BuzzWorthyitems of note
Adela Hernandez Gonzmart,
the late musician, philanthropist
and restaurateur, whose
grandfather founded Tampa’s
Columbia Restaurant in Ybor
City, the oldest restaurant in
Florida and the largest Spanish
restaurant in the United States, was
featured by the Florida Humanities
in its Forum Magazine as one of 18
“Unforgettable Florida Women.”
Born in Tampa in 1920, she and her
husband César Gonzmart helped
the family restaurant flourish
until her death in 2001. Adela, a
graduate of the Julliard School
of Music, was a concert pianist
who played at Carnegie Hall. She
helped to establish the Tampa
Symphony Orchestra and was a
founder of the Ballet Folklorico of
Ybor and the Ybor City Museum.
A savvy businesswoman, she
served three consecutive terms
as president of the Ybor City
Chamber of Commerce and served
on the Latin advisory committee
at the University of South Florida.
Her sons and their children
continue to own and operate the
Columbia Restaurant Group of
dining establishments.
66 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
GRAM
Niko Alvertos
has opened the
Papous Kouzina
Greek eatery at
2475 N. McMullen
Booth Road in the
Countryside area
of Clearwater,
where he is serving
authentic Greek
cuisine for lunch
and dinner.
Josh Bomstein, president of Creative Contractors
in Clearwater, has announced that work will soon
begin on a new Lower Education building and
Chapel at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa,
designed by architectural firm Behar Peteranecz. The
27,036-square-foot elementary education building
will include 12 state-of-the-art classrooms, space for
afterschool activities and a new Center for Science,
Engineering and Technology. The 8,000-square-foot
Chapel will house a 440-seat main worship space,
36-seat side chapel, prayer nook, meeting room,
archival/gallery space, sacristy, bell tower, labyrinth,
as well as a Zen & Gethsemane Garden.
GRAM
Julie Dressel and
Andrew Ashton, owners
of LaPosh Salon in
Clearwater, welcomed two
new hair stylists, Daniel,
a master barber, stylist
and color specialist with
25 years experience from
Denver, Colorado, and
Omar, a stylist, artist and
advanced cutting and color
specialist with 10 years
experience, who recently
returned to the Tampa
Bay area.
Groupers on the Gulf owners Betty and
Michael Alfaro had their official grand
opening and ribbon cutting for their Indian
Rocks Beach casual seafood restaurant,
which they’ve operated for a year with
their sons Michael, Marcus and Matthew.
MARIA ETAYYEM
Daniel
Omar