The boomerang-shaped sign at Clementi’s Lounge gave this Tampa nightspot plenty of roadside personality. Its sweeping outline was the kind of advertising that could catch your attention before you had even read the name. Along busy Armenia Avenue, a distinctive shape helped separate one neighborhood business from the next.
Clementi’s later gave way to other nightlife operations, with changes to the building, parking lot, and sign lettering. The old framework reportedly remained through those transformations, allowing successive businesses to advertise beneath the same unmistakable silhouette. Sometimes a sign’s shape becomes the most enduring part of a property.
UPDATE: Clementi’s is gone, and the property has reportedly continued in nightclub use under other names. The boomerang frame is reported to survive with replacement sign faces, although its present condition could not be independently confirmed. The photograph captures a memorable example of Tampa’s older roadside lounge advertising. 07-26
El Cap Pub
St. Petersburg, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
Also in the area is the El Cap Sports Pub which has been open
for 34 years. They have been voted "best burger" by local publications.
The sign, like the Grant Motel's is a classic. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
El Cap opened under that name in 1958, with Steve and Rose Bonfili taking over the tavern in 1963 and developing its sandwich business. Burgers, cold beer, and a strong connection to baseball helped define the place. Its World Champ Hamburger and collection of sports memorabilia became part of a tradition that brought customers back for decades.
UPDATE: El Cap continues operating following an ownership investment by local restaurateurs in 2023. The new partners pledged to preserve its familiar character, recipes, and neighborhood appeal. Good to see this longtime St. Petersburg burger stop carrying on beneath its recognizable roadside sign. 07-26
Clementi Azucar Lounge (Gone)
El Cap Pub
