Cuesta Apartments, 2502 N Howard Ave

Angel LaMadrid Cuesta, a Spanish immigrant, founded his cigar factory in Atlanta, GA, in 1884. Peregrino Rey joined him in 1886, having just left Cuba as an apprentice cigar maker. After a series of moves and mergers, they formed Cuesta, Rey & Co. on Howard Ave in West Tampa. Established in 1903, this two-story, 9500 sq. ft. building sat across the street from the factory and served as a boardinghouse for cigar company managers.  

Later in the 1900s, some of West Tampa became blighted with a decline in business and a depression in residential values. This building housed several businesses during that time, including the Atlanta Hotel and Restaurant, the Manuel Garcia Restaurant, West Tampa Wholesale Grocery, and Marcus Tavern. The original cigar factory was damaged by fire in 1975 and demolished in 1986, leaving this building as the only remaining structure associated with the company. In 1985, the Gold Nugget Bar and Tavern opened and lasted until 2000. Then, in 2005, businesswoman Barbara Baker purchased it for $235,000, intending to rehabilitate it and open it as a special events center. It is now a multi-tenant building housing professional offices.

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