La Teresita Grocery & Nearby Guayabera Shop

Travel west from the downtown area on Columbus Drive over the Hillsborough river bridge, and soon you will arrive here.

La Teresita Grocery is located on the south west corner of Columbus Drive and Lincoln Avenue.  On the other side of Lincoln Ave. is the Teresita Restaurant.

Because of the many Spanish and Cuban restaurants on Columbus Drive, it is often referred to by locals as "Boliche Blvd."

 
   
The vegetable aisle; walking toward the meat market.
   
La Teresita is always busy, but their efficient family staff can get you on your way in no time.
   

Don't forget to pick up a loaf of pan Cubano.

 

 
   
   

The old and the new represented here, tradition combined with high technology!  Located on the 3300 block of Columbus Drive.

What is a Guayabera you ask?  Place your cursor on the button below to read about it.  Click the button to see it.

The guayabera (also known as a Mexican wedding shirt) is a style of men's shirt popular througout Latin America. The origin of the garment is disputed as various claims have attributed the distinctive style to differing Latin American countries. Usually, though, Mexico and Cuba are listed as originating the shirt. The style is marked by four (lower and upper) or sometimes two (lower only) pockets on the front of the shirt. Two vertical rows of alforzas (pleats, usually ten, that are sewn closely together) run on the front (over the pockets) and back of the shirts. The top of each pocket is usually adorned with a button, as are the bottoms of the alforzas. The Cuban guayabera, unlike the Mexican, also has the alforzas going down the center of the shirt, over the button holes. The bottom of the shirt has three-inch slits on each side engaged with a small button. As a straight-bottomed shirt, it is not tucked into the trousers. The cuffs may be either one-button or French-cuffed. The white, French-cuffed guayabera, worn with a black bowtie, is considered to be equivent to a tuxedo and can be worn as formal attire. Traditionally worn in white, guayaberas are now available in many colors and shades and in short-sleeved version. Cuban designers in exile have modified the original style, creating guayaberas for women as well as guayabera-styled dresses. Guayabera use has spread to many Asian countries, including Thailand and the Philippines, although some sources claim the Filipino Barong Tagalog predates the guayabera. Asian versions normally have embroidery in place of the alforzas. Some Mexican and Panamanian designers have also begun using embroidery and some designers have even used both alforzas and embroidery on their shirts. The origin of the name guayabera may come from a Cuban legend that tells of a poor countryside seamstress sewing large pockets into her husband's shirts for carrying guava (guayabas) from the field, thus creating the guayabera style. The guayabera's name may also have originated from the word yayabero, the word for a person who lived near the Yayabo River in Cuba.
MORE West Tampa pages at Tampapix:
Albany Avenue - See the orignal "Academy of the Holy Names" and cigar factories on Albany Ave.
Columbus Drive Bridge - The Gateway to West Tampa, Hillsborough River & Rivercrest Park
Fire Station No. 9 at Tampania and Chestnut St.
Fort Homer Hesterly Armory has showcased everything from NWA wrestling to JFK, Pink Floyd and Elvis.
George Guida house at MacFarlane Park - Once the home of "Mr. West Tampa"
Howard Avenue - Travel along Howard Ave. from Main St. to St. Louis St.
La Ideal Cafeteria at Tampa Bay Blvd. and Gomez Ave., a popular West Tampa landmark
La Teresita Grocery Store at Columbus Drive and Lincoln Ave.
MacFarlane Park - A favorite of West Tampans, named for the father of West Tampa
Raymond James Stadium - Home of the 2002 NFL Champions Tampa Bay Bucs and Super Bowl 43
Tampa Bay Blvd. Elementary School - Built in 1926 to educate cigar workers' children
West Tampa Little League Ball Park - Home of the 1970 Senior Little League World Champs
 

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