Y Pendas & Alvarez cigar Co (copyright 2010 Tom Ufer All Rights Reserved)
Cigar Brands: La Mia, Webster, Farragut, Flor de Y Pendas, and Alvarez
The Y Pendas & Alvarez Cigar Company was founded in 1867 by Ysidro Pendas, Miguel Alvarez and Faustino Lozano. In addition to Ybor City, Y Pendas & Alvarez had a factory in New York City and Cuba.
Pendas and Alvarez were doing business in Ybor City since 1897 at 1416 Spring St. in Tampa. They outgrew the Spring Street factory and moved to this location in May of 1909. This new factory was designed by Fred J. James. At one time it was also the home of Lozano-Pendas and Co. It had clocks on all four sides of its seven-story water tower and accommodated 700 workers.
The factory closed during the general cigar strike of 1910, reopened in January of 1911, and closed for good in December of 1918. Ysidro Pendas died in Brooklyn in 1902
The building was then purchased by E. Regensburg and Sons on May 20, 1920.
In 1921, the Webster Cigar Company was formed in Detroit, MI and aquired all rights to the Webster brand from Y. Pendas and Alverez.
The Hillsborough Box Company bought the property in 1946.
The factory is currently occupied by the Tampa Tarp and Florida Umbrella company.
Comments
Nice pics.
All of the factories seem to be made from the same brick. Interesting!
That building is too rich in history to house an umbrella making company...they need to do something like...oh I dunno...something more exciting than umbrellas. I KNOW!! That building should be a printing press establishment for the 'Manifesto'... That would be a fitting use.
Geez, how many cigars did people smoke that they needed so many dang factories?
For those interested, this is one of 11 factories still standing in West Tampa.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!