Lucas Paint Store, 101 South Franklin
Lucas Paint Store, 101 South Franklin, southwest corner of Franklin and Whiting streets. 1948. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System
Franklin Street Cleaners, 101 South Franklin, 2021. © Chip Weiner
Long before the Lucas Paint store stood here, the Tampa Wholesale Liquor & Wine store sold its goods on this spot. It was in the same vicinity as Fort Brooke and a likely outpost for those who remained after the fort was decommissioned in 1883. Ft Brooke was an incorporated town and was annexed by Tampa in 1907. John Lucas brought his paint store to the Creighton Building around 1940 as Tampa began recovering from the economic turmoil of the Great Depression. It was a business success and ran through 1964.
In 1969, the Electric Blueprint Company provided services, and by 1983 the M.E. Wilson Insurance Company moved in. In1986, an award-winning restoration was done on the building and is now home to Anthem Reporting and Franklin Street Cleaners
© Chip Weiner. All rights reserved
From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol. 1
Creighton Brothers Awning Company, 103 South Franklin, and Lucas Paint Store at 101 South Franklin, in Creighton Building. 1948. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System
Lucas Paint Store, 101 South Franklin Street, with company van. 1945. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System