ST PETE BEACH
St. Pete Beach Produce and Deli, across from the Post Card Inn (PCI) Resort at 6355 Gulf Boulevard, has long been the place to get the freshest salads and Mediterranean specialty foods including the best Gyros on the beaches south of Tarpon Springs. Proprietor Odise Armata (Odi), who has always been one of the most industrious business folks in town, has evolved his business from a tiny produce shop into a Mediterranean specialty grocery and restaurant. No longer a produce shop, the restaurant is being renamed Odi’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Stop by soon and pick a copy of his newest eat-in and to-go menu. Odi’s wife Mirella shares the building and operates Mirella’s Talent Salon, a popular beauty parlor in adjacent space.
Corey Avenue got a facelift over the summer. Between the tourism disruption caused by the coronavirus and street closings for resurfacing of Corey Ave. and Blind Pass Road, it has been a challenging year and a half for St. Pete Beach’s “downtown” business district. Beverly’s La Croisette was purchased by a French couple and is closed for remodeling under the watchful eye of Emanual Roux, who sold Redwoods and the Garden in downtown St. Pete and became an “urban farmer” and started “GateauxOChocolat,” baker of the very best flourless chocolate cakes. You can get a piece or a whole cake from Casa Del Pane in St. Pete Beach or order one online ay www.flourfreecakes.com for delivery worldwide.
Just east of La Croisette, the newest boutique on Corey is the Sail Market just opened by Sarah Laracuente. No stranger to Corey Ave., Sarah Erwin was the local ad rep for the daily paper for years. She has since married, written several articles for Paradise NEWS, had a child started her own company, Sail Marketing, became St. Pete Beach’s part-time Public Information Officer (PIO), and very recently took over CABA’s social media effort. Sarah and Sail Market are launching a line of cause-oriented t-shirts, coronavirus masks and other products with the theme “Kindness Matters”. Profits are destined for her favorite charity, St. Vincent de Paul CARES, which helps to end homelessness. Also, new to Corey this year is Elizabeth’s Boutique which expanded from Dolphin Village Shopping Center to Corey in late spring.Just east of Elizabeth’s Boutique, new ownership took over at Tapz on Corey and renamed it The Shaded Keg, a sports bar with by far the most choices on tap anywhere in our readership area.
Corey’s newest watering hole, Kim Fowler’s Twisted Tiki just opened in September 2020 to rave reviews between London Hair & Spa and the Swigwam.
The Corey Market has a larger, socially distanced footprint, open Sundays 10am-2pm on Corey Ave. and Blind Pass Rd. in downtown St. Pete Beach.
Trunk or Treat on Corey Ave. There will be a spooking good Halloween time for kids at the “Trunk or Treat on Corey Ave” on Saturday October 31. The St. Pete Beach Parks & Recreation Department is proud to present “Trunk-or-Treat on Corey Ave.” On Saturday, October 31, join us on the 300-400 blocks of Corey Ave. in St. Pete Beach for a spooky good time. Kids will get to trick-or-treat throughout the local shops and “trunkers” as the street will be blocked off for safety. This event is FREE, but space is limited so please make sure to get your tickets before it’s too late. 1 ticket = A family of 4. Tickets available at www.st-pete-beach-community-center.ticketleap.com/trunk-or-treat/. Event will be from 10am-2pm and there will be 4 separate timeslots: 10-11am, 11am-12pm, 12-1pm & 1-2pm. Parking available at the SPB community center. More information visit www.spbrec.com or call the St. Pete Beach Community Center at 727-363-9245.
TREASURE ISLAND
Beverly Diny at Diny Jewelers, 130 107th Ave. is offering COVID-friendly private jewelry spa days in October and November for new and old clients alike. Beverly is a highly trained jeweler and diamond expert who says she has found her new calling in Treasure Island, redesigning out-of-date jewelry into exciting modern styles. Imagine changing something that is gathering dust into a ring, bracelet, necklace or earrings that you would be proud to wear all the time. Beverly also has loose investment grade diamonds to help diversify your portfolio and beat inflation. Call at 727-513-3469 for details.
Sunset Bistro, which replaced Feola’s at the Thunderbird and is offering take-out and dine-in for dinner options Wednesday – Sunday 5-10pm or later, and Brunch 8-noon on weekends for just $15/person. Fiona sings there on Fridays and people are raving about Chef Thomas Mandzik’s creativity.
ISLA DEL SOL
Isla Del Sol Y&CC has had a busy summer with a record number of summer members joining for COVID-friendly outdoor sports and pool and beachside, outdoor, socially distanced dining and beverage options. Improvements have been made, including a Navigation App that gives the distance to the cup for better club selection.
Their yacht slips are full. New membership policies make it easier and less expensive to become a club member. Call Star Garcia at 727-828-0002.
TIERRA VERDE
The Island Inn is reportedly getting company. Jolly Roger’s Grub & Pub, 32 Madonna Boulevard, plans to offer casual, down-to-earth dining and entertainment option for any and everyone seeking something a little different. “If you dine here, get ready to be insulted.” It’s all in the playful spirit of a “roast” and part of the Jolly Roger’s atmosphere. Family-friendly during the day, the restaurant is adult-only after 9pm. The ownership team includes Roger D. Bell, W. Terry Libich, Kent and Alyssa Adams. Visit www.jollyrogerstv.com for updates.
Tree Lighting Event in Tierra Verde The event is set for Saturday, December 5th! The Christmas Tree will be erected after Thanksgiving in the “downtown Tierra Verde” parking lot. It will remain there until after New Years 2021.
MADEIRA BEACH
Trash Pirates Monthly Beach Clean-Up is always the first Saturday of the month from 8-11am at Archibald Park. Volunteers are not only welcome but are blessed for coming. Mark your calendar for Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.
CLEARWATER
Engel & Völkers, Belleair, has listed one of the last, vacant, buildable, lots on Clearwater Beach. The lot, listed at $26.9 million, is located at 551 Gulf Boulevard, at the base of Sand Key Bridge. The property was home to Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant, which served the community for 27 years. It offers the opportunity to develop 3.2 acres into the next destination resort, condominium or restaurant, according to a release.
Meanwhile ground is being broken for construction of Harborview Resort on Clearwater Beach, a 73-unit condo-hotel project featured in Paradise News’ March issue. Buyers get 90 days use and 275 days rental pool participation.
GULFPORT
CITY HALL UTILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO RE-OPEN
City of Gulfport utility customers credit card payments can continue to be made online at www.municipalonlinepayments.com/gulfportfl, but the $3.25 CC convenience fee applies. City Residents with Utility, Water, and Sewer billing questions can call 727-893-1016 or email utilitiesinfo@mygulfport.us.
Customers who would like to pay their bill over the phone via credit card can call 727-893-1016, Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
ST PETERSBURG
The Bainbridge Companies sold 930 Central Flats, a six-story, 218-unit mixed-used project in the EDGE District in downtown St. Petersburg for $64 million. The buyer is an affiliate of White Oak Partners.
There are a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments on five floors, with underground parking, ground floor amenities and retail, and five floors of luxury apartments. The average rent in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area is expected by experts to rise 2.6 percent in 2020.
Bill Edwards’ WELCOME to St Petersburg sign welcoming drivers to
St. Petersburg as they cross the Howard Frankland bridge is coming down. The 75-foot $600,000 tower built to welcome guests to the 2012 Republic Convention is in the way of bridge expansion. Cast Your Vote by Nov. 3rd Tropicana Field to Serve as Mail Ballot Drop-Off Location October 19-November 2, 8am-5pm daily.
Tropicana Field will host a drive-thru mail ballot drop-off location staffed by deputized election workers at Gate 1 from October 19-November 2, 8am-5pm daily. Ballots are never left unattended. All ballots will be returned to the Supervisor of Elections office and secured in a ballot storage locker at the end of each day. Voters can go to VotePinellas.com to request a mail ballot and check the status of their mail ballot.
Voters may return completed mail ballots to any Supervisor of Elections Office from 7am-7pm on Election Day. All ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections by 7pm on Election Day, November 3, 2020. For a complete list of all ballot drop-off locations and for all OFFICIAL Election information, go to VotePinellas.com. For information on volunteering as a poll worker https://www.votepinellas.com/Become-an-Election-Worker
Frank Segreti, a 4th generation restaurateur and CEO of Segreti Group, is taking over the former Caddy’s on Central space located in the Detroit Hotel Lobby and patio at 217 Central Avenue. The Brickyard will soon occupy the 8,000 square foot indoor and patio space and Pizza N’ Brew will operate out of the smaller, adjacent parcel. Owner Relations Director Dana Speer says. “We intend on moving our business office to St. Petersburg as well.”
Wednesday Tea Dances Return to The Historic Coliseum Tea Dances October-May:
- 1st Wed of each Month – Mario DeLeon Band
- 3rd Wed of the Month – Pleasure w/ Bobby Tessitore
11:30am Dance Instruction 1-3:30pm Live Music $7 entry / $10 w/instruction
The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave N., St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Call 727-892-5202 or visit www.stpete.org/coliseum
PINELLAS COUNTY
Dog parks and dog-friendly beaches? Check. Dog-friendly restaurants, bars and hotels?
Yup, got those too. It’s no wonder St. Pete/Clearwater has been rated one of the dog friendliest destinations in the US! #NationalDogDay#DogBarStPete
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater (VSPC), unveiled a nearly $2 million campaign to give Pinellas County businesses a unified approach communicating expectations during COVID-19. People thinking about packing their bags for a trip–even staycations–want to know what hotels, attractions, restaurants and destinations are doing to keep them safe. The same research is showing an overwhelming number of travelers want to know destinations have strict safety measures in place, like a face covering mandate, and this campaign is designed to communicate that and rebuild consumer confidence.
St. Pete/Clearwater continues to lead the state in many tourism metrics since reopening its beaches, despite nearly 50% of American travelers cancelling 2.1 trips on average because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While forecasts for travel in the remainder of 2020 is down, especially fall/winter holidays, beach destinations and small towns make up the majority of leisure trips planned for American travelers.
A $75,000 Resilience Planning Grant will help identify comprehensive plan policies to address flood risks. Pinellas County got one of the 33 grants in Florida that has been selected for funding under the State of Florida’s Resilient Coastlines Program. Pinellas will utilize the grant to identify and evaluate resilience-based policies for coastal management of its Comprehensive Plan that address flood risks. The project will evaluate policies to assist our community’s ability to quickly and successfully redevelop following a major disaster. The project will identify the local community’s vulnerabilities that need to be addressed well in advance of a major disaster in order to ensure a speedy and well-thought out post-disaster recovery. Public workshops are planned and outreach through social media, plus a website, and coordination with various departments, Pinellas County’s municipalities, and other stakeholders that are identified through the planning process. The grant runs through June 30, 2021.
STATEWIDE
“More than 40 Florida craft distilleries paid dues of $1,000-$2,000 each to form the Florida Craft Spirits Association (FCSA). Benefits include access to unified industry-wide lobbying efforts at state and federal levels, public relations, media, industry-tailored education and training programs, state and national level mutual support, etc.” said David Cohen, inaugural FCSA President. “Our industry has never been more united and engaged to move craft distilling in Florida forward.” Serving with Cohen of Manifest Distillery on the 2020-2021 Executive Leadership team:
- Vice President – Matt Armstrong, St. Petersburg Distillery;
- Treasurer – Matt Allen, Cerberus Distillery;
- Secretary – Jeremy Craig, Copper Bottom Distillery.
Visit FloridaCraftSpirits.org, or follow the organization on Twitter or Facebook.
INTERNATIONAL
Flights from Tampa to Frankfurt and London are back on the schedule. British Airways, Lufthansa and others have rescheduled international flights to and from Tampa.
- Air Canada: TPA to Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa in October and December
- British Airways: TPA to London, Oct. 25
- Cayman Airways: TPA to Grand Cayman, Nov. 1
- Copa Airlines: TPA to Panama City, Nov. 21
- Edelweiss Air: Zurich, Switzerland, Oct. 5
- Lufthansa: Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 25
- Southwest Airlines: Havana, Cuba, Oct. 8
- WestJet Airlines: Toronto, Canada, Oct. 5; St. John’s, Canada, March 7, 2021
One year ago, 37 percent of the airport’s passengers were Tampa Bay originators and 63 percent were outside visitors. In 2019, 40 percent of TPA’s passengers were traveling for business. This year, it’s 30 percent, reflecting what TPA has been hearing from airlines.