TAMPA — Bernie Apestein has left his corner.

The mechanical waving gorilla that stood for 40 years outside State Vacuum of Tampa at 3143 W Kennedy Blvd. has moved five blocks away.

When the store sold its 10,000-square-foot building last summer, there was fear among many who travel the busy boulevard that Bernie Apestein's next wave would be a goodbye to South Tampa. But business owner David Epstein didn't have to look far to find a new place and on Jan. 2, State Vacuum of Tampa opened at its new location — 2603 W. Kennedy Blvd.

And, of course, Bernie Apestein — store mascot and South Tampa landmark — made the move, too.

"The first question people asked when we were packing up was are we staying in business," said David Epstein, second-generation owner of the 73-year-old vacuum sales and repair shop. "The second was whether the ape was coming with us. The answer was always, 'Of course.'"

The new space, which Epstein is leasing, is half the size of the former location. But, its showroom is 1,000 square feet larger.

"It's just our storage area that is smaller," Epstein said. "We didn't need that much room anymore."

Bernie Apesten's dates to 1979 when Epstein's dad, Bernie Epstein, who founded the business, was at a trade show in Las Vegas. There, a salesman persuaded him that a waving robotic primate would be a brilliant marketing tool.

The salesman was right.

State Vacuum and 'Bernie Apestein' may be waving goodbye to longtime location

Over the years, the gorilla grew into an oddly popular attraction known for his ever-changing wardrobe — a Santa hat at Chistmas maybe, Bucs gear during football season, a swimming suit fore the hot summer months.

On Wednesday, it was a white Tampa Bay Lightning jersey.

There's only one Bernie at a time, but there have been replacements through the years. Right now, the waving mechanical arm is on the blink.

The new location is the fifth for State Vacuum, all of them on Kennedy Boulevard — or Lafayette Street as it was named when the store opened in 1946.

The spot just vacated served as home to the business for 50 years, but it didn't gain citywide renown until the debut of Bernie Apestein.

Said Epstein. "People love him. They just love him."

Contact Paul Guzzo at pguzzo@tampabay.com or follow @PGuzzoTimes.