TapHouse 61 closes after nearly nine years in the Grand Central District
/TapHouse 61 opened in 2017 after its owners rebranded the space’s previous concept, Sly Bar | St. Pete Rising
A popular bar on Central Avenue served its last customers last week.
TapHouse 61 at 2061 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District has closed after nearly nine years in business.
The neighborhood bar offered more than a dozen craft beers on tap along with cocktails, wine, and bottled beer, attracting a loyal following of regulars, service industry workers, and neighborhood residents.
TapHouse 61 opened in 2017 after its owners rebranded the space’s previous concept, Sly Bar.
The earlier bar, which debuted in 2014, had developed a reputation as a casual dive known for its sandwich menu and live music.
When Sly Bar pivoted to TapHouse 61, owner Joe Robertson expanded the bar’s craft beer focus by increasing the number of taps, introducing a broader selection of bottles and cans, and hosting beer-centric events.
Taphouse attracted a loyal following of regulars, service industry workers, and neighborhood residents | Taphouse 61
Over time, the bar became a familiar gathering spot in the Grand Central District.
TapHouse 61 was known for its weekly trivia night on Wednesdays, service industry discounts on Mondays, and an easygoing atmosphere.
General Manager Mike Alford, who has been involved with the bar since the Sly Bar days, said the concept was always meant to function as a true neighborhood bar.
“That was the goal from day one,” Alford told St. Pete Rising. “We always catered toward the service industry. When every bar and restaurant in the area recommends your place to hang out after work, that’s the best kind of publicity you can get.”
The bar became a late-night gathering spot for hospitality workers finishing their shifts across the neighborhood, often serving as an unofficial meeting place for bartenders, servers, and restaurant staff.
Mike Alford, General Manager of Taphouse 61 | Taphouse 61
“There was always a time of night where you could walk in here and see your favorite bartender or server from somewhere within two miles,” Alford said. “That homey, neighborhood feel was what we were always striving for.”
The bar also partnered with local breweries for beer collaborations and regularly hosted food trucks and pop-ups, adding to its role as a community hub along Central Avenue.
TapHouse 61’s final week showed how strong those community ties had become.
“We had our going-away party on Thursday and it was crazy,” Alford said. “Hundreds of people showed up. It really hit home how many people considered this place their spot.”
For Alford, the most difficult part of the closure is leaving behind the community that frequented the bar.
“The people are what I’m going to miss the most,” he said. “Seeing everyone come in after work, the late-night crowd, the pre-shift and after-shift people. These last couple of weeks it’s really become apparent how many people we’re going to miss.”
When word spread that TapHouse 61 was closing, customers made shirts to commemorate the end of an era | Stpetemoose on Reddit
When Sly Bar first opened more than a decade ago, much of the surrounding area looked very different.
“Back then there really wasn’t much around,” Alford said. “Haslam’s was here, but a lot of what you see today didn’t exist yet. This area has changed so much over the last 10 years, and honestly it’s become one of the best parts of St. Pete.”
Following news of the closure, a regular patron of TapHouse 61 launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support employees of the now-closed bar as they search for new opportunities.
“For those who know, Tap has always been a place where we could connect, celebrate, and support one another,” the fundraiser reads. “Now, it’s our turn to support the staff in their time of need.”
The campaign hopes to help bartenders and staff cover living expenses during the transition.
One last pour Taphouse 61 | Taphouse 61
While Alford says he has no immediate plans for what comes next, he hasn’t ruled out returning to the bar business someday.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and it’s been the most fun I’ve ever had at a job,” he said. “I’m not rushing into anything right now, but starting something again is always going to be in the back of my mind.”
Before closing the chapter on TapHouse 61, Alford also credited Robertson, his brother-in-law and the bar’s founder, for making the concept possible.
“Without Joe, none of this would exist,” Alford said. “He kept this place alive from the Sly Bar days through TapHouse and through COVID. He’s always been more of a behind-the-scenes guy, but this place wouldn’t have happened without him.”
Even as TapHouse 61 closes its doors, Alford believes the type of neighborhood gathering spot the bar created will continue to exist somewhere in St. Pete.
“St. Pete’s not going anywhere,” he said. “These kinds of places might move around as the city changes, but there are still a lot of people here who want real neighborhood bars. That’s never going to disappear.”
