The Snell Arcade

     "Hey, what's that building?"   It's a question visitors and locals often ask when downtown.   And looking at it you can understand why.  The Snell Arcade catches your attention, it's part Mediterranean Revival and part something else...

​     I'll call it "Snell-esque".

     

Snell Arcade in St Pete

A Snell statue in Straub Park

      Completed in 1928 by C. Perry Snell, a former pharmacist turned real estate mogul, the Snell Arcade is an eclectic mix of styles that strangely enough turned out to be very striking.  It contains elements of gothic, classical, Italian and baroque architecture.  Why?  Because Perry Snell loved the look of Italian, Moorish and Spanish styles.  Over the years he travelled Europe collecting works of art (funded mostly by his first wife).  You can still find some of the statues he collected in waterfront parks and on Snell Isle.  

    His passion for Mediterranean design at one time lined the open air breezeway (or arcade) on the ground floor in the form of sculptures and artwork.   Casts of Venus welcomed all those passing through. Snell's goal was to create beauty first and business second.  His 3rd wife ran a candy shop in the arcade.  A shoe maker, gift shops, beauty parlors and cigar store also occupied the building.
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    The Snell Arcade also housed Bob's Spanish Village Roof Garden during the Roaring 20's.   "Spanish Bob's" was an alfresco rooftop club featuring... girls-beautiful girls...  (as seen from this newspaper advertisement from 1929).  
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Rooftop club in Snell Arcade

   
    I guess during Prohibition they couldn't advertise drink specials, but many nights included dancing and listening to live music beneath the stars.  One old photo shows patrons in a conga line atop the building.  Makes me wonder if there also wasn't a bit of booze served.
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Snell Arcade

    Heavily mortgaged, Snell lost ownership of the arcade during the Great Depression in attempt to continue his dream project... Snell Isle, but that's a story for another time.   

   Today the unique Snell Arcade is a wonderfully preserved mixture of retail and residential, made up of busy shops and offices on lower floors and converted condominiums above.   Since the green cap on the building can be seen from a distance, the Snell Arcade makes an excellent landmark to use when giving people directions.