May 06, 2021

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille is coming to west St. Pete

May 06, 2021/ Brian Zucker

Riding on the success of their restaurant at the new St. Pete Pier, the group behind Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille has decided to open a second location in west St. Petersburg. The new waterfront eatery will be located at 8790 Bay Pines Boulevard. The site was formerly home to the Green Iguana Bar and Grill, which closed in 2012, and Joe’s Crab Shack before that.

"We love the St. Pete community and look forward to being in the Jungle Terrace neighborhood," said Mark Marinello, an HM Restaurant Group partner.

This will be the fifth location for Doc Ford’s with other locations in Fort Myers Beach, Captiva Island, and Sanibel Island.

May 04, 2021

Highly anticipated gay bar, Cocktail, opens this Friday in St. Pete

May 04, 2021/ Amy Kochek

Cocktail St. Pete is a new cocktail bar making a bold entrance into the Grand Central District with “stiff drinks, hard liquor, and raging good times”. The gay hangout will be located at 2355 Central Avenue on the ground floor of the historic Mari Jean Hotel. Cocktail will be neighbor to Mateo’s Trattoria & Pizzeria, which is replacing Sophia’s Cucina + Enoteca.

Thanks to neighborhood newcomers like the Grand Central Brewhouse and Hatchet Hangout, as well as long-time favorites such as Dog Bar and Right Around the Corner, the Grand Central District is livelier than ever — especially on the weekends. And Cocktail will only add to the excitement.

April 28, 2021

Ybor-based crepe café expanding to the EDGE District this fall

April 28, 2021/ Brian Zucker

After over 15 successful years in Ybor City, the owner of La Creperia Café has decided to bring his popular crepes to downtown St. Pete. However the St. Pete location will be smaller than its Ybor counterpart and will go by a different name – Crepeway Caffe.

Crepeway Caffe will be located at 907 Central Avenue in the EDGE District. The space was formerly occupied by Now and Then, a vintage furniture shop. EJ Barkett of Barkett Realty represented the landlord in the deal.

“I absolutely love downtown St. Pete,” said owner Konstantinos Chilias. “There is a ton of foot traffic, dogs, and sunshine. It’s a beautiful city. It’s perfect.”

April 27, 2021

Aerial St. Pete: Construction updates from downtown's newest residential towers

April 27, 2021/ Anthony Close

The latest edition of Aerial St. Pete shows some of the early progress on several downtown developments. Aerial St. Pete is a quarterly column by St. Pete Rising which features exclusive aerial photography of projects under construction in St. Petersburg, FL. To accomplish this, we have teamed up with Anthony Bove at AB3 Visuals.

This quarter we are taking a look at four projects in downtown St. Pete which have all broken ground in the past year. These include: 334 Apartments, 357 5th Street South, Ascent St. Petersburg, and Saltaire. We look forward to following these projects over the next few years as they continue to go vertical and contribute to St. Pete’s growing skyline.

April 26, 2021

Mullet's Fish Camp and Market to bring fresh seafood to south St. Pete

April 26, 2021/ Amy Kochek

Fresh seafood will soon be available in a casual, family friendly atmosphere in south St. Pete with the opening of Mullet’s Fish Camp and Market at 3901 6th Street South. The space was formerly home to Fortunato’s Taps and Tavern. The unique restaurant concept embodies the heart and soul of the mullet hairstyle – business in the front and party in the back.

The front of Mullet’s Fish Camp, which is housed in a 101-year-old building, will have a market-style layout that will include glass door coolers filled with fresh seafood from local distributors for those that want to cook a deliciously fresh seafood meal at home. Chilled beer and wine from local breweries and vendors will also be available.

If you want to dine-in, lunch at Mullet’s Fish Camp will offer quick grab-and-go options with seating for twenty in the front and additional seating at the backyard bar. The menu will focus on offering the freshest seafood available complimented by tasty house-made sauces and butters. Lunch is served Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 3pm.

April 23, 2021

Beans and Barlour bringing bagels and boozy desserts to Central Avenue

April 23, 2021/ Brian Zucker

Tampa Bay’s favorite craft coffee bar and dessert lounge is on the move! Beans and Barlour has just signed a lease at 407 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete, just one block east of their current location at 538 1st Avenue North. Joe Esposito of KW Commercial represented the landlord and Jenna Malowany and Joe Esposito represented Beans and Barlour in the deal.

Owners Story Stuart and Steve Bliven opened Beans and Barlour in 2018 serving outrageously delicious and highly Instagrammable alcoholic desserts, ice cream, and coffee. Customer favorites include the Pina Colada Dole Whip Float and the Spiked Lavender Lemonade Slush.

April 22, 2021

23-story condo building, The Nolen, proposed for downtown St. Pete

April 22, 2021/ Anthony Close

The condominium market in downtown St. Pete continues to be red hot with high demand and low supply. For buyers, new units can’t be built fast enough.

Saltaire, a 35-story building under construction at 300 1st Street South, is over 70% reserved. And Reflection, an 18-story project planned for 300 8th Street North, is over 50% reserved. The buildings are not expected to be completed until 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The latest high-rise condominium project planned for downtown St. Pete is The Nolen.

April 21, 2021

Coquina Key Plaza and Lake Maggiore land set to become workforce housing

April 21, 2021/ Brian Zucker

St. Petersburg has never been more in demand. We have new businesses and residents moving to the city every day. At St. Pete Rising, we love reporting on everything new and coming soon to the Sunshine City.

But with growth comes growing pains. Right now, we have a residential supply and demand imbalance in St. Pete. For a variety of reasons, such as minimal supply and an influx of new residents, St. Pete is seeing an unprecedented rise in home values and rent prices.

According to a recent report from Realtor.com, the median rent in Tampa Bay increased 6.9% year-over-year to $1,375 per month, representing one of the largest rent increases in the U.S. and the largest among Florida’s major metro areas.

April 21, 2021

Pete’s General is expanding, bringing fresh bagels to the Grand Central District

April 21, 2021/ Samantha Flanagan

We often ask our social media audience what types of new businesses they’d like to see open in downtown St. Pete. And for the past few years, a bagel shop has been among the most requested. Pinellas County has great options outside of downtown St. Pete, such as St. Pete Bagel Co. and Clearwater Bagels, but no dedicated bagel shops currently exist downtown.

But we have great news! St Pete’s favorite local bagel shop, Pete’s General, and its beloved manatee mascot are bringing their fresh-made bagels and baked goods to the Grand Central District, on the outskirts of downtown St. Pete, as early as this summer. The business, which celebrated its second birthday last week, will open a second location at 2361 1st Avenue South.

April 13, 2021

TeBella Tea Company is coming soon to the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete

April 13, 2021/ Brian Zucker

TeBella Tea Company has recently signed a lease to open a specialty tea retail shop and full tea bar at 1445 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. The space is currently home to ARTicles Art Gallery and Custom Framing, which will be moving to 1234 MLK Jr Street North in Historic Uptown around mid-April. Jessica Dwyer of Klace & Company represented TeBella and Jake Wollman of KW Commercial represented the landlord in the deal.

Abigail StClair, the owner of TeBella, opened the first location on Davis Islands back in 2010. Since then, TeBella has expanded into Sarasota’s University Town Center, Tampa’s Oxford Exchange, and St. Pete’s Station House. However, the Station House location will close once the new location opens in the EDGE District.