{La Tropicana’s Cuban sandwich}
La Tropicana Market, a Cuban and Mexican market and cafe located at 5001 Lindenwood Ave., has closed its doors. Luis Trabanco, whose family has owned and operated the market since 1975, stated that La Tropicana temporarily closed in August for personal reasons. “We decided this past week not to reopen,” Trabanco said, adding that there are no plans for new ventures now. “It’s a surrealistic time for the family and me … It hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Trabanco said the family hopes to lease the building at the intersection of Lindenwood and Hereford Street in south St. Louis. “We’re trying to find someone to basically rent the space. It would be great if it would open as a market or Latin restaurant,” he said.
La Tropicana was known for some of its prepared Cuban and Latin American foods, including Cuban sandwiches, which Sauce featured in 2012.
-photo by Jonathan Gayman
This article appears in October 2013.