Local coffee shop Sugar Baby quietly opens inside concrete design studio in Warehouse Arts District

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Local coffee shop Sugar Baby quietly opens inside concrete design studio in Warehouse Arts District

Coffee and concrete may seem like an unlikely match, but two local businesses are making it work.

After opening to rave reviews in Seminole two years ago, local coffee shop and café Sugar Baby has quietly debuted a new location inside a concrete design studio in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District.

Every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors can stop by Form43, located at 2621 Fairfield Avenue South, to grab a drink from Sugar Baby’s new coffee bar and wander through the 2,880-square-foot space filled with modern art installations, concrete furniture, and tropical greenery in concrete planters.

The new setup is more than just a pop-up. It’s a true collaboration between two local businesses with a shared vision of blending art, design, and community.

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Exclusive underground social club coming to the historic Snell Arcade in downtown St. Pete

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Exclusive underground social club coming to the historic Snell Arcade in downtown St. Pete

The basement of the historic 99-year-old Snell Arcade in downtown St. Petersburg, once a bustling hub during the Prohibition era, will be reborn as an exclusive business and social club catering to the city’s movers and shakers.

Former Major League Baseball player turned entrepreneur Robin Jennings will lease and transform the 9,240-square-foot space at 405 Central Avenue into a new private club called The Medina, which is scheduled to open in 2026.

According to Pinellas County property records, the basement of the eight-story building was purchased last month by 405 Central LLC for $3.2 million from Miami-based Tricera Capital. Tricera acquired the space in 2022 for $1.88 million.

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PSTA approves $4.8 million federal grant to restore Cross Bay Ferry service between St. Pete and Tampa

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PSTA approves $4.8 million federal grant to restore Cross Bay Ferry service between St. Pete and Tampa

The Cross Bay Ferry, which has linked passengers between downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa since 2017, could once again sail under a new operator.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), which operates the Clearwater Ferry, is now leading efforts to restore ferry service between St. Pete and Tampa after Hillsborough County recently ended its contract with HMS Ferries.

The termination came after HMS proposed replacing the current ferry with a slower vessel that would more than double one-way travel time from 50 minutes to two hours.

When the county canceled its contract with HMS, ending the Cross Bay Ferry operations on April 30th, it left $4,863,280 of unspent Federal Transit Authority (FTA) dollars on the table, which can be used towards the purchase of two new ferry boats for the Tampa-to-St. Pete service.

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Qargo Coffee to open next month, bringing Italian coffee and pastries to the EDGE District

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Qargo Coffee to open next month, bringing Italian coffee and pastries to the EDGE District

Qargo Coffee, a small but rapidly growing coffee company headquartered in Miami, is bringing its Italian coffee and pastries to downtown St. Pete.

The company will open a new 1,200-square-foot café at 924 Central Avenue, located at the base of the 930 Central Flats apartment building. The space was previously home to Indian restaurant Spice Culture Express.

While no opening date has been set, the interior buildout of the café is complete, and employee training has begun.

The concept was first announced on St. Pete Rising in September 2023.

This will be Qargo’s second location in the Tampa Bay region. The company currently operates a kiosk-style café in Tampa's International Plaza and Bay Street mall.

Qargo Coffee uses beans from Lavazza, Italy’s most popular coffee roaster, for its drip coffee, cold brew, and espresso-based drinks.

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Three St. Pete restaurants recognized by Michelin Guide, though none received stars

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Three St. Pete restaurants recognized by Michelin Guide, though none received stars

The Michelin Guide held its annual Florida ceremony last night in Orlando, where three St. Pete restaurants received recognition.

The guide, which first came to Florida in 2022, features restaurants known for exceptional culinary experiences, awarding up to three Michelin stars to those with outstanding cooking. It also honors establishments that serve excellent food at more affordable prices with the Bib Gourmand distinction.

This is the first year the Michelin Guide has considered restaurants from Pinellas County.

Four restaurants—located in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach, and Orlando—earned their first Michelin star this year, raising Florida’s total number of one-star restaurants to 29. Sorekara in Orlando received two stars, becoming the second restaurant in the state to achieve that honor.

Five Tampa restaurants held on to their coveted Michelin star.

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

Religious sermons and wedding bells may once again echo through the sanctuary of a 100-year-old historic brick church at the edge of St. Petersburg’s Euclid-St. Paul neighborhood.

The 100-year-old Euclid Methodist Church, located at 919 10th Avenue North, has sat vacant for years. Inside, it’s plagued with black mold, collapsed ceilings, and crumbling walls.

Yet despite the daunting repairs ahead, owners Noam and Irene Krasniansky are determined to breathe new life into the deteriorating building, which was added to the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The couple purchased the church in 2023 for $1.1 million using profits from the sale of their Los Angeles home. Their original vision was ambitious: transform the church into a 180-person event venue with a seven-unit bed and breakfast called The Treehouse.

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Pepe's Cantina Mexican Grill opens next week in Historic Kenwood

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Pepe's Cantina Mexican Grill opens next week in Historic Kenwood

A new Mexican restaurant is set to open next week in St. Petersburg’s Historic Kenwood neighborhood, bringing tableside guacamole, tacos, and margaritas to the area.

Pepe’s Cantina Mexican Grill, a growing Central Florida-based eatery, will launch its first Tampa Bay location on April 11 at 3118 3rd Avenue North in the Shoppes at Kenwood.

The 2,275-square-foot space previously housed Cider Press Vegan GastroPub, which closed in October 2024. Before that, it was home to the popular LGBT bar Georgie’s Alibi.

"We initially looked in Tampa, but the Cider Press location had the perfect layout for a cantina with minimal renovation needed," John Cameron, a local franchisee, said to St. Pete Rising.

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Mainsail Art Festival celebrates 50 years this weekend with 250+ artists and live music

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Mainsail Art Festival celebrates 50 years this weekend with 250+ artists and live music

One of St. Petersburg’s premier cultural events, the Mainsail Art Festival, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend, drawing over 100,000 visitors and showcasing the city's diverse creative community and passion for the arts.

The 50th Annual Mainsail Art Festival will take place at Vinoy Park on the St. Petersburg waterfront, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 5th and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 6th.

Each year, a dedicated team of Mainsail volunteers organizes this free-admission event, welcoming thousands of residents and tourists to explore high-quality artwork, participate in family-friendly activities, and enjoy live music and local food vendors.

This year’s festival will feature its largest lineup ever, with over 250 artists showcasing work across 13 mediums: ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, graphics, jewelry, metal, mixed media, oil/acrylic painting, photography, sculpture, watercolor, and wood.

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Chef Ted Dorsey’s highly anticipated Sunshine City Tavern opens next week in St. Pete

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Chef Ted Dorsey’s highly anticipated Sunshine City Tavern opens next week in St. Pete

Chef Ted Dorsey, known for launching some of the area’s most popular restaurants, is set to open a new throwback neighborhood restaurant and bar on Monday, March 24.

Brisket fresh from the smoker, locally sourced seafood, and inventive cocktails take center stage at Sunshine City Tavern, located at 4351 4th Street North.

The 3,500-square-foot space was most recently home to Oaks on 4th, which closed in late 2023.

Designed as a tribute to St. Pete’s history, the tavern features a modern coastal aesthetic with teal walls, white wooden tables, wicker chairs, and a vibrant mural by local artist Kaitlin Ramirez, also known as Swirly Painter.

Dorsey, a restaurant industry veteran with decades of experience, has previously opened Sonata, The Mill, Ciro’s, Boca, and Copperfish.

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St. Pete approves purchase of three-acre property along Salt Creek for new park

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St. Pete approves purchase of three-acre property along Salt Creek for new park

Nearly three acres of vacant property along Salt Creek may become a lush park space with landscaping, public art, and educational components.

During a Committee of the Whole meeting held on January 23rd, committee members unanimously approved moving forward on pursuing the acquisition of a property located on 4th Street South between 17th Avenue South and 18th Avenue South.

The property comprises 1.7 acres zoned Corridor Commercial Traditional (CCT-1) fronting on 4th Street South and 1.26 acres zoned Neighborhood Suburban Multi-Family (NSM-1).

The city is seeking to purchase the property at or below the asking price of $2.9 million.

The property was appraised in July 2024 with an estimated market value of $2.88 million.

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