Local boating company Hubbard's Marina selected as new operator of Cross Bay Ferry
/A longtime local boating business may bring back the popular ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa, with more frequent trips and year-round service.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has recommended Hubbard’s Marina, a nearly century-old Madeira Beach-based business, to relaunch and manage the Cross Bay Ferry, which first launched in 2016. If approved, service could resume as early as 2026, ahead of the peak spring break season.
Hubbard’s Marina, which would operate the service as the Tampa Bay Ferry, was one of four respondents to PSTA’s Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on August 5th.
Founded in 1928 by Captain Wilson Hubbard as a bait-and-tackle shop, Hubbard’s Marina has grown into a major fishing and boating business. The family-owned company moved to John’s Pass on Maderia Beach in 1976, where it now offers deep-sea fishing, sightseeing tours, and operates a maintenance and manufacturing facility in Gulfport.
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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.