Pasadena Liquors and Fine Wines

THE VALENTY FAMILY HAS BEEN SERVING THE ST PETERSBURG AREA FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, SINCE JOHN AND JOSEPHINE (MOM) VALENTY MOVED HERE IN 1964. THE VALENTY FAMILY BEGAN ON 4TH STREET SOUTH WITH BURLEY'S TAVERN. JOHN VALENTY SAW THE GROWTH OF THE SEMINOLE AREA AND STARTED "JOHN'S DISCOUNT LIQUORS" IN THE YEAR 1967. THE STORE THERE GREW FROM A 1000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING TO AN EXPANSION OF 4000. STILL SEEING GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS JOHN & JOSEPHINE ACQUIRED THE TRIANGLE PACIFIC LUMBER COMPANY RETAIL BUILDING ON THE CORNER OF 70TH AVENUE AND SEMINOLE BOULEVARD IN 1974, MAKING IT AT THAT TIME THE LARGEST RETAIL LIQUOR STORE IN THE AREA WITH 13,000 SQUARE FEET. AFTER SELLING THE SEMINOLE STORE THE FAMILY AGAIN STARTED A NEW OPERATION IN SOUTH PASADENA. THE NEW STORE WOULD BE KNOWN AS "PASADENA DISCOUNT LIQUORS". THIS STORE BEGAN AS AN 800 SQ/FT BUILDING. AGAIN SEEING GROWTH POTENTIAL THE FAMILY BUILT A NEW BUILDING AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE OLD BUILDING WITHOUT LOOSING A DAY OF BUSINESS. THE OPERATION WAS RUN FROM 2200 SQ/FT RETAIL. IN 1987, A NEW BUSINESS WAS ADDED TO THE PACKAGE STORE, "VALENTY'S LOUNGE". JOHN PASSED AWAY IN 1990, LEAVING A TRUE LEGACY IN THE AREA, AS ONE OF THE FEW GENTLEMAN IN THE BUSINESS, ALONG WITH HIS COINED PHRASE "WE'RE NOT HERE TO MAKE MONEY, WE'RE HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS". AS THE 90'S TOOK OVER THE DECADE, SO DID JOHN'S TWO SONS JIM & BOB ALONG WITH HIS WIFE JOSEPHINE, (MOM) TO ALL HER CUSTOMERS. THE TURN OF THE CENTURY SAW ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN THE STORES OPERATION WITH THE NEW ADDITION OF A 3200 SQ/FOOT WINE STORE. WE ARE PROUD TO DEDICATE THIS HISTORY TO THE MEMORY OF "BIG JOHN" VALENTY AND THE WORK ETHIC AND KNOWLEDGE HE GAVE TO HIS "FAMILEE", AND THEREFOR, "PASADENA LIQUORS & FINE WINES". – Description from AlexJelena    (hide)