Easy Tiger, a hi-fi listening lounge and cocktail bar, will open next month in the EDGE District | St. Pete Rising

More than a decade after opening The Bends in what was then a quiet corner of St. Pete’s EDGE District, local hospitality operator Matt Kaye is preparing to debut his most personal project yet just a few feet away.

Easy Tiger, a hi-fi listening lounge and cocktail bar opening next month at 915 1st Avenue North, will pair vinyl DJ sets and high-fidelity sound with a globally inspired cocktail program.

The roughly 1,600-square-foot space sits along the same block as The Bends and represents the latest concept from Kaye, his wife Victoria Kaye, and partners Chris Stone and Craig Dragoonis.

Kaye is also behind Wild Child, a neighborhood bistro and cocktail bar, and Slim Charmer, a martini bar with Mediterranean small plates, both located in the Grand Central District.

Inside, Easy Tiger was designed to function less like a traditional bar and more like a listening lounge, where music plays a central role in shaping the experience.

The space features a carefully tuned hi-fi audio system built around Klipsch Heritage speakers paired with McIntosh amplification, allowing vinyl DJ sets to fill the room with warm, immersive sound without overpowering conversation.

“You can still talk to the person next to you, but the music sounds incredible,” Kaye said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “It’s about creating an atmosphere where everything works together — the sound, the drinks, the design.”

Music programming will be curated by a long-time staple in Tampa Bay's music industry, DJ Casper, who will help bring in a rotating mix of local and traveling DJs across a variety of genres.

The goal is not to create a nightclub environment, but rather a space where guests can relax, socialize, and experience music in a more intentional way.

The interior of Easy Tiger was designed collaboratively by Kaye and Stone with additional design input from Oliver Shaw, who helped refine the space’s materials, textures, and overall aesthetic.

The result is a moody, layered environment that complements the listening lounge concept.

The cocktail program is led by beverage director Chris Trull, who also helped design the drink programs at both Wild Child and Slim Charmer.

For Easy Tiger, Trull said the goal was to create drinks that match the tone of the space: refined but approachable.

“I wanted the cocktails to reflect the room,” Trull told St. Pete Rising. “Playful but polished, with a little bit of nostalgia but also a lot of global influence.”

The menu will feature roughly 15 to 18 cocktails along with several zero-proof options.

While the drinks incorporate modern techniques, Trull said they are designed to remain accessible to guests who may not be familiar with more technical cocktail terminology.

“I use a lot of higher-end techniques,” Trull said. “But the goal is always to present them in ways that are easy to understand and enjoyable.”

One example is a clarified and force-carbonated take on the “Incredible Hulk,” a late-1990s club drink traditionally made with Hennessy and Hpnotiq.

Easy Tiger’s version incorporates Japanese melon, citrus, and carbonation for a bright highball-style cocktail that nods to nightlife nostalgia.

Another selection, Lavish Habits, features marshmallow-infused Tequila Ocho Reposado, lactic passionfruit cordial, Chinola, and prosecco acid, clarified and finished with a passionfruit caviar garnish.

Other drinks include El Tigre, a house martini made with Spanish gin, sherry, vermouth, and pepper brine, as well as a grape-forward Enzoni variation built around pisco and verjus.

Easy Tiger’s take on the “Incredible Hulk,” a late-1990s club drink traditionally made with Hennessy and Hpnotiq | Easy Tiger

Several cocktails will also reference music culture, with drink names inspired by songs and vinyl formats — another nod to the lounge’s focus on sound.

Trull said the menu was also designed with service in mind.

“If it’s five deep on a Friday, we don’t want someone waiting fifteen minutes for a cocktail,” he said. “Everything is designed so the bartenders can move quickly while still making something really special.”

For Kaye, Easy Tiger represents both a new chapter and a continuation of a long creative journey that began when he returned to St. Pete after more than a decade living in New York City.

After studying graphic design at the School of Visual Arts, Kaye spent years working in the city’s nightlife scene — bartending, managing venues, and booking DJs and musicians.

Those experiences helped shape the approach he would later bring back to St. Pete when he opened The Bends in 2013.

Since then, Kaye and his partners have become a major part of the city’s hospitality landscape with concepts like Wild Child and Slim Charmer.

Music programming will be curated by a long-time staple in Tampa Bay's music industry, DJ Casper, who will help bring in a rotating mix of local and traveling DJs across a variety of genres | Easy Tiger

The building that now houses Easy Tiger also carries special significance for Kaye.

Several years ago, when redevelopment plans threatened to displace The Bends, he began exploring ways to purchase the property himself.

After months of working with lenders, he ultimately secured financing and acquired the building from longtime owner Sanford Goldman, a respected local architect who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright.

“It was important to him that the building didn’t get torn down,” Kaye said. “Being able to keep the character of the space and continue doing something creative here means a lot.”

For Kaye and his team, Easy Tiger brings together many of the elements that have shaped their careers: music, design, hospitality, and the collaborative energy that has helped define St. Pete’s evolving nightlife scene.

“We just want it to be a place with incredible sound, great cocktails, and great vibes,” Kaye said.

Easy Tiger is expected to open next month in the EDGE District.

Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest DJ sets and cocktail offerings.