After years of controversy, Tubular Tokes has been sold and will rebrand as Hits & Munchies in the Grand Central District

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After years of controversy, Tubular Tokes has been sold and will rebrand as Hits & Munchies in the Grand Central District

New faces will soon greet customers at the space formerly known as Tubular Tokes in the Grand Central District.

Earlier this week, the 1980s-themed vape and smoke shop at 2428 Central Avenue officially changed ownership and will rebrand as Hits & Munchies.

While Tubular Tokes was known for its eclectic interior and wide selection of vapes, CBD, kratom, and novelty snacks, much of the attention surrounding the shop centered on its owner, Skylar Strickland.

Strickland, who remains a polarizing figure in the neighborhood, has had a rough and very public past, including two arrests and frequent confrontations that played out both inside and outside the business.

Over time, some nearby residents and would-be customers said they liked the concept and wanted to support a locally owned shop, but ultimately chose not to patronize Tubular Tokes because of the owner himself.

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Central Avenue makeover would prioritize pedestrians over parking in downtown St. Pete

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Central Avenue makeover would prioritize pedestrians over parking in downtown St. Pete

One of downtown St. Petersburg’s busiest nightlife blocks could soon look very different, with fewer cars and more room for people.

The St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, working with planning and design firm Kimley-Horn, has unveiled a new streetscape concept for the 200 block of Central Avenue, home to popular nightlife spots like The Mandarin Hide and Mastry’s, as well as the 200 Central office tower and the newly completed Art House condo tower.

The idea is to trade curbside parking for wider sidewalks, outdoor seating, and a more pedestrian-friendly feel.

While much of the plan remains conceptual, part of it is already in place.

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Bright Ice owners to open Kitty’s House of Pizza in Central Oak Park

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Bright Ice owners to open Kitty’s House of Pizza in Central Oak Park

A new neighborhood pizzeria is coming to St. Petersburg’s Central Oak Park, bringing brick-oven pizzas, house-made pastas, and a familiar local name behind the concept.

The restaurant is the latest project from Steve Garrahan and Kurt Drake, the founders of Bright Ice, a small-batch ice cream brand known for its creative flavor combinations like roasted strawberries with brown sugar and balsamic and blueberries with cinnamon.

Kitty’s House of Pizza is slated to open in early 2026 at 4059 5th Avenue North, just four blocks west of Bright Ice’s original St. Pete scoop shop.

The building, which Garrahan and Drake purchased in June, previously housed a gym and, before that, a convenience store.

The idea for Kitty’s House of Pizza grew organically out of Bright Ice’s continued expansion.

Bright Ice opened in St. Petersburg in late 2019 and has since expanded to Tampa, Pinellas Park, Venice, and Lakeland.

“We’ve outgrown our current commercial kitchen for ice cream production, especially when it comes to cold storage,” Garrahan said. “This new space allows us to more than double our freezer capacity and better serve our existing locations.”

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Holiday Mezzo Market brings its biggest lineup yet to the EDGE District this Saturday

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Holiday Mezzo Market brings its biggest lineup yet to the EDGE District this Saturday

One of St. Petersburg’s most popular local markets is going all out to close the year.

Mezzo Market will return this Saturday, December 20th, for its final (and largest!) market of the 2025 season, transforming Baum Avenue into a massive outdoor celebration of local art and small business.

The one-day event will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. between Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails and Green Bench Brewing in the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete.

This edition of Mezzo Market marks a major expansion, with more than 275 small and independent businesses participating, a significant jump from last year’s lineup.

“Expanding to more than 275 vendors gives people the chance to shop directly with the small businesses that make St. Pete special,” organizer Jarrett Sabatini, who is also the owner of Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails and Bar Mezzo, said in an announcement.

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Fusillo Italian Pasta bringing freshly made pasta to the EDGE District

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Fusillo Italian Pasta bringing freshly made pasta to the EDGE District

A pair of lifelong friends from Italy are bringing a fast-casual Italian pasta concept to St. Pete’s EDGE District early next year.

Fusillo Italian Pasta, named after the spiral-shaped pasta, will take over a roughly 700-square-foot space at 905 Central Avenue, which has sat vacant for nearly two years following the closure of Nash’s Hot Chicken.

The restaurant is expected to open by late February or early March 2026, after a full interior renovation and obtaining a beer and wine license.

The concept, according to co-owner Alessandro Casali, is built around handmade pasta served in a modern, approachable format.

Fusillo will offer both dine-in service and grab-and-go options geared toward nearby residents, office workers, and late-night foot traffic along Central Avenue.

“Fusillo is designed to be simple, authentic, and flexible,” Casali said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We’ll have a main counter where people can order fresh pasta to eat inside or take back to the office or home. All of our pasta will be handmade every day.”

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400-unit Marina Club Apartments completes construction in the Skyway Marina District

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400-unit Marina Club Apartments completes construction in the Skyway Marina District

Three years after breaking ground, the 400-unit Marina Club Apartments has completed construction in the Skyway Marina District, adding another large residential community to one of St. Petersburg’s fastest-growing neighborhoods.

The eight-story apartment building, located at 4341 34th Street South and overlooking Boca Ciega Bay, was developed by Jack Dougherty of Allied Group Holdings and built by Skanska USA.

Dougherty previously developed the neighboring Marina Walk Apartment Homes, a 245-unit community that opened in 2022.

Marina Club Apartments was designed by Architectonics Studio and consists of six residential floors built atop a two-story podium garage.

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264-unit affordable housing community to break ground next month near the Warehouse Arts District

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264-unit affordable housing community to break ground next month near the Warehouse Arts District

After nearly four years of planning, a long-delayed affordable housing development near St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District is officially moving forward.

Fairfield Avenue Apartments LLC, which is tied to St. Petersburg-based HP Capital Group and former Florida Senator Jeff Brandes, has purchased the 6.9-acre property at 3300 Fairfield Avenue South for approximately $6.2 million.

The property will be leased through a trust administered by the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County, securing a 99-year affordability commitment.

The group will develop the site into the Fairfield Avenue Apartments, which will contain 264 affordable and workforce apartments making it one of the city’s largest housing communities in decades.

The property was formerly home to the Tibbetts Lumber Company, which was founded by Brandes’ grandfather, Linton Tibbetts, in the 1970s.

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Treehouse BBQ to open first brick-and-mortar restaurant next month in north St. Pete

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Treehouse BBQ to open first brick-and-mortar restaurant next month in north St. Pete

For a city this food-obsessed, St. Pete has always had a shortage of great barbecue. But that may be about to change.

After building a strong following as a mobile catering company, Treehouse BBQ will open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant next month at 229 62nd Avenue North in the Edgemoor neighborhood of north St. Pete.

The 1,200-square-foot space was previously home to Pasghetti, Tasty Thai, and Green Light Sushi Bar.

A regular vendor at the weekly Kenwood Sunday Market at St. Pete High, Treehouse BBQ will operate mainly as a carry-out spot, with limited indoor seating for approximately 20 guests.

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Blizzard Bazaar debuts this Friday with 60 local vendors, snowy vibes, and a viral matcha luge

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Blizzard Bazaar debuts this Friday with 60 local vendors, snowy vibes, and a viral matcha luge

If you’ve ever wished St. Pete could magically turn into a snowy ski town for one night only, your oddly specific holiday dream is coming true.

This Friday, December 19th, Ritual Grounds Cafe is hosting the Blizzard Bazaar, a one-night winter takeover that promises to be equal parts holiday market, immersive experience, and straight-up spectacle.

From 5 to 9 p.m., the event space at 1960 5th Avenue South will transform into a nostalgic 1980s ski resort called Yeti Peak, complete with snow flurries, Christmas lights, and a few surprises lurking in the lodge.

In October, Ritual Grounds drew more than 5,000 people to its wildly popular Spooky Island Market.

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St. Pete becomes Florida’s first city to allow affordable housing on religious property

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St. Pete becomes Florida’s first city to allow affordable housing on religious property

The City of St. Pete has become the first municipality in Florida to adopt a provision into its City Code allowing affordable housing to be built on land owned by religious institutions regardless of underlying zoning, following the passage of a new state law earlier this year.

While the Florida Senate Bill 1730, often referred to as “Yes In God’s Backyard” or YIGBY, gives cities the option to allow affordable housing on faith-owned land, it does not require them to do so.

St. Pete’s new provision turns the state statute into a clear and usable local process.

Many congregations own property that is no longer fully used for worship or parking but was historically difficult to redevelop because it is zoned institutional or public use rather than residential.

Before SB 1730, affordable housing could be built on church land only if a city approved a rezoning, conditional use, or comprehensive plan amendment.

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