Davis Islands Supermarket — Old Tampa Photos Home

Davis Islands Supermarket, 304 East Davis Blvd.

Davis Islands Supermarket-304 East Davis Blvd. circa mid-1960s. Skip Gandy. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection. In this intriguing Gandy photograph with no specific date, the background features the former Davis Islands Coliseum. (to the left) Additionally, there is a trashcan located at the front that is stenciled with the message "Don't Be a Litter Bug." The light from Standard Gas Station, situated next door (far right), adds to the nostalgic feel of a bygone era.

As Davis Islands grew after the second world war, there was an increasing need for a local grocery store. Peter Gregorio met that need in 1955 when he built the Davis Island Supermarket at 304 East Davis Blvd. for $20,000. In 1960 he sought and was awarded a license to sell beer and wine. Gregoria was a native Chicagoan and came to Tampa to MacDill Air Force Base as a navigator-bombardier on a B-26 bomber. After World War II, he and his wife Marie settled here.

The 1950s was a prosperous time in our economy. Lettuce sold for $.19 a head, potatoes 5 pounds for $.29, and 1 pound of Chase and Sanborn instant coffee was $.79. The retail trend was to move away from neighborhood mom-and-pop grocery stores as chains like Table Supply began taking over in the mid-1940s. Grocers discovered that products were cheaper as a conglomerate. That didn’t appear to phase Pete. He liked his independence. He was a gregarious grocer, charming customers with familiar jokes and loud laughs. Locals called the store “Pete’s.” Many Davis Islands kids got their first jobs at the market, either bagging groceries or delivering food to homes.

Pete’s son Frank took over when Pete retired. As the years passed, they had difficulty competing against larger, more modern stores. By the early 2000s, Kash n’ the Karry had moved on to nearby Swann Avenue and Publix onto Platt Street. Pete died in 1999 at the age of 82. The store closed in 2002, and the building was converted into five individual retail spaces. While the family held onto the property, after nearly 50 years, “Pete’s” closed down. A Subway sandwich shop, a dog groomer, a nail salon, and two bars now do business in the building.