Popular Asian-fusion food truck Shiso Crispy opening restaurant this weekend on Central Avenue

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Popular Asian-fusion food truck Shiso Crispy opening restaurant this weekend on Central Avenue

Shiso Crispy, a food-truck-based Asian fusion eatery, is moving from Pinellas Park to St. Petersburg’s EDGE District while simultaneously launching franchises in other cities and states.

Owner and Head Chef Ronicca Whaley, in an interview with St. Pete Rising, said she will open this weekend at 1431 Central Avenue. There will be a soft opening on Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a full opening on Saturday.

“I’ve made this a really cool, vibey spot to go hang out and eat Shiso Crispy food,” Whaley said.

The space was previously occupied by a cheese shop operated by Brooklyn South and, before that, Gracie Pasta and Provisions.

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The 1888 Hotel breathes new life into historic downtown St. Pete property

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The 1888 Hotel breathes new life into historic downtown St. Pete property

As downtown St. Petersburg’s skyline becomes increasingly taller and more modern, it’s particularly refreshing to see some of the Sunshine City’s historic properties revived and repurposed.

The 1888 Hotel, at 220 5th Avenue North, is a recent example of St. Pete’s history blending with contemporary styles and trends. In its heyday, the property, which was built in 1923, was known as The Hillcrest Hotel. Managing Partners Frederick Dela Cruz and Jeffrey Pippin have renamed it The 1888 Hotel as a homage to the year the first passenger train arrived in St. Pete.

“We acquired the property in 2020, and it was a little bit of a crazy situation,” Dela Cruz said in an interview with St. Pete Rising. “A developer wanted to demolish the building and build a parking garage.”

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COPA cocktail lounge and tapas bar to expand in the EDGE District

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COPA cocktail lounge and tapas bar to expand in the EDGE District

The owners of COPA, a cocktail, wine, and tapas bar that opened in fall 2019 at 1047 Central Avenue in the EDGE District, are taking over the adjoining property at 1045 Central Avenue — formerly home to Italy Bottega, an Italian restaurant — and plan to open a daytime café in the space.

“We have some really exciting plans and cannot wait to debut it to everyone,” co-owner Sébastien Thurière said in an interview with St. Pete Rising. He owns and operates COPA along with his brother, Maxim Thurière.

“We want to not only grow our current concept in the evenings,” Sébastien added, “but we’ll be using that space to introduce a new concept in the morning that we're calling Café COPA.”

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Look Alive Coffee begins roasting specialty coffee in the Grand Central District

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Look Alive Coffee begins roasting specialty coffee in the Grand Central District

A new coffee roaster that focuses on specialty coffees is up and running at 1920 ½ 1st Avenue South, behind Spitfire Comedy House, in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District.

Look Alive Coffee is owned and operated by Kelly Packard, who was born in Clearwater but then moved to Dallas, Texas with her family when she was still in elementary school.

“It’s really nice to be back here,” Packard said in an interview with St. Pete Rising. “I’ve always felt at home here. My parents are back here too, so it feels very ‘full circle’ being back at home.”

Look Alive Coffee is primarily a wholesale business, but anyone is welcome to order bags of coffee or sign up for a coffee subscription via the company’s website.

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95-unit affordable housing building proposed near 34th Street in St. Pete

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95-unit affordable housing building proposed near 34th Street in St. Pete

The St. Petersburg Housing Authority and Tampa Bay Area-based affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities are moving forward with an affordable housing project that will bring a 95-unit apartment complex to a 1.35-acre site at the intersection of 32nd Avenue North and Hartford Street in north St. Petersburg.

When it was first announced in February 2023, the Hartford project was expected to consist of 47 affordable units for seniors and families whose incomes are below the 60% area median income (AMI) threshold.

However, on February 15th the St. Pete City Council approved a zoning change that will allow higher-density housing to be built on the parcel.

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