Last year, when husband and wife Alex and Kelly Rodriguez adopted Lola, a Golden Retriever/Louisiana Catahoula Hound mix from Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida (GRRMF), they had no idea it would drive them and friend CF Hawkins to open a wine bar.  You see, Lola is sassy and has a penchant for trouble.  “When Lola is bad, we call her ‘Lolita’ and when she is bad, she causes us to drink. So, in order to afford to drink good wine, we had to open a wine market.  So here’s to Lola!” says Kelly with a grin.

Lolita’s Wine Market quietly launched last week at 16 18th Street South in the Grand Central District of St. Pete.  The space is a cozy 974 square feet — just enough room for around 25-30 people.  And the vibe is comfortable and laid-back.  “We want people to feel like they are coming to somebody’s house, not necessarily to a restaurant that they have to get dressed up for.  We like to describe it as a wine shop meets coffee shop concept,” says Kelly.  

Comfort food enthusiasts, rejoice — Maple Street Biscuit Co. has their sights set on Downtown St. Pete.  The popular biscuit joint plans to open around year’s end at 662 Central Avenue, currently home to The Local 662.

Earlier this week, a majority of the 600 block’s south side was acquired by Tricera Capital from Miami.  The new owners plan to make significant streetscape improvements to the building.  However, despite the promised upgrades, rising rents have some residents concerned that smaller businesses may be forced to move to other parts of town. Consequently, neighborhoods such as the Grand Central District and the Fringe District (located on 9th St) have recently exploded in popularity due to their affordability.

Maple Street is most known for their signature biscuit sandwiches, offering ten unique creations on their menu.  The most popular is The Squawking Goat, a flaky buttery biscuit sandwich with an all-natural fried chicken breast, a fried goat cheese medallion, and house-made pepper jelly.