Convenience stores took the place of neighborhood mom-and-pop groceries starting in the 1950s. Larger grocery chains were building bigger stores, drowning out the smaller ones, but there was still a demand for staple goods close to home.  Lil General opened its first store in Tampa in 1957 at 5303 MacDill Ave. It became their national headquarters as the brand rapidly expanded. This store, along with the laundromat next door, was built in 1958. In 1984, Circle K Corp. paid $100 million for the chain, including this South Howard location.

In 1994, the spot made its transition into food service as restaurateur John Agri opened the Pacific Coast Grill with the then-trending Heart Smart menu of low-fat, high-end eats. In 1996, Ciccio Restaurant Group opened Ciccio & Tony’s here, its first venture as an Italian eatery. The group still operates its restaurant Water + Flour at the location and has expanded its brand

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