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Gradiaz, Annis, & Co. - Ybor City
Gonzalez Mora & Co. was organized in 1890 in Chicago, after they moved to Tampa in 1894, at some point in time between 1903 and 1915 they changed their name to Gonzalez, Fisher & Co. They built this 51,569 sq. ft. cigar factory building at 2311 18th St. on the southeast corner of 18th St. & 13th Ave. in 1908 to replace a previous one built in 1901 damaged in the Great Ybor City Fire of 1908. The 1903 and 1915 Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. maps show this building occupied by Gonzalez Fisher & Co. and shared by Berriman Bros. and Gonzalez Fisher Co. owned and operated by Berriman Bros., respectively
Over the years, Gonzalez, Fisher & Co./Berriman Bros. shared this factory building with several different cigar manufacturing companies:
In 1908 Gonzalez, Fisher & Co. was sole occupant.
In 1910 the Berriman Bros. Cigar Co. moved from West Tampa to the western half of this facility, while Gonzalez, Fisher & Co. moved into the eastern half.
In 1916 Gonzalez, Fisher & Co. relocated to West Tampa and from 1916 to 1921 the Berriman Bros. was listed as the sole occupant.
In 1922 Marcelino Perez & Co. moved in to the Eastern portion of the building and shared the facility with Berriman Bros. until 1929.
In 1930 Villazón & Co. temporarily occupied the Eastern portion vacated by Marcelino Perez & Co.
From 1931 to 1942 Sanchez & Haya Co. occupied the Eastern portion of the building vacated by Villazón & Co.
Diaz-Havana Co. occupied the Eastern portion from 1946 to 1964.
In 1929 Gradiaz, Annis & Co. relocated their cigar factory from New York City to the Balbin Bros. cigar factory building in West Tampa where they remained four years. That same year 1929, Wengler & Mandell Cigar Co. acquired Berriman Bros. Cigar Co. who occupied and remained in the Western portion of this building. In all, Berriman Bros. occupied this building in whole or in part from 1910 to 1929.
In 1933 Gradiaz, Annis & Co. acquired Wengler & Mandell and in January 1934 moved its operations here from the Balbin Bros. building in West Tampa they co-occupied between 1929 and 1933. On December 31, 1935 Gradiaz, Annis & Co. merged with the Schwab-Davis Co. with the new company retaining the Gradiaz, Annis name. In 1961 Gradiaz, Annis & Co. purchased the Morgan Cigar Co. Gradiaz, Annis & Co. continued to occupy the Western portion of this building until 1963 when acquired by the General Cigar Co. The General Cigar Co. stayed at this facility until 1976 when it relocated to Kingston, PA.
One of the partners of Gradiaz-Annis was Julius B. (Bunny) Annis (1890-1964), a Hungarian immigrant who in the early 1900s became affiliated with "Sanchez & Haya" in New York City beginning as a "drummer" or cigar salesman, who traveled from coast to coast selling to Tobacconists and cigar merchants. His son, Morton Annis (1917-1979), was President of Gradiaz, Annis & Co. when General Cigar acquired it. Morton Annis revolutionized the packaging of cigars with innovations in wood, leather and ceramic containers. He also created colorful holiday packaging for Gold Label and other General Cigar brands.
In 1976 the factory was purchased by the U-Haul Co. of Florida 905 LLC who currently occupies the facilities for rental and storage. This cigar factory building is commonly known as the Gradiaz, Annis & Co. factory building as they were their longest tenant while used as a cigar factory.