Explore the Famous Sponge Exchange

The Sponge Exchange

A shopping Village in the historic Sponge Exchange

the historic sponge exchange

The Historic Sponge Exchange at The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

In 1908, The Sponge Exchange was founded. It gave the sponge divers a place to store, categorize, and grade their sponges while waiting to sell them at auction once a week.

Now The Sponge Exchange Offers More Than 30 Specialty Shops and Restaurants Featuring Unique and Unusual Fashions and Gifts from Greece and Around The World.

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Featured Businesses

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Candle Boutique

We produce hand-poured, small-batch scented candles. You always get high-quality beautifully crafted candles using sustainable and ethical practices.

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Five Fish on the Docks

Gals/Guys/Littles/Home/Gifts Featuring; Brighton, Pandora, E Newton, Spartina, Jellycat. Gorjana, and Nora Fleming

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Shopping

Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

By 1890, the sponge industry was firmly established in Tarpon Springs. The Cheney Sponge Company sold almost a million dollars worth of sponges that year.

In the next few years, experienced divers from Greece were brought to Tarpon Springs. By using rubberized diving suits and helmets, they increased harvests. By 1905, over 500 Greek sponge divers were at work using 50 boats.

The early sponge divers created a need at the docks for eating places for the boat crews. Then as news of the industry grew, people began coming to the docks to see the sponges. Shops opened so people could buy the sponges and other souvenirs.

Sponge buyers created the Sponge Exchange in 1907. A building with a courtyard was erected in which each sponger could store his catch while awaiting the auctions that took place twice a week.

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