Leverock's Great Seafood

September 6, 1962, Capt. George Michael (center), Evening Independent fishing writer, displays plaque awarded him by Florida sheriffs for his work in helping promote the Sheriffs Boys Ranch at Live Oak. Pinellas County Sheriff Don Genung (left) made the presentation at Johnny Leverocks restaurant in St. Petersburg. Johnny Leverock, also a Boys Ranch booster, is at right. March 7, 2015, Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch President Bill Frye & Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri presented George Lewis, owner of Leverocks Seafood House, with the Youth Ranches Gold Star Award. When Leverocks opened their Pasadena Ave. location 8 years ago, Lewis contacted the Youth Ranch & let them know that Leverocks would like to continue the annual Fish Fry fundraiser at this location. In the past, Leverocks founder Johnny Leverock had hosted the Fish Fry at the original location in Pinellas Park. It is an annual event in our community. Sheriffs and Politicians from all over the Tampa Bay Area & beyond attend the event which typically serves 750-850 meals in an old fashioned outdoor tent setting. Since its inception, the Annual Fish Fry has raised more than $100,000.00 for the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch. Johnny Leverock was born in Saba, Dutch West Indies. As a cabin boy at the age of 10, he left on a sailing ship and headed for the US. He served in WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. Before WWII, he was an aviator in the flying circus. By the end of the conflict, he was commissioned as a Commander in the Merchant Marines, internationally licensed to command any ship in the world. As the story goes, Johnny won a 7-acre Tampa Bay oyster bed in a game of poker. He began to cultivate oysters and soon needed an outlet for his annual 15,000-bushel harvest. In 1948, he opened Johnny Leverocks Oyster Bar in Pinellas Park, Florida. The restaurant soon flourished and became the gathering place for public figures, visitors, and locals alike. Johnnys wife, Bertha, developed special recipes