Walgreen Drug Store, 700 block of Franklin Street

View of Rialto Theater at 1621 Franklin Street. 1925. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

The Hub Bar, 719 N Franklin St. 2021. © Chip Weiner

The 3-story Hampton Building was constructed in 1900 and was home to several businesses as the core of downtown Tampa continued to form. In the early 1920s, the building housed the Southern Loan & Jewelry Co. on the street level and Tampa Technical College on the second floor. In 1927, McCrory's 5 & 10¢ Stores opened and sold here until 1933, when they filed for bankruptcy. Walgreens Drugs opened its first Florida store here in 1934. After a 41-year run, they closed this store and moved to the former Ferlita building in 1976

The corner underwent many changes after that, including years of vacancy. In 2002, The Hub, a popular self-proclaimed dive bar, moved here from its former location at 701 Florida Ave, and it remains in business today.

From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol. 1