Pete’s bagels has officially opened its new drive-thru cafe in a renovated historic gas station in south st. pete | Robert Blackmon

After two years of extensive restoration, Pete’s Bagels has officially opened its newest location in the historic 1926-built Harbordale Standard Oil Station located at 2439 4th Street South in south St. Pete.

The 320-square-foot building, which is considered St. Pete’s oldest gas station, now has an drive-thru stocked with a menu of bagels and bagel sandwiches and coffee from local roaster Look Alive Coffee.

The opening comes several years after former City Councilman Robert Blackmon purchased the property in November 2019 for $125,000 and undertook an extensive restoration with plans to transform it into a boutique drive-through café.

Blackmon hand-picked Pete’s Bagels for the space.

"For some reason, I’ve always been drawn to this building. We first saw it four years ago. At the time, it seemed like a crazy idea—this was even before we opened Ybor," Owner of Pete’s Bagels Steven Peterman wrote in an Instagram post, thanking Blackmon for spearheading the restoration.

"Opening in an area with limited food options, in this incredible historic building that was lovingly preserved instead of torn down, is truly a privilege," Peterman continued.

Pete’s breakfast sandwich bagel features an over-medium egg, American cheese, bacon, and butter on a lightly toasted bagel | Pete’s Bagels

Pete's Bagels, which first opened in St. Pete’s Historic Uptown in 2019, has a location in the Grand Central District as well as a sister shop in Ybor City. Peterman also owns Seymour’s, a New York-style bagel shop in downtown St. Pete’s historic Snell Arcade.

According to a staff report, “the subject property was designed to engage with motorists driving down 4th Street South and present-day 22nd Avenue South, making it a prominent landmark for motorists driving through the southern part of St. Petersburg. As such, it stands as a tangible reminder of the growing importance of the automobile to the young city's economy.”

The gas station was built for Standard Oil, the largest oil company at the time the structure was constructed. By 1927, St. Petersburg had seven Standard Oil service stations. The building at 2439 4th Street South is the only surviving structure from this group.

In 2023, the City Council voted to designate the building as a Local Historic Landmark.

Pete’s offers nine bagel flavors baked fresh daily: plain, everything, salt, onion & garlic, sesame, jalapeño cheddar, poppy, cinnamon raisin, and asiago.

The millennial Pete contains a house-made everything-seasoned avocado spread, arugula, pickled red onions, and cucumber | Pete’s Bagels

Pete’s also offers a variety of house-made cream cheeses, including plain, scallion, garden herb, harissa, jalapeño cheddar, feta & sun-dried tomato, and cinnamon. A plain vegan cream cheese is available as well.

Their signature breakfast sandwich features an over-medium egg, American cheese, and butter on a lightly toasted bagel of your choice.

Other popular options include the Original Pete, made with plain cream cheese, lox, capers, dill, cucumbers, and pickled red onions, and the Millennial Pete, which includes a house-made everything-seasoned avocado spread, arugula, pickled red onions, and cucumber.

Guests can also build their own bagel sandwich with over 25 available add-ons, including vegetables like arugula, cucumber, tomato, pickles, and avocado, as well as proteins such as ham, lox, Genoa salami, egg, turkey, bacon, and Impossible sausage.

As the team gets settled in their new home, they are asking customers to be patient. There is no online ordering yet.

The new drive-thru is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Be sure to visit Pete's Bagels on Facebook and Instagram for the latest offerings and announcements.