinating to learn.
What was your inspiration for conceiving and launching the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation? That came from having been a small business owner in Key West. There are so many worthy causes here and so much need. I was constantly being asked to contribute, but it’s impossible to say yes to everyone.
When I saw how many visitors come to Sloppy Joe’s, I recognized an opportunity. The foundation’s premise is for those who come to Key West — and enjoy all the amazing things Key West offers — to participate in keeping the community thriving. The foundation is always seeking ways to raise money, but we’re not asking local businesses or individuals to contribute. We’re driven by getting outside dollars and bringing them in.
How did the foundation create its “Caturdays” fundraising initiative held each Saturday? “Caturdays” was a fluke. One of our bartenders, Ashley Hedberg, bought herself some cat ears that lit up. She came to work wearing them, and the staff loved them and wanted their own. So she went online and meant to order 30 cat ears for them, but she ordered 300 by mistake.
This was just as the foundation was starting, and somebody suggested “Caturdays” and giving the extra cat ears to patrons for donations. Now, each month, we have a community organization that helps with “Caturdays” and gets a majority share of the donations.
When you’re not working, what do you and your wife enjoy doing? We love to travel, and we love to go see our kids. Owen is 25, and he’s in a master’s program at the University of Florida. Wade is 24 and he’s in the Air Force in San Antonio, Texas. They are great young men and I’m very proud of them.
What’s your vision for the future of the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation? We’re trying to build an endowment so that it can last. It’s positive for the bar and it does good for the community, so my goal is to build it to a point where it will sustain for many years. I won’t be here forever, but I want the foundation to continue forever.
