sip owner christiane hall will relocate her business to the 5th Ave Loft Apartments building in downtown st. pete | loopnet

The coastal-casual wine bar and shop, Sip, is leaving St. Pete Beach and bringing its curated wine selection and events to downtown St. Pete.

Currently operating until the end of March at 6710 Gulf Boulevard, Sip will relocate to a 700-square-foot space on the ground floor of the 5th Ave Loft Apartments at 442 2nd Street North in downtown St. Pete.

The space was previously home to Must Wine Loft, a European-style wine and cheese destination that closed late last year.

“It’s time to leave the beach,” Sip owner Christiane Hall told St. Pete Rising.

The St. Pete Beach location is known for its signature wine wall featuring a selection of white and red wines, a variety of flatbreads and charcuterie boards, and the popular "Sipyard" outdoor patio—complete with umbrella-covered seating, a fire pit table, and a small bar.

Sip owner Christiane Hall in the new space at 442 2nd Street North in downtown St. Pete. | sip

“On St. Pete Beach, we found ourselves in a conundrum. We’re in a small building set back from Gulf Boulevard, right next to Rick’s Reef—a popular full-service seafood restaurant that serves alcohol. People wouldn’t even glance in our direction. On top of that, the hurricanes took a financial toll on us,” Hall explained.

“We needed a space that would allow for a quick turnaround and a rebrand—something I’ve wanted to do for the past two years.”

The new wine shop, rebranded as Christiane’s, is set to open in June.

The shop will feature a 20-bottle wine dispensing machine with several taps for ½-, 3-, and 6-ounce pours. Draft and bottled beer options, ranging from seltzers to IPAs and ciders, will also be available.

“The St. Pete Beach crowd preferred house wines and shied away from higher-end selections. In downtown St. Pete, we’ll introduce more elevated wines and tastings,” Hall said.

sip on st. pete beach offers premium organic wines and an expansive food menu with small bites complementing the wines | sip

It will continue to offer customer favorites such as spinach dip, hummus, cheese and salami plates, and its beloved charcuterie boards and flatbreads, topped with capicola, salami, prosciutto, buffalo chicken, and more.

“We may bring our pizza over, and with the panini press and refrigeration space available, we’ll be able to expand our menu while still keeping it fresh and on the lighter side,” Hall added.

While the new location won’t have a sandy Sipyard like the original, there will be outdoor seating, as well as indoor seating and a 10-foot-long wooden bar.

Like its predecessor, the new boutique wine bar will continue hosting public and private events.

As Sip winds down operations on St. Pete Beach, it is holding an “everything must go” sale, offering discounts on food and wine bottles.

Be sure to follow Sip on Instagram and Facebook for updates on the grand opening of Christiane’s.