By SARAH LARACUENTE
St. Pete Beach is a city that covers a pretty fabulous stretch of land; from Pass-a-Grille to Blind Pass Road the beaches are some of the absolute best around. From a St. Pete native’s perspective, you have one side of Gulf Blvd dedicated to hotels and public beach access, the other is a combination of cute shops, restaurants, and grocery stores. Everything you need is really right there.
The city also has 2 downtown districts with Pass-a-Grille and Historic Corey Avenue. There has been a lot of attention to both of these districts: last year the paving project and beautification of Pass-a-Grille, and now the shift is to Corey Avenue. Slated to receive $250,000+ in updates and “upgrades,” the Corey Avenue project should be complete by the end of September, which we should all celebrate. During this time of change/construction, we all have to remember as locals to support these shops and restaurants.
“For someone coming to Corey Avenue, there is always something new to see. Each shop has new items coming in all the time. This is your community.” Vincent Cianciola
Vincent William Gallery -320 Corey Ave, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
(727) 363-1334
vincentwilliamgallery.com
Fine, Fun, Functional & Fabulous Art
Owner- Vincent Cianciola
Vincent William Gallery has been on Corey Avenue since 1993, and owner Vincent Cianciola has been creating his art for over 35 years.
Reproduction Tiffany Lamps, original designs, and custom stained glass work, Vincent stays busy year around with custom orders of his work. He created this gallery to have a studio of his own, a place to create his own pieces. It evolved into a place to support other artists since there really wasn’t anywhere else to go locally that would showcase all the different types of artwork. There were galleries with paintings, but nothing like this. Now Vincent William Gallery has 45 different artists in one place, most of them local.
Handmade jewelry, pottery, ceramics, blown glass, fused glass. Vincent shared, “Some of the best and most wonderful artists like Chuck Boux, a very talented local blown glass artist. He was recently featured in the Imagine Museum.”
What the best part about owning this business on Corey Avenue?
“I love Corey Avenue. I love St. Pete Beach, it’s a great street that’s getting better and better. We have to stick by independent likeminded people who work very hard 7 days a week to find things you won’t find in big box stores or online. It’s walk-able, friendly, has free parking, is a safe area, and is as diverse as it can be. We are happy to celebrate Pride month in June. We are moving forward from being a prejudiced society and celebrating diversity.”
This summer he will be closing on Wednesdays so he can get a little extra time off through end of September. When fall hits, Vincent will be painting the building and renovating inside.
Paradise Gifts and Paradise Lights & Home Décor
371 Corey Ave, St. Pete Beach
(727) 363-8501
Owner – Cheryl West
Cheryl opened her first shop, Rooster’s, in the Dolphin Village Shopping Center in 2003. She bought the business and the next year hurricanes hit and then the great recession of 2007. The size of the first store was under 900 square feet, and now her two shops are over 4500 square feet of coastal décor, gifts, and home furnishings.
She decided to leap into the joys of business ownership when she was in her mid 40’s. After finding great success in corporate America, she was “just bored.” “In the back of my mind, I always had this gift of taking stuff and putting it together.” “What does that mean?” I asked. “Are you crafty?” She laughed and shared that she can’t even sew a button on a shirt.
What is the best part about owning this business on Corey Avenue?
“The best part is that after 15 years my customers are more friends than customers, I know their names, children, I’ve watched the children grow up. I know they keep coming back to me because of my selection and customer service. I love being part of St. Pete Beach, a small tight-knit community where people stick together. “
Summer time plans include working every day, then taking her annual trip to the mountains, trusty Murphy along her side, in August or September. They enjoy a little cool, non-humid weather after our hot summer months.
This summer remember to keep your money where your heart is. Don’t let a little future redevelopment stop you from enjoying the shops & restaurants on Corey Avenue. – Sarah Laracuente – Sail Marketing, LLC • 727-324-7461