January 29, 2025

Family-friendly Swell Coffee debuts in Largo with house-made syrups and baked goods

January 29, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new cozy kid-friendly coffee shop has made its debut in Largo.

Swell Coffee, a specialty coffee shop with house-made syrups and pastries from local bakeries, celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday, January 28th, near the corner of Bryan Dairy Road and Starkey Road at 11148 Starkey Road.

The 1,500-square-foot space was previously occupied by Subway.

“We looked at more than 30 spaces in a six-month window. We've had this space in July, but the hurricanes set us back on the opening date,” Sarah Cerny said.

January 28, 2025

Cool Vibes Pub & Grub expands to St. Pete Beach with new bar and entertainment venue

January 28, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The Cool Vibes Pub & Grub restaurant in St. Petersburg known for its divey sports bar atmosphere and elevated bar food, is expanding to the waterfront on St. Pete Beach.

The local watering hole, which will continue operating at its flagship location at 5488 58th Street North, will open a second spot dubbed Cool Vibes on the Beach at 6800 Sunset Way fronting the bright pink Gulf Winds Resort.

An exact opening date has not yet been announced.

January 28, 2025

Home of the Week: A 1922-built two-story bungalow in Historic Uptown

January 28, 2025/ Anthony Close

This week’s featured home is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow located at 605 7th Street N in Historic Uptown. Built in 1922, this home blends vintage character with modern upgrades and is listed for $615,000.

Spanning 1,126 square feet, the property offers a comfortable and low-maintenance lifestyle in one of St. Petersburg’s most eclectic neighborhoods.

The kitchen stands out with wood-like tile flooring, white shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, a pot filler over the gas range, stainless steel appliances, and an apron-front sink. A central island ties the space together, making it a functional hub for daily life.

January 27, 2025

Upscale steak and seafood restaurant The Crane opens in downtown St. Pete

January 27, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The Crane, an upscale steak and seafood restaurant with a classic cocktail bar, has officially landed in downtown St. Pete.

Although the doors quietly opened a few weeks ago, The Crane had only been offering drinks while the restaurant awaited approval to serve food.

Now, the highly-anticipated restaurant and bar, which was first announced over three years ago, is fully operational, serving both food and drinks, at 575 Central Avenue. The space was formerly home to Wig Villa, which relocated to 1200 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North.

A grand opening will be held this Friday, January 31st, according to owner Sean Thongsiri, who also owns Mangosteen, The Glass Noodle, and Green Pagoda.

January 27, 2025

Pinellas County approves over $5 million for 1,000-unit apartment community in west St. Pete

January 27, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A 1,000-unit apartment community proposed for west St. Pete is one step closer to reality after Pinellas County approved funding for the construction of the project, which will contain 300 units for workforce housing.

On January 14th, Pinellas County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved $5.25 million for the construction of the first phase of Azalea Gateway, set to rise at 1501 72nd Street North near Azalea Park.

The approved county funds are contingent upon the City of St. Pete approving an additional $6 million for phase one construction. St Pete City Council is expected to vote on the funding request in February.