Odorite was manufactured chemicals, primarily cleaners and sealants for terrazzo floors in the 1950s. In 1959, the company changed its name to Chemex Industries Inc., manufacturers of chemicals like insecticides, detergents, and waxes.

The company continued to expand for the next two decades, eventually opening several Chemex Paint and Decor Centers in the Tampa Bay area. The paint was advertised as having a 15-year warranty for cracks and peeling. Records at the Florida Division of Corporations show a corporate merger in 2003 for Chemex. That same year, Sun Coating Inc., a manufacturer of asphalt, was in this building where, tragically, a man became trapped in a vat of mixed asphalt products and lost his leg. Gardner Ennis, LLC now owns the property.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved