The Pirate Candy Shop to bring viral Swedish candy to downtown St. Pete

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The Pirate Candy Shop to bring viral Swedish candy to downtown St. Pete

A fast-growing candy trend that’s been flooding social media feeds is about to land in downtown St. Pete.

The Pirate Candy Shop is set to open its first Pinellas County location this June at 1614 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

The candy shop is taking over a roughly 850-square-foot storefront previously occupied by Tabatha Exquisite Touch Beauty Salon, which operated there for more than 15 years before relocating down the street to 1592 Central Avenue.

The concept comes from husband-and-wife team Adam and Sol Lillhannus, who operate The Pirate Candy Shop in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village.

“We actually ship a lot of candy to St. Pete specifically, so we know we have customers there,” Adam Lillhannus said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We looked at Clearwater, Largo, and Dunedin, but ultimately decided St. Pete was the right fit.”

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New women’s boutique The Carpenter’s Daughter to open on Central Avenue next month

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New women’s boutique The Carpenter’s Daughter to open on Central Avenue next month

A new women’s boutique is set to open on Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

The Carpenter’s Daughter is expected to open in early May at 1624 Central Avenue, taking over a roughly 900-square-foot space previously occupied by Bohemian Reves.

The shop will sit alongside a growing cluster of new businesses on the block, including The Blue Urban Project Thrift and Gypsea Blooms.

“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to open a store in St. Pete for the past five years, and for it to be on Central Avenue is a dream come true,” owner Ursula Gonzalez said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

The St. Pete store will focus on women’s clothing and accessories, with a mix of casual and occasion-ready pieces such as dresses, rompers, blouses, and everyday wear.

The shop will also include handbags, shoes, jewelry, self-care items, and designer-inspired perfumes.

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Amorino Gelato sets opening date for EDGE District debut

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Amorino Gelato sets opening date for EDGE District debut

A new gelato shop is set to open in St. Pete’s EDGE District next week.

Amorino, a French gelato brand with locations around the world, will celebrate the grand opening of its first Florida storefront at 1246 Central Avenue on Friday, May 1st.

The shop’s entrance is located along 1st Avenue South, and Amorino will share the building with Bosphorus Turkish Cuisine, which recently opened along Central Avenue.

Grand opening festivities will take place Saturday, May 2nd from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with games and promotional giveaways planned throughout the afternoon.

“We are excited to open our first Florida gelato shop in St. Petersburg…Amorino Gelato is one of the most recognizable artisanal gelato brands in Europe,” said local franchisee Germán Rodríguez Daza in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

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Gypsea Blooms, a build-your-own bouquet bar and gift shop, is coming to Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

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Gypsea Blooms, a build-your-own bouquet bar and gift shop, is coming to Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

A new boutique centered around custom floral arrangements and curated gifting is preparing to open in the Grand Central District.

Gypsea Blooms, founded by Andrea Harper, will open next month at 1622 Central Avenue, in a roughly 900-square-foot space next to the soon-to-open Blue Urban Project Thrift.

“We are so excited to be part of this community and have a space on Central Avenue,” Nicole Gebler, lead florist and store manager, said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We’re excited to bring this concept here and give people a thoughtful way to create something special.”

A big part of the shop will be a build-your-own bouquet bar, where customers can select individual stems and assemble their own arrangements.

The store will also offer pre-arranged bouquets across a range of price points, along with single-stem options and dried floral pieces.

In addition to flowers, the coastal-inspired Gypsea Blooms is designed as a one-stop shop for gifting.

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Public to weigh in on top four Gas Plant District redevelopment proposals at open house later this month

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Public to weigh in on top four Gas Plant District redevelopment proposals at open house later this month

Later this month, residents will have a chance to take a closer look at proposals that could shape the future of the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Petersburg.

The site is currently home to a swath of surface parking lots and Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays have played since 1998.

The City of St. Petersburg is hosting a public open house on Thursday, April 30th, where four shortlisted development teams will present their plans and answer questions from the community.

The event will take place at The Coliseum, located at 535 4th Avenue North, beginning at 5 p.m.

The open house will give attendees an opportunity to meet the developers, review proposal materials, and ask questions ahead of formal presentations, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

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Pepe’s Cantina bringing Mexican fare and margaritas to Seminole this summer

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Pepe’s Cantina bringing Mexican fare and margaritas to Seminole this summer

Pepe’s Cantina Mexican Grill is expanding in Pinellas County, with a second location planned for Seminole.

Following the success of its first Tampa Bay location in St. Pete’s Historic Kenwood neighborhood, the Central Florida-based restaurant will open at 7756 113th Street Suite E, taking over a former Maple Street Biscuit Company space in Seminole City Center.

The new location is expected to debut in July.

“We’ve seen such a positive response to our location in St. Pete,” managing partner Jose Acosta said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We get so many guests who come in from Seminole, and they’ll now have a location to visit closer to home.”

The 2,800-square-foot space will feature a bar with seating for about 12 guests, along with booths, high-top tables, and an outdoor patio with lounge-style furniture, bringing total capacity to around 130.

“People can expect a similar design as the existing Pepe’s locations, but with this larger space, we’ll be able to add more decor and detail,” Acosta said. “We’ll also have outdoor dining and a lounge area with love seats, which is a first for Pepe’s. Guests can stay a little longer and enjoy a drink.”

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New French bistro and bakery Cafe Riviera to open on St. Pete Beach

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New French bistro and bakery Cafe Riviera to open on St. Pete Beach

A new restaurant is bringing the feel of a French seaside café to Pass-a-Grille.

Cafe Riviera, a French bistro and bakery, is preparing to open at 116 8th Avenue, just steps from the beach and next to Grace, a popular modern American restaurant.

The concept takes over the former Paradise To Go space, which previously operated as a takeout-only spot.

Owner Veronica Alfonzo is reworking the small footprint into a full-service restaurant with indoor seating and an open kitchen.

“It’s going to be a full-service restaurant with seating and an open kitchen where you can see your meals being prepared,” Alfonzo said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “Before, it was just takeout. We want to create more of an experience.”

The café will have approximately 20 seats, with Alfonzo also exploring the possibility of adding outdoor seating in the future, pending city approval.

Alfonzo brings several years of experience in French cuisine, having worked in the restaurant industry for about seven years, including at a well-known French restaurant on Anna Maria Island.

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Urban Stillhouse acquires Warehouse Arts District property, plans renovations this summer

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Urban Stillhouse acquires Warehouse Arts District property, plans renovations this summer

After six years in the Warehouse Arts District, the team behind Urban Stillhouse is doubling down on the concept with a property purchase and a fresh round of renovations.

The 16,000-square-foot restaurant and bourbon bar at 2232 Fifth Avenue South will undergo a series of updates aimed largely at refreshing the space.

According to a deed filed with the Pinellas County Clerk earlier this week, owner Meredith Koko purchased the site for $8 million.

Public records show Koko, through America Neat LLC, financed the acquisition with a $6.4 million loan from Pinnacle Bank. An additional $2.5 million construction loan from the same bank will help fund the upcoming renovations.

“We’ve been open for six years now, and it’s been amazing, but there’s definitely been some wear and tear on the restaurant,” Koko said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “So we’re going to do a big overhaul of the interior—mainly cosmetic updates and new decor.”

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New owner takes over cluster of Central Avenue storefronts in downtown St. Pete

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New owner takes over cluster of Central Avenue storefronts in downtown St. Pete

Several retail properties along Central Avenue in the EDGE District are now under new ownership.

Dallas-based investment firm 90Ten has acquired a collection of Central Avenue properties, including 965 Central Avenue, the former home of Flagship Bank; 1027 Central Avenue, occupied by Ashe Couture Boutique; 1029 Central Avenue, home to Matter of Fact and Skyway Media; and 1033–1041 Central Avenue, which houses Poppo’s Taqueria, Sans Market, and Pure Green Juice Bar.

The properties were purchased for $8.5 million from Eastman Equity, which has owned most of the portfolio since 2015, with the exception of 1033–1041 Central Avenue, which was acquired in 2021.

“We love the charm of the block, the walkability, and retail,” Tripp Russ, managing partner at 90Ten, said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “For us, we want to keep tenants in place and the buildings there.”

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Yo-Mama Fried Chicken, a new restaurant from Salem’s Fresh Eats, opens in south St. Pete this weekend

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Yo-Mama Fried Chicken, a new restaurant from Salem’s Fresh Eats, opens in south St. Pete this weekend

A new concept from popular, late-night spot Salem’s Fresh Eats is making its debut in St. Pete.

Fast-casual restaurant Yo-Mama Fried Chicken will soft open at 1735 34th Street South this Saturday, April 18th.

When asked about the inspiration behind the new concept, Salem Gharsalli, founder and CEO of Salem’s Fresh Eats, replied with a smile, “I just really like fried chicken.”

He explained that the fried chicken at other fast-food restaurants didn’t meet his standards, so he decided to convert the former Salem’s location into a new, chicken-centric concept.

In 2021, a new Salem’s was built next door at 1701 34th Street South, leaving the former restaurant space available for Yo-Mama’s new buildout.

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