Local hotelier buys Old Florida hotel property on St. Pete Beach

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Local hotelier buys Old Florida hotel property on St. Pete Beach

The 18-key Beach Haven Villas hotel, located on the picturesque shores of St. Pete Beach, now has a new owner—a prominent and well-established local hotelier.

Kevin Bowden, owner of St. Pete Beach's Miramar Resort and Cambria Hotel on Madeira Beach, purchased the Art Deco-styled hotel at 4980 Gulf Boulevard from Beach Haven LLC in a roughly $6.24 million deal. Beach Haven LLC is a local small business whose President is Carolyn Thatcher.

Bowden took out a $4.65 million mortgage loan from St. Pete-based real estate specialty finance firm Directed Capital in the transaction.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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Pickleball is coming to the St. Pete Pier

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Pickleball is coming to the St. Pete Pier

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.”

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Salty Pup Coffeehouse and Bakeshop opens in Gulfport

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Salty Pup Coffeehouse and Bakeshop opens in Gulfport

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.

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