TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Riveters restaurant in Tampa recently received a very special gift from the original “Rosie the Riveters” daughter.
Riveters, located on Dale Mabry Highway, is a WWII-themed restaurant centered around Rosie the Riveter. Operating partner Andres Farfan said the concept comes from his love of history.
“I have always liked the era from the 40s. When I was a kid, Rosie the Riveter was kind of an inspiration,” he said.
The scratch-kitchen restaurant opened last year, during the pandemic.
“I just felt like, in a way, the way things are going now in this casual environment, I just felt like it was a really good opportunity for a female empowerment themed concept… so the idea was just to make everything from scratch, provide a great meal at a great value with a really cool concept and just be able to bring that era back,” Farfan said.
Word about the concept spread and recently, Farfan received an interesting email.
“Out of nowhere, we just got an email from the daughter of the original Rosie the Riveter thanking us for keeping the Rosie spirit alive. So she emailed, ‘I got a present coming to you.’ And I’m like, ‘OK, that’s kind of neat,’” he said.
Farfan said they traded emails back and forth.
“Next thing you know, we get a package and it’s a couple letters and signed posters from her mom and so it was pretty neat just to kind of… it was amazing. Honestly, I felt honored. They’re all the way up north, in the northeast, and for us to receive this, it’s really amazing,” he said.
The photos are signed by the late Naomi Parker Fraley, the original Rosie, before her passing. They can be seen right at the front of the restaurant.
Farfan said the community kept them afloat through the pandemic and he is grateful for everyone’s support.
“It was crazy. It was really crazy. Luckily it became a very good neighborhood restaurant. The community’s been very good to us,” he said.
Riveters is celebrating Rosie the Riveter on “Rosie Day,” March 21. They’ll be holding an open mic night, as well as offering all-day drink specials, a happy hour and hosting a Rosie contest for folks who come to the restaurant dressed up as the icon.
During a normal week, Riveters often has live music, as well as ladies bike night on Tuesdays and car shows on Thursdays.