One by one, 12 "La Setima" street signs were auctioned off to the highest bidder in Ybor City.
The signs used to be up on 7th Avenue, but eventually they were taken down after a debate came over the spelling of "7th Avenue" in Spanish. Some said "La Setima" others "La Septima". Come to find out, both are accepted.
"One was more of a colloquium by the immigrants who came here at the turn of the century," Vince Pardo, Manager of Ybor City's Development Corporation said. "And the other is more accepted today with the "P"."
As a compromise of sorts, the city of Tampa recently replaces the old signs with new ones. The current signs now have both the locally accepted versions of the spelling of 7th Avenue in Spanish and the English name.
The old "La Setima" signs sold anywhere from $375 to $600. One of the winning bidders was TV pitchman Anthony Sullivan. Plain ol' curiosity brought Sullivan to the auction. He won two signs.
"I've been living here since 1993. I've lived in Clearwater, in Tampa, and now in St. Petersburg. I've spent many a night on 7th Avenue in Ybor City in my 20's," Sullivan said. "So to own a little piece of history and put it in my office is something that's really unique and rare."
And just like that, history was sold for a grand total of about $6,000. The money raised will go to Ybor City's special tax district to help pay for the new street signs.