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Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands Circle Celebrates 50th Anniversary
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| 07/21/2009 |
Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands Circle Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Proud to be Sarasota’s Oldest Restaurant
TAMPA, Fla., July 20, 2009 - - On Sunday, July 19th The family-owned Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands Circle celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a complimentary lunch for over 300 couples who have been married for 50 years or more.
The Columbia is Sarasota’s oldest restaurant, and is a sister to the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa’s Historic Ybor City. The original Columbia opened 104 years ago serving Cuban sandwiches and café con leche to cigar factory workers. Today, The Columbia of Ybor City is the oldest restaurant in Florida.
“It is a tremendous accomplishment to celebrate 50 years or more of marriage, and we are honored to celebrate our 50th anniversary with so many who are celebrating their own special anniversaries,” said Richard Gonzmart, President and fourth generation family member.
The record for being married the longest was shared by four couples who have been married for 67 years.
Throughout the day, fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the Gonzmart family greeted their guests, and were treated to the secrets of a long and happy marriage; including:
• Enjoy a martini every day for dinner
• Never go to bed mad
• Marriage is not 50-50. Some times one person gives 90%,
while the other gives 10%.
The Columbia restaurant on St. Armands Circle was opened by the second and third generation family members of the Hernandez Gonzmart family. Casimiro Hernandez Jr. (second generation) and Cesar Gonzmart (who married third generation family member Adela Hernandez Gonzmart) opened the Columbia on St. Armand Circle in 1959.
Other Columbia locations include the historic district in St. Augustine, The Pier in St. Petersburg, Sand Key in Clearwater Beach, Central Florida’s town of Celebration, and the family’s newest venture opened in 2009, the Columbia Café at the Tampa Bay History Center. All Columbia Restaurants are owned and operated by the Gonzmart family, fourth and fifth generation members of the founding family.
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