The Button Fort Lauderdale 1970 Mug

Fort Lauderdale's The Button was owned by Gregg Newell, known locally simply as “Crazy Greg,” was there every night sporting his signature Hawaiian shirt and kookie propeller hat since its opening in 1970. Attached to a cheap hotel, this legendary spring break party spot was so wild, it was actually more than the city could handle at times. The Button hosted wet t-shirt, French kissing, and bikini contests, many of which resulted in fines and charges of promoting “lewd and lascivious” activity by the state as usually pushed the boundaries of both common decency and the law. The bar also routinely ran afoul of occupancy limits, a side effect of its extreme popularity. The Button closed in 1987 after mounting issues with the city.