In addition to the mutual aid societies of Ybor City, including the Cuban Club and Centro Español, several labor and fraternal organizations also existed. This building resembling a Spanish castle was built at 1500 9th Avenue and was home to the cigar workers and restaurant unions. With the name “Cooperativa El Progreso” above the door, it was a meeting place for several labor unions in Ybor City.

In the summer of 1992, Alan Kahana, owner of several Ybor City properties, opened The Castle. It started as a saloon that served strong drinks while customers danced to a powerful jukebox. It has since morphed into a multi-story Gothic nightclub replete with a DJ playing Industrial, Goth, EBM, and Electro music and featuring The Dungeon, a room filled with upholstered chairs, skulls, and chain spider webs.