By Joey Johnston
TAMPA (May 16, 2025) — The Columbia Restaurant Group, a Tampa culinary and hospitality tradition that dates back through four generations, has become a sponsor for the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame, which will celebrate the game’s local history and heritage by inducting its first class this summer.
Richard Gonzmart, chairman and caretaker of the Columbia Restaurant (Florida’s oldest restaurant, established in 1905), said he believes it’s important to preserve Tampa’s soccer history, which he described as “integral’’ to the area’s social and sporting fabric.
“I didn’t grow up playing soccer — and we didn’t have it when I went to Jesuit High School — but I have grown to love the game and all the good it has done for our area,’’ Gonzmart said. “I have the fondest of memories when the Tampa Bay Rowdies arrived (in 1975) as our first professional team. They were fun and accessible. And we felt like a big-time sports town.
“I am a big advocate for playing sports. It teaches you discipline and makes you a better person and a better student. Soccer is wonderful for boys and girls of all ages. It can get you to college and maybe even to the professional ranks. I think it’s a great idea for the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame to celebrate and promote the game, so we are honored to be a part of it.’’
The TBSHOF, which will induct its first class during an awards dinner on Thursday, Aug. 14 at Tampa’s Higgins Hall, has assembled support from group-ticket buyers and corporate sponsors, along with community members who have joined the Founders Club, a ground-floor opportunity for contributions to secure the honoring of Tampa Bay’s storied soccer history.
Farrukh Quraishi, a former Rowdie and soccer executive who serves on the TBSHOF’s Board of Directors, said the organization is excited about the partnership with the Columbia and respects its long-standing civic leadership in the Tampa Bay area.
“Richard Gonzmart and his Columbia brand have long supported countless entities in our community,’’ Quraishi said. “He brings credibility, stability and a sense of meaningful purpose in everything he does. We are proud to have him on board.’’
