After years of sitting vacant, we are finally seeing progress on a new 5,300 SF restaurant coming soon to the site of a former WingHouse at 6445 4th Street North. Construction permits have recently been approved for the build out of Rumba Island Bar and Grill.

Rumba, which has two additional locations in Clearwater and Oldsmar, gives diners a taste of the islands in a laidback tropical atmosphere. Menu items include favorites like the Island-Style Quesadillas and Jerked Smoked Chicken Wings for starters and the signature Rumba Salad with Grouper, Crispy Coconut Shrimp and the Caribbean Pulled Pork for an entree.

St. Petersburg residents are known for being religiously committed to buying local. We take pride in the homegrown businesses that make our neighborhoods such incredible places to live, work and play. However, one of the byproducts of Downtown St Pete’s meteoric growth over the past 5-10 years has been a sharp rise in commercial rents.

Some are concerned that local shops will be priced out of downtown and what has made St. Pete special will fade away. While the city is doing its best to keep St. Pete local, with initiatives such as the Storefront Conservation Corridor Plan, they cannot legally force downtown landowners to rent exclusively to locals.

In the end, the residents and visitors decide who goes and who stays. In essence, we vote with our wallets. And although rising rents have put pressure on local businesses, some have continued to thrive, and others have even expanded.