Summary: | Antonio Santaella opened a New York factory in 1889, a Key West factory a few years later and in 1905 constructed a tremendous three story structure in West Tampa, surrounded by a while picket fence on the southern most side of the building. His firm had a wide distribution for their cigars in Chicago, the Mississippi Valley, the West, and made a great fanfare in advertising a carload of their cigars which were shipped to Nome, Alaska. The firm's leading label was "Optimo" meaning, the very best. (Funding) Funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Ephemeral Cities Project.
|