January 07, 2025

Home of the Week: 1957-built Mid-Century Marvel in St. Petersburg's Pinellas Point

January 07, 2025/ Anthony Close

This week’s featured home is a fascinating piece of mid-century architecture located at 801 Pinellas Point Drive South. Built in 1957, this three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home offers 2,538 square feet of living space on a spacious 0.27-acre lot.

Nicknamed a “Mid-Century Marvel” by the St. Petersburg Times decades ago, the house showcases design elements that capture the spirit of its era. Highlights include a triangular fireplace, geometric wall features, a built-in fish tank, and a circular dining table.

Small touches in the kitchen, like pull-out storage for aluminum foil and plastic wrap, reflect the innovative thinking of the time.

January 06, 2025

East Indian street food restaurant Mowgli’s Tiffin debuts in the EDGE District

January 06, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

In a quiet corner of downtown St. Pete in the former Chi-town Beefs and Dogs space, a new Indian restaurant introduces Bengali street food to the Sunshine City.

First-time restaurateur and founder Amita Mukherjee quietly opened Mowgli's Tiffin earlier this week at 165 Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Street North, bringing kati rolls and other dishes from the streets of Kolkata to the EDGE District.

“Mowgli's Tiffin celebrates the rich tapestry of Bengali culture,” Mukherjee said to St. Pete Rising. “The street food we are making is akin to the delicious bites you’d find on the streets of India.”

The quaint, 540-square-foot restaurant is named after the wild, curious, and adventurous boy named Mowgli from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Additionally, the Indian word tiffin means lunchbox and, in certain parts of India, a light meal or snack eaten anytime between lunch and dinner.

Mukherjee's parents immigrated to the United States from India over 50 years ago. She was raised in St. Pete and says she hasn’t found many restaurants in town serving the Indian dishes she misses from her homeland. In particular, street food holds a special place in her heart, so Mowgli's will serve dishes that remind her of West Bengal in eastern India.

January 06, 2025

Pickleball is coming to the St. Pete Pier

January 06, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Pickleball courts are coming to the St. Pete Pier thanks to a collaboration between the City of St. Petersburg and St. Pete Athletic, a local group bringing a 45,000-square-foot athletic and social club to the Warehouse Arts District this spring.

For two months, from January 17th to March 16th, two pickleball courts will be set up at 660 2nd Avenue NE near the Pier’s splash pad for everyone of all skill levels to enjoy.

“We are thrilled to parter with the City on this exciting initiative that furthers our mission to promote active, social lifestyles in St. Petersburg,” said Founder of St. Pete Athletic Reuben Pressman in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We cannot wait for St. Pete residents and visitors to enjoy playing pickleball on the beautiful downtown waterfront with the St. Pete skyline in the background.”

January 03, 2025

Salty Pup Coffeehouse and Bakeshop opens in Gulfport

January 03, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Gulfport residents and their pups can enjoy a new cozy cafe serving coffee, baked goods, and a selection of breakfast and lunch items.

Jeff and Jody Musselman quietly opened the Salty Pup Coffeehouse and Bakeshop several weeks ago at 5004 Tangerine Avenue South, which was formerly home to Mama Pearl’s.

“Whenever we travel, we love visiting coffee shops for their different atmosphere and vibes. We’ve always talked about opening a shop one day,” Jody said to St. Pete Rising.

Named in tribute to their beloved dog, Salty Pup is working with a small Tampa-based wholesale coffee roaster to source beans for their espresso-based drinks, cold brew, and drip coffee. They also serve chai and matcha lattes.

January 02, 2025

Juicy Brewing to take over the former Avid Brew Company space in the Grand Central District

January 02, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Juicy Brewing, a popular craft brewery in the Washington DC suburb of Herndon, Virginia, is set to open its second location in the Grand Central District of St. Pete.

Hoping to open in February, the brewery will occupy a 3,600-square-foot building formerly home to Avid Brew Company at 1745 1st Avenue South.

“We are so excited to be part of the St. Pete community,” said K Scarry, who owns the St. Pete location with her husband Jake Killian, Joshua Newlon, and the founder of Juicy Brewing Anton Sagan.

Since debuting three years ago, Juicy Brewing has become known for its hazy IPAs and fruit-forward sours.

December 31, 2024

Popular downtown poke bowl restaurant to open new location in north St. Pete

December 31, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Pacific Counter is rolling into its second St. Pete location, bringing its fresh Hawaiian-style poke bowls and sushi burritos to the Northeast Shopping Center.

The fast-casual restaurant chain that “serves up a mainland mix of coastal classics” and opened its first St. Pete location at 660 Central Avenue in 2018, will expand to 210 37th Avenue North in January.

The space was previously occupied by the Island Fin Poké Company.

Pacific Counter is the brainchild of three heavy hitters in the Tampa Bay restaurant scene — Tanner Loebel, Chitthasack Noythanongsay (known as Chef Tock), and Eric Bialik.

December 30, 2024

Voila-Merci French bakery and bistro to open in Indian Shores next month

December 30, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

A new French bakery and cafe is bringing authentic French pastries, cakes, croissants, and more to Indian Shores next month.

Voila-Merci French Bakery and Bistro will be located inside the bright pink building at 19525 Gulf Boulevard in front of the Dolphin Key Condominiums.

The 2,680-square-foot space was previously home to the Original Pizza Restaurant, a longtime family-operated staple with Sicilian-style pies.

“My wife [Claire] and I owned two bakeries in Lyon, France for 20 years, but we sold them in 2023. We just obtained work visas to open our first bakery in the United States,” Philippe Monnet said to St. Pete Rising.

December 27, 2024

Done Deals: Largo shopping center sells, Old Northeast estate sells, New Year's Eve events around St. Pete

December 27, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Done Deals is a weekly column by St. Pete Rising spotlighting recent real estate market insight and significant deals happening in the Sunshine City and beyond. The following information is sourced from public records and trusted intel.

Have real estate news to share? Send us an email at hello@stpeterising.com.

December 26, 2024

Historically St. Pete: The enchanting history of Gulfport's Hotel Rolyat, now Stetson College of Law

December 26, 2024/ Rui Farias

At St. Pete Rising, we are constantly providing comprehensive coverage on everything new and coming soon to the Sunshine City, but we think it’s also important to take a look back at our city's rich history.

Historically St. Pete, a monthly column on St. Pete Rising written by Executive Director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History Rui Farias, covers everything from the legend of underground mobster tunnels to the buildings and people that created the Sunshine City.

This month we explore the enchanting history of Hotel Rolyat, now the Stetson College of Law, and the mysterious New York City developer who built the beautiful Mediterranean Revival-style hotel and then vanished as quickly as he arrived.

December 24, 2024

Local urban farm debuts whimsical outdoor dining area in St. Pete

December 24, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Tomatoes growing on twisted vines, heads of purple cabbage, and other leafy greens are among the dozens of crops sprouting at a half-acre lot in the heart of St. Petersburg that's been transformed into a thriving educational urban farm.

15th Street Farm, a nonprofit located at 342 15th Street North, is expanding its footprint and impact in the community.

Business leaders and St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce members recently gathered at 15th Street Farm, cutting a ceremonial ribbon celebrating the addition of a new 2,000-square-foot building that houses a kitchen with a baking station and spacious walk-in cooler, a wood-fired brick oven, and a 60-seat whimsical outdoor dining area surrounded by rows of crops.