After careful consideration, including meeting with interested parties and consultation with staff, Mayor Rick Kriseman has selected DF St. Pete dba “Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille” to occupy the restaurant planned for the St. Pete Pier’s Pelican Lot.
With three locations just south of Tampa Bay, Doc Ford’s has already established a reputation as a highly successful destination restaurant. The restaurant’s name and Florida theme, based on the novels by New York Times best-selling author Randy Wayne White, will appeal to both residents and visitors. Market studies show that regional appeal is integral to the Pier’s success.
The group behind Doc Ford’s, HM Restaurant Group, LLC, has an extensive history of community involvement and charitable giving in southwest Florida, and they have committed to continuing that in St. Petersburg. Mayor Kriseman stated, “I am also excited about the opportunity to link “Doc Ford”, a marine biologist, to the Pier’s education center and wet classroom. I am confident that a Doc Ford’s at the St. Pete Pier will further elevate and diversify St. Pete’s restaurant scene and provide our downtown with family-friendly dining.”
Tenant outreach and selections for the Pier head and remainder of the Pier District will continue throughout 2018.