The Chattaway, St. Petersburg’s longest-running restaurant, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year | St. Pete Rising

The Chattaway will remain open after all.

In March, St. Pete Rising reported that The Chattaway property at 358 22nd Avenue South was under contract and that St. Petersburg's longest-running restaurant was expected to close after the sale.

While the sale remains on track, the purchasing group has decided to continue operating the restaurant rather than shutter it.

The south St. Pete institution will be acquired by a local ownership group led by real estate investor Cullen Mahoney, who recently brought on Ferg's Sports Bar owner Mark Ferguson and Shrimpy's Waterfront owner John John Delladonna to keep the 75-year-old restaurant alive.

The sale is expected to be finalized in August, but according to Ferguson, customers should not expect any interruption to The Chattaway's operations.

Mark Ferguson, owner of Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill, has joined the new ownership group behind The Chattaway | Ferg's

The 0.70-acre property could have just as easily ended up in the hands of a developer, putting the restaurant at risk of demolition.

Instead, Mahoney put the site under contract in March and began looking for partners who shared his vision of keeping the restaurant intact.

"The Chattaway stays The Chattaway," Mahoney said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Founded in 1951 by British immigrant Jillian Fricker, The Chattaway began as a tea room before evolving into one of St. Petersburg's most well-known restaurants.

Over the decades, the restaurant became a local institution, drawing generations of residents and visitors with its burgers, eclectic décor, afternoon tea service, and lush garden seating area.

For Ferguson, preserving the restaurant is a chance to protect a piece of local history.

“I grew up in Lakewood Estates in south St. Pete,” Ferguson said to St. Pete Rising. “When I was a kid, we'd ride our bikes to The Chattaway, then head down to 3rd Street, go over Thrill Hill, and skate at the Bayfront Center during the summer.”

Ferguson also spent 18 years teaching P.E. and health at Southside Fundamental Middle School (now Midtown Academy), located about a mile from The Chattaway.

The new owners plan put a roof over the Chattaway’s patio to keep the sun and rain off people | The Chattaway

Mahoney said the new ownership group has no plans to fundamentally change the restaurant that generations of residents have come to know and love.

“We care about every photo that's under polyurethane stuck to the bar. We care about every plaque screwed into the wall,” Mahoney said. “We're keeping it what it is because that's what makes it important to St. Pete.”

Instead, the plan is to preserve the restaurant's character while making operational improvements and adding new amenities.

Among the changes being considered are obtaining a liquor license, expanding event programming, and making improvements to the outdoor dining area.

“There'll be liquor, and we hope to put a roof over the patio to keep the sun and rain off people,” Ferguson said.

The Chattaway’s tea room hosts a popular afternoon tea service | The Chattaway

The ownership group is also exploring additional live music, community events, and small vendor markets similar to those Ferguson hosts at Ferg's.

Additionally, Delladonna’s involvement will likely lead to an expanded selection of seafood dishes on the menu.

“We're going to make exactly what they're doing better,” Mahoney said. “The intention is to take the vibe, take the existing infrastructure and make it sustainable.”

According to Ferguson, the restaurant will remain open throughout the ownership transition.

Once the sale is finalized, the new owners plan to gradually implement improvements before hosting a grand reopening celebration for the community.

“It's a community project,” Ferguson said.