Photo courtesy of GulfPerk Coffee Bar
From new walk-up windows to a few longtime spots calling it quits, here’s a look at what opened, expanded, and closed in July across Gulfport, St. Pete, and the beaches.
Gulfport Business News
GulfPerk Coffee Bar
GulfPerk Coffee Bar officially announced it will not reopen on July 9, nearly two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton forced its closure. The shop was at 3107 Beach Blvd. S. in Gulfport.
Old Florida Natives
Old Florida Natives is now open at 5108 Tangerine Ave. S. in Gulfport, specializing in Florida native plants that support local wildlife and pollinators. The nursery carries everything from seaside goldenrod, frogfruit, and necklace pod to aquatic milkweed, wax myrtles, Simpson’s stoppers, and many other species chosen for Florida landscapes.
Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber
Gulf Beaches & Beyond Business News
Frankie’s Pizza Window
Frankie’s Pizza Window opened July 3 at 6340 Gulf Blvd. in St. Pete Beach, next to The Luce Hotel (formerly the Postcard Inn), with plans to expand into a full restaurant later this summer.
Mad Beach Dive Shop
Mad Beach Dive Shop closed its doors at 15029 Madeira Way after 11 years. “We’ve reached the end of an era,” the shop said in a statement, adding that the closure resulted from landlord issues rather than business struggles.
Sushi Yama
Sushi Yama opened at 7790 U.S. Highway 19 N. in Pinellas Park, bringing an all-you-can-eat Japanese dining concept to the former WingHouse location. While other restaurants operate under the Sushi Yama name, the Pinellas Park location is independently owned.
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St. Petersburg Business News
Baba and Barbouni
Baba, the Mediterranean restaurant in Grand Central, and its Barbouni space at 2701 Central Ave. closed after seven years. Chef Andrew Duncan and sommelier Danielle McCoy are taking over the property with two new concepts: Kaixo in the main dining room, which draws on Iberian food and wine traditions, and Barra Barra in the intimate Barbouni space. No opening date has been set.
Churned Ice Cream
Churned Ice Cream, known for slinging treats from a retro 1970s VW bus, opened a walk-up scoop shop at its production kitchen at 5504 Haines Road N. on July 19. The menu covers cups, cones, gourmet popsicles and even pup cups. Churned donates 10% of profits from its regular flavors to Pet Pal Animal Shelter.
Crislip Cafe and The Merchant
Crislip Cafe and The Merchant are closing in mid-August, after owners Jennifer and Kevin Schultz received notice to vacate the historic Crislip Arcade in the 600 block of Central Avenue downtown. The Merchant has featured work from more than 100 local artists, makers, musicians, and entrepreneurs since 2018.
Rumba Island Bar & Grill
At the beginning of July, Rumba Island Bar & Grill closed its St. Petersburg restaurant at 6445 Fourth St. N. after about three years. The company’s Clearwater location remains open.
Photo by Cameron Healy
Sun Bear Specialty Coffee Roasters
Sun Bear Specialty Coffee Roasters opened a standalone cafe and roastery on July 26 at 1942 1st Ave. S. in the Grand Central District, in the former Adieu Glu space next to Pinellas Ale Works. Owner Kenny Beers spent two years running the coffee counter inside zero-waste store Sans Market in the EDGE District before outgrowing the space. The new shop seats 20 to 30 guests.
Sunshine City Paint
Sunshine City Paint opened at 909 Central Ave. in the EDGE District, in the former Expedia Cruises space. The women- and veteran-owned paint-and-sip studio, founded by Julie Gioscio, offers open canvas time, guided sessions, family-friendly classes and adult evening paint-and-sips, with beer and wine service planned for the future.
Thirsty First
Thirsty First ended its 10-year run. Owner Greg Mikurak opened the sports bar in 2016 at 119 1st Ave. N. before moving last year into a much bigger, two-story space at 515 Central Ave., the former Acropolis.
The Winfield
The Winfield has opened beneath Central Park at 551 Central Ave., bringing a speakeasy-inspired underground cocktail bar with handcrafted drinks and small plates to the food hall below.
Zee’s Barbeque
Zee’s Barbeque has opened inside Foodie Labs at 515 22nd St. S. after building a following through pop-ups. Created by Miles and Logan during the pandemic, the wood-smoked brisket and pulled pork concept is named after Miles’ German Shepherd, and donates a portion of every sale to local animal shelters.
Your Business is Our Business
No one knows more about small businesses in Pinellas County than Ester Venouziou, founder of LocalShops1 and Shopapalooza Festival. Send her your business tips and news at ester@localshops1.com.
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