Dave Davis Gents Furnishings, 1202 Franklin Street

View of Dave Davis Gents Furnishings at 1202 Franklin Street. 1925. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Mole Y Abuela, 1202 Franklin Street. 2021 © Chip Weiner

The name of this business was Dave Davis Gent’s Furnishings, and the photo was taken in 1925. Records referring to a store with his name are scarce. In 1927, financial difficulties may be indicated as a Dave Davis offered to trade the store for a four-door Ford. Later that year, a bankruptcy sale was held for men’s clothing, although the store was not named. The Great Depression was just around the corner, and the Florida land bust had begun when this photo was taken. The building remained empty after the business closed.

Tragically, in 1998, when this location was known as the Studio Rave Club and owned by strip club operator Joe Redner, a Pinellas teen died after she inhaled nitrous oxide there. Clearly, at some point during the course of its existence, the north half of the building was demolished. 2006, after a significant renovation, Fly Bar opened here, offering rooftop and sidewalk dining. It closed in 2018, and Mole Y Abuela, a Spanish tapas restaurant, opened in 2019. In 2020, the city leveled charges against the restaurant's liquor license because they were not following citywide mandates surrounding the coronavirus. In June 2020, one of the restaurant's co-owners, Lanfranco Pescante, was accused of posting violent comments on social media, causing widespread criticism. A week later, the restaurant closed indefinitely. Ebbe Vollmer. a Michelin-starred chef, opened Ebbe, a multi-course tasting experience, in the building in 2023.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved

From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol.2