Exclusive: Iconic wig store in downtown Tampa sold to Accardi brothers
The Paramount Wigs building in downtown Tampa has been sold to the Accardi brothers.

By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jun 21, 2021

The Accardi brothers have acquired another piece of prime real estate in downtown Tampa — a storefront long occupied by Paramount Wigs.

The Accardi brothers have acquired another piece of prime real estate in downtown Tampa — a storefront long occupied by Paramount Wigs.

Twin brothers Jason and John Accardi, who own and operate Seven One Seven Parking Services Inc., partnered with Joe Kokolakis to purchase 902 N. Franklin St. The partners paid $2.75 million for the property in a deal that closed June 15, according to Hillsborough County property records.

The wig store had been in that space for nearly 50 years, the Accardis said, and it will relocate to "a smaller location to better fulfill their needs." Paramount Wigs has a prolific Etsy presence, where it has made nearly 26,000 sales in its five years on the online marketplace.

“The Paramount Wig building is a key acquisition to further activate the final piece of the 900 block of Franklin Street and the vision of the growing entertainment district," John Accardi said in a statement. "We are very excited to immediately pursue options for new concepts and development of the space to complement the surrounding area.”

The Accardis will handle the leasing and marketing of the space, Jason Accardi told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The brothers are among the largest — if not the largest — landowners in downtown Tampa between the surface parking lots they control and their focus on unique and historic properties.

The purchase of the 12,600-square-foot, two-story building gives the Accardis full control of the half-block of North Franklin Street; they own the two other buildings directly north of the wig shop's real estate.

Restaurant and nightclub Franklin Manor was a tenant in the Accardis' property at 912 N. Franklin St. It closed in June 2020 after co-owner Lanfranco Pescante social media comments about racial injustice protestors ignited outrage.

A new nightclub concept, Eden, is getting ready to open in Franklin Manor's former space. LIT Cigar and Martini Lounge recently opened in the building in between Eden and the wig shop at 908 N. Franklin St.>Twin brothers Jason and John Accardi, who own and operate Seven One Seven Parking Services Inc., partnered with Joe Kokolakis to purchase 902 N. Franklin St. The partners paid $2.75 million for the property in a deal that closed June 15, according to Hillsborough County property records.

The wig store had been in that space for nearly 50 years, the Accardis said, and it will relocate to "a smaller location to better fulfill their needs." Paramount Wigs has a prolific Etsy presence, where it has made nearly 26,000 sales in its five years on the online marketplace.

“The Paramount Wig building is a key acquisition to further activate the final piece of the 900 block of Franklin Street and the vision of the growing entertainment district," John Accardi said in a statement. "We are very excited to immediately pursue options for new concepts and development of the space to complement the surrounding area.”

The Accardis will handle the leasing and marketing of the space, Jason Accardi told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The brothers are among the largest — if not the largest — landowners in downtown Tampa between the surface parking lots they control and their focus on unique and historic properties.

The purchase of the 12,600-square-foot, two-story building gives the Accardis full control of the half-block of North Franklin Street; they own the two other buildings directly north of the wig shop's real estate.

Restaurant and nightclub Franklin Manor was a tenant in the Accardis' property at 912 N. Franklin St. It closed in June 2020 after co-owner Lanfranco Pescante's social media comments about racial injustice protestors ignited outrage.

A new nightclub concept, Eden, is getting ready to open in Franklin Manor's former space. LIT Cigar and Martini Lounge recently opened in the building in between Eden and the wig shop at 908 N. Franklin St.