Columbia marks 104th birthday

By The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 21, 2009

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TAMPA --

A Tampa landmark commemorated 104 years in business Sunday with its annual 1905 Day celebration.

Throngs of people circled the Columbia Restaurant on Seventh Avenue in Ybor City, waiting up to three hours to enjoy a limited menu of signature dishes such as the 1905 Salad, boliche, chicken and yellow rice and flan - all at dirt-cheap prices.

Paul Reichard of St. Augustine and his family drove in from Gainesville. "Our (Columbia) restaurant is closed for renovations, and it's a tradition in our family to come after the Gators game," he said. "This is our 10th year."

Four other Columbia restaurants - Sarasota, Sand Key, St. Petersburg and Celebration - also offered the discounts.

"It's a celebration of our annual anniversary and a payback to our loyal customers who have supported us throughout the years," said General Manager Jim Garris. "This year's crowd is much larger than we expected."

Lois Kindle