Rinaldi Printing Company, 408 North Howard Avenue,

Rinaldi Printing Company, 408 North Howard Avenue. 1934. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Diamond Pilates, Raw Smoothies Co, 408 North Howard Avenue. 2021. © Chip Weiner

The Rinaldi Printing Company, now known as Rinaldi Printing and Packaging, began in Tampa in 1905. Founded by Clyde Rinaldi, the business has been a staple in Tampa printing and is now run by the fourth generation of the family. The first shop was at 109 Lafayette St. (now E. Kennedy Blvd.) in downtown. Newspaper archives indicate they moved to this property in 1924, shortly after incorporating. This photograph shows heavy vegetation fronting the building, and to the modern eye, it might look run down. However, the vegetation was intentional, as future photographs show the entire building covered.

The Rinaldi business was on the property until 1964. By 1968, it was the Frayne Sportswear sales office, and by 2011, it had been renovated and divided into three shops housing Disco Dolls Salon, Arjuna fashion shop, and Solstice Sports. Currently, the building has five storefronts and businesses, including a Pilates studio, a smoothie store, and a locksmith occupy them.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved

From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol.2