Hubbard’s Marina approved to run ferry between downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa
/The Cross Bay Ferry is getting a new name, a new operator, a new boat, and a new long-term vision for water transit in Tampa Bay.
On Wednesday, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to name Madeira Beach-based Hubbard’s Marina as the new operator for the ferry service, now called the Tampa Bay Ferry, which has connected downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa since 2016.
The decision authorizes PSTA to enter into a five-year agreement with Hubbard’s Marina, with an option to extend the contract for an additional five years.
The approval follows months of evaluation by St. Petersburg, Tampa, and local transportation agencies excited to build a ferry service that is more reliable and sustainable than the prior model, which was operated by Boston-based HMS Ferries.
Hillsborough County ended its contract with HMS Ferries earlier this year after the company proposed replacing the existing vessel with a slower boat that would have extended the one-way crossing from about 50 minutes to more than two hours.
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A new vintage boutique specializing in women's clothing and accessories from the late 1990s and early 2000s is coming to the Grand Central District of St. Pete.
Clique Vintage is expected to open later this month at 2042 Central Avenue, in an 800-square-foot storefront between The St. Pete Barber Shop and Crispy Avenue Cafe.
Behind the boutique is 25-year-old Cammie Peebles, who has spent the past several years selling vintage clothing online and at local markets.
Peebles grew up in Historic Kenwood and remembers visiting the former Haslam's Book Store as a child.
"It's so full circle," Peebles said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. "If only I knew when I was little that I was going to be opening a store right across the street, I would have thought I was so cool."
Clique Vintage will carry a curated assortment of Y2K fashion, including beaded cami tops, denim mini skirts, silk slip dresses, leather shoulder bags, and kitten heels.