Josie Weaver Weir moved from Selma, Alabama to Gulf Shores, Alabama in the 1940s and opened a café called Jo’s Lunchbox. In 1956, in the same, 1,000-square-foot building, she turned the restaurant into The Anchor gift shop. In 1959, Josie’s son, Clyde Weir, took over the gift shop. He renamed the store Souvenir City after visiting Miami, Flordia on his honeymoon. The store featured a large conch shell during this time. In 1984, when a competitor, Alvins Island announced plans to open directly across the street, Clyde added the original 50-foot shark entrance on the south side of the building, but on Feb. 4, 1996, Souvenir City caught fire and burned to the ground in a devestating fire taking the famous shark and shell with it. Souvenir City reopened on March 1, 1997, it had a new, supersized shark entrance facing Alabama 59. The mouth itself is about 20 feet tall and makes for the perfect photo oppurtunity. July 1, 2006, Mayor George Duke of Gulf Shores Proclaimed the day 'Souvenir City Day' to comemorate the 50th Anniversery of the store. Millions of people vist Gulf Shores, Alabama yearly and Souvenir City is proud to be a part of their vacation memories.