The building was named for Hugh C. Macfarlane, the "father" of West Tampa.  Located on the northwest corner of Howard Ave. and Chestnut.  Now it is "Boni Sales Store, a door vendor.

1902 Howard Ave.

This Italian palazzo style brick building was built around 1904 by the MacFarlane Investment Company.  With addresses from 1902 to 1908 N. Howard Avenue, it was home to a restaurant at 1902 Howard for over 50 years.  1904 Howard was a hotel on the second floor, 1906 was a series of small shops, and 1908 was a drugstore.

Click to enlarge

Originally built in 1903 to house the Prisciliens C. Fernandez Cigar Company, it later became the office for the MacFarlane Investment Company.  In 1931, the building was expanded in the rear to house the Alessi Bakery. The original location of Alessi Bakery is on the southwest corner of Howard and Chestnut.  This is just south of the Macfarlane Building above.  This building has been painted gray with red trim and is occupied by the Mt. Horeb Assembly church.

Read about the history of Alessi Bakery and see a timeline with pictures

Taking a momentary detour off Howard Avenue, we'll go west on Spruce Street and cross over Armenia Avenue, to turn around and look back at the Arenas Building at 2001 N. Armenia.

This brick building dates back to 1932 when it served as the café for the Santaella cigar factory across the street (now the West Tampa Center for the Arts).

Vivia re-opened as the chef at Datz Deli, located at 2616. S. MacDill Ave.

This Jan. 2011 photo shows the old Sicilian Club at 2001 N. Howard Avenue.
In the 1930s it also housed the Cazin Theatre.  In the 1990s it was a training gym for boxers.

The Sicilian Club Cazin Theatre in 1932

The Sicilian Club Cazin Theatre in 1934, looking south along Howard Avenue

2201 N. Howard Ave.

Olympia and Alessi Bakery were the West Tampa bakery version of  the famous Macy's and Gimbel's of New York.  Olympia is still located here at Howard Ave. and Pine Street.  Alessi moved out of the area many years ago to Cypress St.

Click to see goodies inside

1895 photo of El Grifo cigar factory which once stood at this location

2306 N. Howard Avenue

The West Tampa Centro Español was located here on Howard Ave. between Cherry St. and Palmetto. 

El Centro Español was a mutual aid society / social club that offered affordable membership and provided medical and social services to its members.  Founded on September 7, 1891, and headquartered in Ybor City, this clubhouse was built in 1912 and dedicated on January 11, 1913, for the members who lived in West Tampa.  This building has a Mediterranean Revival style with Moorish details of yellow and red brick. Other features include the wrought iron balcony, terra cotta and brick cornice, and a gable and hip tile roof. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1974.  

Read an excellent article on the creation and role of the Centro Español in Tampa's history, with photos of this building outside in 1914 and inside.

There was also a meeting house in Ybor City which can be seen in the above article.

Larger high resolution photo

Read about the renovation effort, which apparently has fallen behind.

See another photo showing the whole front of the building.

In the 1940s, this was the place to catch a movie or a live singing or dancing act.  Mary Cintra, "The Cuban Bombshell" and actress/dancer "Thongolele" often performed here.

Above, Mary in 1947 when she first came to Tampa.  She frequently performed in clubs; The Imperial Room, The Plaza Lounge, the Centro Español.  She an her group performed in later years at the Mark Twain and the old Brass Wheel.

Left, Mary in 2007

Right:  Mary's memorabilia

2007 Video of Mary Cintra and her husband on the porch of their home in Tampa.
Mary still has that Showbiz blood running through her veins!

At right: Yolanda "Tongolele" Montes (b. Yolanda Ivonne Montes Farrington, January 3, 1932, Spokane, Washington) is an exotic dancer and actress of the Cinema of Mexico. 

In Mexico she is considered the seminal "rumbera" and exotic dancer along Kalantán and Su Muy Key.

Tongolele became a professional dancer when she was only 15 years old. Her father was Spanish/ Swedish, her mother French/English and her maternal grandmother was of Tahitian descent.

She starred in several films from the 1940s through the 1980s but most people remember her from the classic 1971 film Isle of the Snake People starring Boris Karloff in one of his last roles.  Tongolele is still active in television, theatre, and nightclubs. She is still well known in Spain and Latin America.

West Tampa Cigar Factories      

See an excellent photo essay by Hampton Dunn which show pictures of almost every building in West Tampa along Howard Avenue.

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