Tampa's Oxford Exchange is one of the best-designed retail houses I've ever seen. From the stunning marble tile when you enter to the open-air feel of the dining courtyard to the cigar store Indian guarding the bathrooms, every detail exquisitely adds to the sprit of a European street mall transported to the southern United States.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
I've extolled the virtues of Oxford Exchange in the past. The brilliant design touches throughout the building bring a great European flair to Tampa. These caustic tiles are reminiscent of tiles found all over Spain and are likely sourced from Spain or North Africa, where they originated. This particular pattern reminds me of the 1980s videogame, Q*bert.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
The attention to detail is what really makes Tampa's Oxford Exchange shine! Case in point: this is the patterned marble tile that greets you when you arrive. I don't think the architects and designers planned the prism rainbows but I wouldn't put it past them!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 (the predecessor to the excellent a6300).
You can purchase a print of this photograph at Smugmug
Originally built as a stable for the Tampa Bay Hotel, Oxford Exchange is a throwback to English and French shopping galleries with a highly-curated collection of vendors throughout. It is stocked with a great restaurant and the best coffee in the city as well as a bookstore, Warby Parker retail store, unique gift shop and even a haute design coworking space.
As you explore Oxford Exchange, you can tell that every detail was carefully scrutinized at every stage of development... even down to the cigar store indian who guards the entrance to the bathrooms. Keep an eye out for more photos from Oxford Exchange in the future and if you ever make it to Tampa, make sure you stop by for a bite to eat and leave a little time exploring!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.