For those who frequent Ybor City, there's no mistaking the quarter's heritage or what brings them there. I come to Ybor for the entertainment. Hanno Gerstner, the supervisor of the cigar stores where Ramirez hand rolls his line of Gonzalez Y Martinez cigars, said that during its wavering years, Ybor had the reputation as an undesirable part of town. They still have that element here, but slowly they're trying to clean that up. Now, instead of immigrants seeking work at the cigar factories, young professionals are moving into renovated lofts and apartments that are under construction.
Diners now lounge at sidewalk cafes watching the people go by.
It's like going to the French Quarter in New Orleans. All rights reserved.