Back in 2013, Jenny Miller and Katelyn Grady founded The Body Electric Yoga Company with a mission to improve the health and happiness of St Pete residents by offering accessible, high-quality yoga instruction in a supportive and beautiful environment.

After steady growth, the studio, which is located at 3015 7th Street North, expanded by 4,500 square feet in 2016. Today, The Body Electric, affectionately known as The BE, serves more than 1,000 yogis a week, making it one of most popular yoga studios in Tampa Bay.

Now the time has come for The Body Electric to embark on the next chapter in their journey, an all-new facility dubbed The Body Electric Athletic Company. Set in the Warehouse Arts District, the 15,600 square foot building is located at 655 31st Street South and was purchased in July of this year for $840,000.

There is no slowdown in sight for the EDGE District. As more residents move into the neighborhood, new businesses are sprouting up left and right. Today, we introduce you to Copa, a wine cocktail lounge coming soon to 1047 Central Avenue, formerly home to Genaro’s Cafe. 

The concept is being brought to life by two brothers from South Saint Petersburg, Maxim and Sébastien Thurière. Their goal is to offer a refreshing spin on wine and beer cocktails. Besides sangria, most people have a limited experience blending wine with other beverages, but Copa wants to change that.

Maxim and Sébastien also want to redefine your definition of a wine bar. “When you think of a wine bar, you typically think of a dark, cave-like space,” says Maxim. “We want to bring an upbeat ambient vibe to the wine bar — something to attract the younger crowd.” Both Maxim and Sébastien are pretty young themselves, both under 30 years old.

Over the past few years, the EDGE District has become a hub for nightlife in Tampa Bay. The district boasts a myriad of hangouts for beer lovers and cocktail aficionados. But have you noticed what’s surprisingly missing? A wine bar! However that won’t be the case for much longer.

The neighborhood’s first dedicated wine bar, named CellarMasters, is planning to open inside of a 2,190 square foot free-standing building located at 1005 1st Avenue North, a few doors down from The Bends, a popular dive bar.

CellarMasters is the creation of local residents Ryan Rugg, a Certified Wine Specialist, and Kory Lynn, the resident Certified Sommelier. According to Rugg, “We want to provide a comfortable and eclectic experience that no other businesses are currently offering in the EDGE District.”

A wooden construction fence went up at 668 Central Avenue last week signaling the start of interior construction of Rocket Fizz, a new soda pop and candy shop. The 1,300 square foot space was formerly home to Daddy Kool Records, which has since moved to the Warehouse Arts District.

In the past few years, the 600 block has become home to a slew of new businesses. Newcomers include Maple Street Biscuit Company, Pacific Counter, and Brass Bowl, and coming soon is Hopdoddy Burger Bar.

Reminiscent of old fashioned candy shops, Rocket Fizz will offer a gigantic selection of candy that’ll send you back in time to when you were a kid. The company prides themselves on stocking candy that is rare to find or in limited production by various manufacturers, such as those that were popular during the 1960s to 1980s. Some of the best-selling items at other locations include Charleston Chew, Abba-Zaba, candy cigarettes, giant gummy bears, and Japanese imported candies.