USF librarian to discuss piece of Tampa’s history
Students will get an in-depth look at a “real staple” in Tampa’s culture today: Ybor City’s Columbia Restaurant.
USF assistant librarian Andy Huse will discuss his book “The Columbia Restaurant: Celebrating a Century of History, Cultures, and Cuisine” in the Grace Allen Room on the fourth floor of the Library at 2:30 p.m.
Huse will talk about the history of the restaurant, which spans more than 100 years, said Program Assistant for the USF Humanities Institute Melanie Formentin.
“Tampa has such a rich history,” Formentin said. “(The Columbia Restaurant) is just one of the pieces of that history.”
Formentin said the owners of the restaurant, the Gonzmart family, approached Huse a few years ago as the centennial anniversary of the restaurant’s opening approached. The restaurant, which originally opened in Ybor City in 1905, now has seven locations throughout Florida.
The Gonzmart family asked Huse to write the book, which archives the restaurant’s history through interviews, photographs, recipes and more, Formentin said.
With two master’s degrees from USF – one in history and one in library and information sciences – Formentin said Huse is “homegrown.”
“He is local; he is from USF,” she said. “At the Humanities Institute we think it’s important to highlight staff members.”
Huse, who has a specific interest in culinary and Florida history, works in the Library’s Special Collections Department and conducts interviews for the Library’s Oral History program.
Formentin said she expects 40 to 50 attendees at the event, which is sponsored by the USF Humanities Institute.
More Stories
Thank you to Oracle readers and supporters
Dear reader: In April, we told you of The Oracle’s challenges as we transition to a fully-digital paper – from budget cuts to a lack of updated technology. We asked for your help and you stepped up. Through your contributions, we raised over $800 just one month after announcing our new fund with the USF […]
Florida’s ‘Stop Woke’ law could endanger USF students’ education, professors say
Elizabeth Aranda has been educating students on Latino history for over two decades. Aranda, a USF sociology professor, said she wouldn’t be able to do her job if Florida’s “Stop Woke” law were put into effect. “Imagine you are an orchestra conductor but you’re missing every third page of the musical score,” Aranda said. “There […]
USF’s decision to replace ‘cultural icon’ Pollo Tropical is disappointing, students say
Upon arriving in Tampa, junior criminology major Ana Hernandez said she felt a certain culture shock. Hernandez, who moved from Venezuela to Miami as a child, found it hard to find familiar food as often as she did in Miami, where the Hispanic community is bigger. USF’s on-campus Pollo Tropical, located just a brief walk […]
New USF residential hall at the Sarasota-Manatee campus to open in August
USF Sarasota-Manatee will open its first residential hall in late August, joining Tampa and St. Pete as a residential campus. With a $43.95 million price tag, the new building will serve as both a student center and residential hall. It will open on Aug. 23, the Friday before fall classes begin. The dorm will allow […]
USF professors discuss 2024 primary: ‘Do not skip this election’
The clock is ticking with less than a month left to register by July 22 for this year’s primary election. With critical races like local school boards and Senate on the line, USF professors are urging students to make their voices heard this election season. Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan is a political science professor and the […]
Former USF football player killed in car crash
Former USF tight end Teigan Martin was killed in a single-car crash in Minnesota on Monday morning, according to the Carver County Sheriff’s office. First responders responded to a report of a crash on County Road 122 near Hollywood Township, MN, just after 5 a.m., according to a sheriff’s press release. Deputies discovered a vehicle […]