Remembering Jon Allen - The Gentleman of Island House Key West

Portrait of Jon Allen. Photo credit: Christopher Turner

By Tony Adams

We are saddened to learn and announce that Jon Allen, owner of Island House Key West, has passed away. He leaves the Key West community and all who had the pleasure of his hospitality, feeling a profound loss. For two decades, Allen perfected the property, its amenities, and staff, providing the kind of excellent experience that he himself would hope to have when traveling. He succeeded beautifully, and in the process, he received a mountain of awards for community service, business leadership, tourism, and LGBTQ+ support. He also forged lasting friendships in Key West, FL. In a gentlemanly way, he was the embodiment of the “Close to Perfect, Far from Normal, One Human Family,” as Key West calls itself.

While Key West grew as a tourism destination, Island House grew as the premier choice for gay men visiting the city. Guests know that the Island House pool, café, happy hour, and exquisite amenities will provide them with good memories lasting a lifetime. After his husband Martin Kay died, Allen moved to an LGBT community in California, but Key West called him back. He married Bobi Lore who became co-owner of Island House. Together, they made a decision to keep, manage, and grow the business, much to the relief of their thousands of fiercely loyal guests. Under their careful guidance, Island House weathered the pandemic of 2020, keeping their doors open and their guests safe. In December 2020, I sat down with Bobi Lore who was full of energy and optimism about the future of Island House. He says he would love to see it continue to welcome gay men for at least another twenty years. As Allen once noted, they share the same concept of gracious hospitality. Allen once told me, “In my workday, I am surrounded by happy, naked men and wonderful staff who know how to keep them that way from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.” As a frequent guest who enjoyed the fruits of his workday, and as the recipient of his generous support for my annual SMART Ride, I thank him and Bobi for their hospitality at Island House, and I find it hard to imagine returning to Key West without Allen’s welcoming smile.