Information about the Cazin up to 1936, from Tampa City Directories:
The Cazin operated at a different location before it occupied the Sicilian Club at 2001 N. Howard. Here’s the story:
According to Tampa city directories, the Cazin family moved from Raleigh NC to Tampa by 1915 and lived at 235 Main St. in WT. (The Cazin family came to the US from Cuba in 1909—They were Turkish-Syrian). Selim Casin was a druggist, but then by 1916 went in to business with J. Vicaris as “Casin & Vicaris”, cigar manufacturers at 233 Main St. in West Tampa.
The Sicilian Society of West Tampa first appears in 1918 at 712 Main St., where they are located through 1926 (when they are listed as the Sicilian Benefit Society.) Their 1922 listing at this address also lists the Siciliana Italian Club.
In 1920, Selim’s son, Leon Cazin, was around 20 years old, living with his parents at 235 Main St., and working as a film operator, probably at the Spanish Casino Theatre (at 1536 Broadway) where he is listed as working from 1922 to 1924.
By 1925, Leon Cazin was operating a dry goods store at 237 Main St, next to the Cazin home at 235 Main. Leon was still in the dry goods business on the 1926 directory.
From 1927 to 1929, the Sicilian Benefit Society had moved to 2112 Main St. It is also in 1927 when Leon Cazin’s “Cazin Theatre” first appears, but located at 1704 N. Howard (not the 2001 Howard location we see in the photos.)
In 1928, Leon runs the theater and the dry goods business, but by 1929, Leon started Cazin & Co, an insurance business, with two other partners, and is no longer in dry goods. He also ran the Cazin Theatre at 1702 Howard, which was probably the same building as 1704 Howard, but expanded.
It is not until 1930 that the Sicilian Club is located at 2001 N. Howard, the location we know today. It’s apparent that if this brick building was built for the club, it was built in 1929, and not in 1919 as previously mentioned. (In 1920 this location is a rooming house; not a business that would be located in a building such as the one we see there now.)
It is also in 1930 that the Cazin Theatre moved from 1702-04 Howard to 2307 Cherry St., where it operates in 1931 as well. Leon also owns the Cazin Italian Theatre at 1731 Broadway in Ybor City in 1931 and is listed as the president of the WT Chamber of Commerce.
The first theater to be mentioned at the Sicilian Club at 2001 N. Howard is the Sicilia Theatre in 1932. The theater is operated by Butler E. Gore. Meanwhile, Leon Cazin is the operator of the Royal Theatre in 1932.
The first mention of the Cazin Theatre at 2001 N. Howard in the Sicilian Club building is in 1933, where it is also listed in 1934 when Leon is listed as the projectionist. It appears that the Sicilian Club was inadvertently omitted from the 1933 directory, but does appear in the 1934 directory in 1934 at the same location.
The Cazin Theatre no longer appears in listings after 1934. In 1935 and 1936, Leon Cazin was a film operator at the Garden Theatre at 907 20th Ave.
The Sicilian Club continued to operate at 2001 N. Howard in 1935 & 1936, but no theatre is listed there. Theatre listings for 1935 and 1936 also do no list the Cazin.
So in conclusion, it appears that the Sicilian Club started around 1917 on Main St., moved into their new building at 2001 N. Howard in 1928-29 where the Sicilia Theatre opened in 1931-32. Then in 1932-33, the theater became Leon Cazin’s “Cazin Theatre” for a couple of years to 1934, having moved from previous locations at 1704 Howard and 2307 Cherry Street.
Here are the directory listings that the above is obtained from:
1936 Sicilian Club – no listing
Cazin Theatre, no listing. Leon Cazin, home 1914 Carmen, film opr Garden Theatre (907 20th Ave, Donald A. Holcomb, mgr.)
1935 Sicilian Club, 2001 N. Howard, Antonio Tagliarino pres, Joseph Ciaravella sec, Gatano Spoto treas.
Cazin Theatre, no listing. Leon Cazin, home 1914 Carmen, film opr Garden Theatre (907 20th Ave, Donald A. Holcomb, mgr.)
1934 – Sicilian Club, 2001 N. Howard, Philip Ciaravella sec.
Cazin Theatre, 2001 N. Howard, Leon Cazin, home 1914 Carmen, projectionist.
1933 – Sicilian Club, no listing.
Cazin Theatre, 2001 N. Howard, Leon Cazin home, 1914 Carmen.
1932 – Sicilia Club and Theater 2001 N. Howard. Philip Ciaravella sec. The theater operator is Butler E. Gore.
Leon Cazin is the operator of the Royal Theater and he lives at 1135 Main St. No listing for Cazin Theater.
1931 Sicilia Club at 2001 N. Howard. Daniele DiBona pres, Giuseppe Cimino sec. No mention of theater.
Cazin Italian Theater at 1731 E. Broadway, Cazin Theater at 2307 Cherry, Leon Cazin at 1139 Main St.
1930 Sicilia Club at 2001 N. Howard. Antonio Italiano pres, Antonio Capello sec, Vito Caruso treas. No mention of theater.
Cazin Theater at 2307 Cherry, Leon Cazin Pres. WT Chamber of Comm, lives at 1139 Main.
1929 Sicilia Club 2112 Main, Tony Saladano mgr. No mention of theater.
Cazin Theatre 1702 N. Howard, Leon Cazin lives at 1137 main, Cazin & Co insurance at 2133 Main with Robt. L. Hendershot & Peter Albano.
1928 Sicilia Italian Club 2112 Main, Antonio Italiano pres. No mention of theater.
Cazin Theatre 1702 N. Howard, Leon Cazin Dry Goods 1137 Main, Leon Cazin 1137 ½ Main.
1927 Sicilian Benefit Society, 2112 Main, Antonio Italiano, pres.
Cazin Theatre 1704 Howard, Leon Cazin 1137 ½ Main.
1926 Sicilian Benefit Society W. 712 Main.
Leon Cazin, dry goods and home, 237 Main.
1925 Sicilian Society 712 W. Main.
Leon Cazin dry goods 237 Main, home 235 Main.
1924 Sicilian Society 712 Main.
Leon Cazin, home 235 Main, film operator at Casino Theater (1536 E. Broadway)
1923 Sicilian Society 712 Main, A. Capello sec.
No listing for Cazin, directory skips from Cam to Das.
1922 Siciliana Italian Club and Sicilian Society, 712 Main, S. Italiano pres, Vito Caruso VP, S Antinori treas, A. Cappelli sec. A.Vicari coll.
Leon Cazin, home 263 Main, works at Spanish Casino Theater
1921 Sicilian Society of West Tampa, 712 Main, Stefano Italiano pres, Antonio Cappello sec.
Selim Cazin & Hala (Leon’s parents) cigar mfr 233 Main, home 235 Main. No listing for Leon.
1920 Sicilian Society, 712 Main St, A. Feraro pres, S. Antinori treas, A. Cappello sec,
Leon Cazin, home 235 Main, film operator.
1919 Sicilian Society, 712 Main, S. Italiano pres, S. Antinori treas, A. Cappello sec.
Cazin – no listing
1918 Sicilian Society of West Tampa, 712 Main, Stephen Italiano pres,
Selim Cazin, cigar mfr 233 Main, home 235 Main.
1917 Sicilian Society – no listing
Selim Cazin, cigar mfr 233 Main, home 235 Main
1916 Sicilian Society – no listing
Selim Cazin, home 235 Main, S. Cazin & J. Vicaris, cigar mfrs, 233 Main
1915 Sicilian Society – no listing
Cazin, Salim 235 Main, druggist
1914 Sicilian Society – no listing
Cazin – no listing
My parents had their wedding reception here on the 2nd floor in 1948. The West Tampa Chamber of Commerce website says it was built in 1916 by the Sicilians as the Sicilian Club.
Nice work, Nick! So the soda fountain was about a block away from the Victory Theater, and same block, across from where the Tampa Theater was built in 1926.
Thanks DW! The soda fountain photo is from 1925. The write up here wasn’t clear to me when the Victory became the Palace. But if that transition didn’t take place after 1930, then as you said, it seems likely that the fountain wouldn’t have been called the Palace if it was still in the Victory in 1925.
Does anyone know if the “Palace Soda Fountain” was located in the Palace Theater? Fla. State archives has a photo of this soda fountain, but doesn’t relate it to the theater: http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/29183
There was another San Carlos theater in Key West before this one, owned and operated by James Harold “Harry” Burgert, one of the Burgert brothers family of photographers. Maybe it operated in a different building. It was in operation from as early as 1911 to 1912 and featured moving pictures and vaudeville acts. See about halfway down this web page, in the section about Harry Burgert. http://www.tampapix.com/BB3.htm. There are ads there for this theater, but they don’t give the address.
Shakey’s Pizza Parlor was on the west side of Fla. Ave. at Bird St. Hear this radio ad I posted a while back. I think you’ll need to be a Facebook member to hear it, since I posted it at Tampa Natives facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=405216566157221&set=o.144613012277765&type=3&permPage=1
You can see the trailer park across the street in this 1957 Graber Aerial photo at the USF Digital Archives online. The photo is upside down, they have south at the top and north at the bottom. It needs to be rotated 180 degrees. http://digital.lib.usf.edu/downloads/?doi=G23-5700754&scale=1200&format=jpeg
If you zoom in on the 1969 historic aerial at the link the NYozoner posted, you can see just below and right of the Dale Mabry entrance marqee, the Biff Burger restaurant so popular with the drive-in patrons. You can even see the striped rooftop. Immediately behind it (to the right), is the triangular shaped playground.
I saw Superman here at the indoor theater, either in Dec. 1978 or early 1979. Notice the slope of the parking lot; it was high in one part, but had a slight bowl shape low elsewhere, maybe with a storm drain in the lowest part. I don’t recall if it was the time I saw Superman; but one evening there was a typical Tampa downpour during the movie, unknown to anyone watching the movie in the theater. When the movie ended and we went out to our cars, the whole lowest lying area of the parking lot flooded. Dozens of cars parked in that part of the lot were flooded halfway up to the door handles. Luckily, I was not one parked there. -Dan Perez
Thanks for the offer, Nick. That would be great if you could get a copy of it and email to me or post here. I have a friend who is the son of John Cinchett, owner of the neon sign company who did many of the neons for Tampa businesses in the 50s and 60s. When I saw your grand opening ad, I emailed it to him and he said his dad did do the signage, and hoped to see if there was an ad from him as well. You can see much more of Cinchett’s signs here: http://www.tampapix.com/vintagetampasigns1.htm
Nick, I’m interested in the ads you mention that were too large to scan. Was there one from the Cinchett Neon Sign company in Tampa? I believe they may have done the neon signage for the Tower Drive In entrance. Thanks. (Dan P.)
You can also see the Ritz in the distance.
Also visible is the West Tampa water tank when it was painted checkerboard red and white.
Video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hgQr1AFYXY. Screen shots have been enhanced for color correction and brightness.
The ad appears to show “4800 Cypress.”
Information about the Cazin up to 1936, from Tampa City Directories: The Cazin operated at a different location before it occupied the Sicilian Club at 2001 N. Howard. Here’s the story:
According to Tampa city directories, the Cazin family moved from Raleigh NC to Tampa by 1915 and lived at 235 Main St. in WT. (The Cazin family came to the US from Cuba in 1909—They were Turkish-Syrian). Selim Casin was a druggist, but then by 1916 went in to business with J. Vicaris as “Casin & Vicaris”, cigar manufacturers at 233 Main St. in West Tampa.
The Sicilian Society of West Tampa first appears in 1918 at 712 Main St., where they are located through 1926 (when they are listed as the Sicilian Benefit Society.) Their 1922 listing at this address also lists the Siciliana Italian Club.
In 1920, Selim’s son, Leon Cazin, was around 20 years old, living with his parents at 235 Main St., and working as a film operator, probably at the Spanish Casino Theatre (at 1536 Broadway) where he is listed as working from 1922 to 1924.
By 1925, Leon Cazin was operating a dry goods store at 237 Main St, next to the Cazin home at 235 Main. Leon was still in the dry goods business on the 1926 directory.
From 1927 to 1929, the Sicilian Benefit Society had moved to 2112 Main St. It is also in 1927 when Leon Cazin’s “Cazin Theatre” first appears, but located at 1704 N. Howard (not the 2001 Howard location we see in the photos.)
In 1928, Leon runs the theater and the dry goods business, but by 1929, Leon started Cazin & Co, an insurance business, with two other partners, and is no longer in dry goods. He also ran the Cazin Theatre at 1702 Howard, which was probably the same building as 1704 Howard, but expanded.
It is not until 1930 that the Sicilian Club is located at 2001 N. Howard, the location we know today. It’s apparent that if this brick building was built for the club, it was built in 1929, and not in 1919 as previously mentioned. (In 1920 this location is a rooming house; not a business that would be located in a building such as the one we see there now.)
It is also in 1930 that the Cazin Theatre moved from 1702-04 Howard to 2307 Cherry St., where it operates in 1931 as well. Leon also owns the Cazin Italian Theatre at 1731 Broadway in Ybor City in 1931 and is listed as the president of the WT Chamber of Commerce.
The first theater to be mentioned at the Sicilian Club at 2001 N. Howard is the Sicilia Theatre in 1932. The theater is operated by Butler E. Gore. Meanwhile, Leon Cazin is the operator of the Royal Theatre in 1932.
The first mention of the Cazin Theatre at 2001 N. Howard in the Sicilian Club building is in 1933, where it is also listed in 1934 when Leon is listed as the projectionist. It appears that the Sicilian Club was inadvertently omitted from the 1933 directory, but does appear in the 1934 directory in 1934 at the same location.
The Cazin Theatre no longer appears in listings after 1934. In 1935 and 1936, Leon Cazin was a film operator at the Garden Theatre at 907 20th Ave.
The Sicilian Club continued to operate at 2001 N. Howard in 1935 & 1936, but no theatre is listed there. Theatre listings for 1935 and 1936 also do no list the Cazin.
So in conclusion, it appears that the Sicilian Club started around 1917 on Main St., moved into their new building at 2001 N. Howard in 1928-29 where the Sicilia Theatre opened in 1931-32. Then in 1932-33, the theater became Leon Cazin’s “Cazin Theatre” for a couple of years to 1934, having moved from previous locations at 1704 Howard and 2307 Cherry Street.
Here are the directory listings that the above is obtained from: 1936 Sicilian Club – no listing Cazin Theatre, no listing. Leon Cazin, home 1914 Carmen, film opr Garden Theatre (907 20th Ave, Donald A. Holcomb, mgr.) 1935 Sicilian Club, 2001 N. Howard, Antonio Tagliarino pres, Joseph Ciaravella sec, Gatano Spoto treas. Cazin Theatre, no listing. Leon Cazin, home 1914 Carmen, film opr Garden Theatre (907 20th Ave, Donald A. Holcomb, mgr.) 1934 – Sicilian Club, 2001 N. Howard, Philip Ciaravella sec. Cazin Theatre, 2001 N. Howard, Leon Cazin, home 1914 Carmen, projectionist. 1933 – Sicilian Club, no listing. Cazin Theatre, 2001 N. Howard, Leon Cazin home, 1914 Carmen. 1932 – Sicilia Club and Theater 2001 N. Howard. Philip Ciaravella sec. The theater operator is Butler E. Gore. Leon Cazin is the operator of the Royal Theater and he lives at 1135 Main St. No listing for Cazin Theater. 1931 Sicilia Club at 2001 N. Howard. Daniele DiBona pres, Giuseppe Cimino sec. No mention of theater. Cazin Italian Theater at 1731 E. Broadway, Cazin Theater at 2307 Cherry, Leon Cazin at 1139 Main St. 1930 Sicilia Club at 2001 N. Howard. Antonio Italiano pres, Antonio Capello sec, Vito Caruso treas. No mention of theater. Cazin Theater at 2307 Cherry, Leon Cazin Pres. WT Chamber of Comm, lives at 1139 Main. 1929 Sicilia Club 2112 Main, Tony Saladano mgr. No mention of theater. Cazin Theatre 1702 N. Howard, Leon Cazin lives at 1137 main, Cazin & Co insurance at 2133 Main with Robt. L. Hendershot & Peter Albano. 1928 Sicilia Italian Club 2112 Main, Antonio Italiano pres. No mention of theater. Cazin Theatre 1702 N. Howard, Leon Cazin Dry Goods 1137 Main, Leon Cazin 1137 ½ Main. 1927 Sicilian Benefit Society, 2112 Main, Antonio Italiano, pres. Cazin Theatre 1704 Howard, Leon Cazin 1137 ½ Main. 1926 Sicilian Benefit Society W. 712 Main. Leon Cazin, dry goods and home, 237 Main. 1925 Sicilian Society 712 W. Main. Leon Cazin dry goods 237 Main, home 235 Main. 1924 Sicilian Society 712 Main. Leon Cazin, home 235 Main, film operator at Casino Theater (1536 E. Broadway) 1923 Sicilian Society 712 Main, A. Capello sec. No listing for Cazin, directory skips from Cam to Das. 1922 Siciliana Italian Club and Sicilian Society, 712 Main, S. Italiano pres, Vito Caruso VP, S Antinori treas, A. Cappelli sec. A.Vicari coll. Leon Cazin, home 263 Main, works at Spanish Casino Theater 1921 Sicilian Society of West Tampa, 712 Main, Stefano Italiano pres, Antonio Cappello sec. Selim Cazin & Hala (Leon’s parents) cigar mfr 233 Main, home 235 Main. No listing for Leon. 1920 Sicilian Society, 712 Main St, A. Feraro pres, S. Antinori treas, A. Cappello sec, Leon Cazin, home 235 Main, film operator. 1919 Sicilian Society, 712 Main, S. Italiano pres, S. Antinori treas, A. Cappello sec. Cazin – no listing 1918 Sicilian Society of West Tampa, 712 Main, Stephen Italiano pres, Selim Cazin, cigar mfr 233 Main, home 235 Main. 1917 Sicilian Society – no listing Selim Cazin, cigar mfr 233 Main, home 235 Main 1916 Sicilian Society – no listing Selim Cazin, home 235 Main, S. Cazin & J. Vicaris, cigar mfrs, 233 Main 1915 Sicilian Society – no listing Cazin, Salim 235 Main, druggist 1914 Sicilian Society – no listing Cazin – no listing
My parents had their wedding reception here on the 2nd floor in 1948. The West Tampa Chamber of Commerce website says it was built in 1916 by the Sicilians as the Sicilian Club.
Nice work, Nick! So the soda fountain was about a block away from the Victory Theater, and same block, across from where the Tampa Theater was built in 1926.
Thanks DW! The soda fountain photo is from 1925. The write up here wasn’t clear to me when the Victory became the Palace. But if that transition didn’t take place after 1930, then as you said, it seems likely that the fountain wouldn’t have been called the Palace if it was still in the Victory in 1925.
Does anyone know if the “Palace Soda Fountain” was located in the Palace Theater? Fla. State archives has a photo of this soda fountain, but doesn’t relate it to the theater: http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/29183
There was another San Carlos theater in Key West before this one, owned and operated by James Harold “Harry” Burgert, one of the Burgert brothers family of photographers. Maybe it operated in a different building. It was in operation from as early as 1911 to 1912 and featured moving pictures and vaudeville acts. See about halfway down this web page, in the section about Harry Burgert. http://www.tampapix.com/BB3.htm. There are ads there for this theater, but they don’t give the address.
Sorry, meant to include that the Shakey’s radio ad is from 1966, when it just opened.
Shakey’s Pizza Parlor was on the west side of Fla. Ave. at Bird St. Hear this radio ad I posted a while back. I think you’ll need to be a Facebook member to hear it, since I posted it at Tampa Natives facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=405216566157221&set=o.144613012277765&type=3&permPage=1
Also, this is before I-75 (now I-275) was built just to the right of the drive-in.
You can see the trailer park across the street in this 1957 Graber Aerial photo at the USF Digital Archives online. The photo is upside down, they have south at the top and north at the bottom. It needs to be rotated 180 degrees. http://digital.lib.usf.edu/downloads/?doi=G23-5700754&scale=1200&format=jpeg
If you zoom in on the 1969 historic aerial at the link the NYozoner posted, you can see just below and right of the Dale Mabry entrance marqee, the Biff Burger restaurant so popular with the drive-in patrons. You can even see the striped rooftop. Immediately behind it (to the right), is the triangular shaped playground.
I saw Superman here at the indoor theater, either in Dec. 1978 or early 1979. Notice the slope of the parking lot; it was high in one part, but had a slight bowl shape low elsewhere, maybe with a storm drain in the lowest part. I don’t recall if it was the time I saw Superman; but one evening there was a typical Tampa downpour during the movie, unknown to anyone watching the movie in the theater. When the movie ended and we went out to our cars, the whole lowest lying area of the parking lot flooded. Dozens of cars parked in that part of the lot were flooded halfway up to the door handles. Luckily, I was not one parked there. -Dan Perez
Nick, thanks so much! This is great!
Thanks for the offer, Nick. That would be great if you could get a copy of it and email to me or post here. I have a friend who is the son of John Cinchett, owner of the neon sign company who did many of the neons for Tampa businesses in the 50s and 60s. When I saw your grand opening ad, I emailed it to him and he said his dad did do the signage, and hoped to see if there was an ad from him as well. You can see much more of Cinchett’s signs here: http://www.tampapix.com/vintagetampasigns1.htm
See photo: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/32472/photos/29840
Nick, I’m interested in the ads you mention that were too large to scan. Was there one from the Cinchett Neon Sign company in Tampa? I believe they may have done the neon signage for the Tower Drive In entrance. Thanks. (Dan P.)