“As you were coming of age in the gay world back in the 70s and 80s, you didn’t have the social atmosphere that you have now,' Smith explained. “When this bar opened as El Goya, it put Tampa on the map of being accepting of gays as well,” said Art Smith, founder and designer of The Wow Biz. It's also home to an important landmark of the area's LGBTQ history.Īt the corner of 7th Avenue and 15th Street, is the home of the former El Goya. The center of downtown Ybor City is home to more than just great food, busy streets, and roosters.
