M&M Video Games opens first St. Pete location in the EDGE District

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M&M Video Games opens first St. Pete location in the EDGE District

M&M Video Games, a retailer that has built a loyal following of competitive gamers and collectors since launching in 2012, has opened a new store in the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete.

The shop is located at 1211 1st Avenue North, in the same building as Zubrick Magic Theatre and 1st Avenue Liquors, and held its grand opening on Friday.

The St. Pete outpost is M&M Video Games’ fifth location, joining existing stores in Tampa, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Largo.

Store Manager Bradley Gilmore said the team is still stocking shelves inside the 2,475 square foot space, which will carry thousands of retro and current generation video games, consoles, and trading card games.

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Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District

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Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District

After nearly a decade, a longtime spot for vegan and gluten-free dining in the Grand Central District has entered a new chapter.

Love Food Central, located at 2057 Central Avenue, recently rebranded as FireWater Cuisine & Wellness and rolled out a new menu about a week ago.

The biggest change is that FireWater, unlike its predecessor, is not strictly vegan.

The updated menu now includes vegetarian and pescatarian options, while still offering a solid lineup of vegan and gluten-free dishes.

In many ways, the shift mirrors what’s been happening recently across St. Pete’s food scene.

Over the past several years, a number of vegan restaurants have closed, including Golden Dinosaurs, Rawk Star Café, Cider Press Café, Freya’s Diner, Black Radish Grocery, Meze 119, Leafy Greens Café, and The Works by Squeeze Juice Works.

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Visioning begins for new 28-acre walkable mixed-use development near Warehouse Arts District in St. Pete

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Visioning begins for new 28-acre walkable mixed-use development near Warehouse Arts District in St. Pete

What would you create with 28 acres of land in St Pete? A park? An amphitheater? Attainable housing? Artist studios?

Those questions were at the center of a recent four-day community charrette that began to shape the future of a large industrial property along the Pinellas Trail, home to St. Petersburg Distillery and several vacant buildings.

The 28-acre site at 800 31st Street South, located west of the Warehouse Arts District and across from Gibbs High School, is owned by the Iafrate family and is envisioned as a new Creators District.

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76 new homes planned for Historic Old Pasadena in west St. Pete

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76 new homes planned for Historic Old Pasadena in west St. Pete

Mattamy Homes, North America’s largest family-owned homebuilder, is bringing a new residential community of single-family homes and townhomes to the Historic Old Pasadena neighborhood in west St. Pete.

Called SeaWinds, the multi-phased, 76-home community will span three sites: 70th Street South and 1st Avenue South; 71st Street South and 1st Avenue South; and Pasadena Avenue South and Mango Avenue South.

In October, Mattamy purchased the first property, formerly a sports field for Pasadena Community Church, for $3,737,500.

Mattamy plans to construct 20 single-family homes there, ranging from 2,156 to 2,357 square feet.

Mattamy is also under contract for a three-acre property to the east, currently home to Pasadena Community Church School, where it’ll build an addition 40 townhomes.

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Michael Saunders & Company to open new downtown St. Pete office inside 46-story 400 Central tower

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Michael Saunders & Company to open new downtown St. Pete office inside 46-story 400 Central tower

Sarasota-based real estate firm Michael Saunders & Company is expanding into downtown St. Petersburg with a new office on the ground floor of the 46-story Residences at 400 Central luxury condo tower, which is set to welcome its first residents later this month.

The company, which has served as the exclusive sales agent for Red Apple Group’s 400 Central project, has leased 3,000 square feet fronting Central Avenue. The new office slated to open in spring 2026.

In the meantime, Michael Saunders & Company will operate from a temporary office across the street at 449 Central Avenue while continuing to run the 400 Central sales gallery at 465 Central Avenue.

The expansion strengthens the firm’s presence in the Tampa Bay market at a time when it has added several well-known local agents, including the Jennifer Thayer Group, Julie Larsen, Rodger Kooser, Ashley Nuccio, Dale Guivas, Rick Scherer, and the Dynasty Group.

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Miracle at Bar Mezzo returns as St. Pete’s favorite over-the-top holiday pop-up

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Miracle at Bar Mezzo returns as St. Pete’s favorite over-the-top holiday pop-up

St. Pete’s most over-the-top holiday tradition is back. And it’s brighter, louder, and merrier than ever.

Miracle at Bar Mezzo has officially returned for its seventh season in St. Pete, reimagining the vintage-style cocktail bar at 1049 Central Avenue into a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling Christmas fever dream.

Miracle began in New York City in 2014 and has since grown into an international holiday phenomenon known for its kitschy decor, seasonal cocktails, and collectible glassware.

What began years ago as a small, cheerful setup inside Intermezzo has evolved into a full holiday takeover of Bar Mezzo.

This season’s decorations push the transformation even further with dense layers of garland and sparkle, deep saturated reds and greens, brass accents shining from every corner, and oversized ornaments that make the room feel like a spirited, grown-up version of the North Pole.

It’s immersive, it’s nostalgic, and it’s intentionally a little over the top.

“Seven years in, Miracle is still a full reset for the bar,” said owner Jarrett Sabatini. “We’re not just hanging lights and calling it a day. We rebuild the room, we rebuild the prep, and we push to make this feel bigger and better than the year before. Our goal is simple: if you only go to one Christmas pop-up bar in St. Pete, it should be this one.”

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40-unit affordable townhome community Pelican Place breaks ground in south St. Pete

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40-unit affordable townhome community Pelican Place breaks ground in south St. Pete

A vacant property across from Tangerine Plaza will become the site of a new 40-unit  townhome community, helping address affordable housing needs in south St. Pete.

Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Gulfside joined Mayor Ken Welch and other city officials Monday morning to break ground on Pelican Place at 2100 18th Avenue South.

Actual site work will commence early next year, with vertical construction anticipated to start in the fall.

"Pelican Place represents more than just homes. It's about building hope and stability for families who deserve a safe, affordable place to live," said Mike Sutton, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside. "We're proud to partner with the City of St. Petersburg to make this vision a reality."

First announced in 2022, the homes at Pelican Place will be sold to households earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

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Inside Tropicana Field as city progresses on $60 million stadium renovation

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Inside Tropicana Field as city progresses on $60 million stadium renovation

A newly completed white dome now crowns Tropicana Field, gleaming in the sun.

Inside, more than 200 workers are stretching the fabric roof, sealing seams, and moving into the next phase of repairs.

“The roof is back on. They are still doing some of the seaming and the final sealing, but in essence, the building is dried in,” said Beth Herendeen, Managing Director of City Development for St. Petersburg, during a media tour on Wednesday. “We have no concern about being open or ready for Opening Day on April 6th, 2026.”

Above the concrete field and thousands of empty seats, the roof’s PTFE fabric alternates between white and orange-tan panels. City Architect Raul Quintana noted the color variation will fade out by spring.

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Three retail buildings on Central Avenue sell in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

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Three retail buildings on Central Avenue sell in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

Three mixed-use retail properties along the 1100 block of Central Avenue in the EDGE District are now under new ownership.

Dallas, Texas-based investment firm 90Ten has acquired properties directly adjacent to the Moxy Hotel, including the three-story building at 1110 Central Avenue, the two-story building at 1122–1128 Central Avenue, and 1114 Central Avenue, which is currently leased to Sweetgreen.

90Ten purchased the properties for $10 million.

CBRE’s James Garner and Jim Shiebler represented the seller, PTM Partners, in the transaction.

The Central Avenue block acquisition is part of the EDGE Collective, a multi-phased walkable mixed-use that includes the Moxy Hotel, the office and retail building, and a second phase that includes a 20-story luxury apartment building and additional retail.

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Hubbard’s Marina approved to run ferry between downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa

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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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