The building on the southwest corner of 7th Avenue and 16th Street, constructed in 1908, has long been a fixture of Ybor City, serving as home to various retail businesses over the years. Originally designed with retail space on the ground floor and residential units above, it has witnessed the neighborhood's evolution.

In 1956, Al Valasco opened Albert’s Jewelry in Ybor City and, in 1960, moved the business to this building at 1535 E. Broadway Avenue (now 7th Avenue). Valasco closed the shop in early 1971 and consolidated his operations at Fiesta Plaza on Armenia Avenue.

In 1974, as Ybor City grappled with urban blight and population decline, Raul C. Rodriguez opened La Ultramar Jewelers in the same space. Despite the neighborhood's challenges, the store operated for over three decades until around 2007, when it relocated to 3409 W. Columbus Drive. The building then remained vacant for several years. La Ultramar Jewelers Gun and Pawn is still on Columbus, but may not be open.

In 2013, after much local resistance to the influx of national chains to Ybor, a 7-Eleven convenience store opened at the corner. This marked a new chapter for the building, which remains a central fixture in the historic district's retail hub. In 2021, construction began in the long-vacant parcel next door, where the Ybor Seoul restaurant and the Sterling Cigar Bar were built, as seen in the 2025 photos.

For those interested in owning a piece of Ybor City's history, the building—now with 7-Eleven as an anchor tenant—was listed for sale in mid-2025 at $6.95 million.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved