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Af t e r 3 5
years in the
restaurant
business,
TINA MARIE AVILA
Tina Marie Avila
is still waiting
tables at Casa
Tina, which she
co-owns with her
husband Javier, to keep in touch with her customers
and understand the rigorous demands made of
her staff. In the good old days, she worked seven
days a week serving every table from breakfast to
dinner. The first three years from 1992 to 1995 were
difficult. Perseverance, fortitude, creativity and
faith gave birth to a stronger, wiser, empowered
businesswoman. She has an innate ability to
recognize opportunities as they arise and has
developed quite a creative side. She is deeply
engrained and committed to the community, having
hosted dozens of fundraisers yearly, raising over
$300,000 for local schools and civic organizations.
50 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2021
Tina developed
m u l t i p l e
cultural street
festivals for
Dia de los
Muertos and
Cinco de Mayo,
which have
been highly
attended and enjoyed by thousands. She spends
her free time enjoying the company of her beautiful
children, Christian, 29, and Amanda, 26, as well
as her business and life partner Javier. They share
a common love of adventure and traveling, so far
to 49 countries, and cycling as often as possible.
Tina Marie Avila is co-owner of Casa Tina’s
Mexican, (727) 734-9226, and Pan y Vino,
(727) 734-7700, both restaurants in downtown
Dunedin.