Pete’s Bagels to open drive-thru location at historic gas station in south St. Pete

St. Petersburg’s oldest gas station will soon become a drive-thru café serving St. Pete’s finest bagels and coffee.

Pete’s Bagels has leased the historic Harbordale Standard Oil Station located at 2439 4th Street South adjacent to the historic Driftwood neighborhood in St. Pete. Owner Steven Peterman hopes to open the new drive-thru sometime in early 2024.

“We are tentatively calling it Pete’s Drive-Thru. It's going to be an express version of Pete’s Bagels,” said Peterman in an interview with St. Pete Rising. “We will be very coffee-focused too, especially because there isn't a lot of coffee down there.”

Pete’s Drive-Thru will have a full espresso bar stocked with beans from Look Alive Coffee, a new St. Pete-based coffee roastery.

The Original Pete made with cream cheese, lox, capers, fill, cucumber, and pickled red onion

Pete’s Drive-Thru will also serve a full menu of bagels and bagel sandwiches, such as The Original Pete made with cream cheese, lox, capers, fill, cucumber, and pickled red onion. Another popular sandwich is the Millennial Pete, which consists of avocado, everything seasoning, arugula, and pickled red onion. Freshly baked pastries will also be offered.

In addition to the drive-thru, a walk-up window will be utilized for customers who may want to dine at a table under the building’s covered awning.

Peterman is excited to offer a local coffee alternative to those who live on the southside of St. Pete. “I want everyone to feel like they can go to Pete’s. We’re going to make sure the pricing feels comfortable for people who live on the southside,” said Peterman.

Years ago, the 320-square-foot building caught the eye of former City Councilman Robert Blackmon, which led to his purchase of the property in November 2019. Since buying the building, Blackmon has painstakingly restored the property. On May 18th, City Council voted to designate the building with a Local Historic Landmark status.

The property was constructed in 1926 in the early commercial style that was fashionable at that time for service and filling stations across the country. According to a staff report, “the subject property was designed to engage with motorists driving down 4th Street South and present-day 22nd Avenue South, making it a prominent landmark for motorists driving through the southern part of St. Petersburg. As such, it stands as a tangible reminder of the growing importance of the automobile to the young city's economy.”

Pete’s Bagels offers a variety of different bagels such as plain, everything, onion/garlic, poppy, sesame, salt, and jalapeño cheddar

Standard Oil was the largest oil company at the time the structure was constructed. By 1927, St. Petersburg had seven Standard Oil service stations. The building at 2439 4th Street South is the only surviving structure from this group.

Blackmon’s vision for the property was to repurpose it into a boutique drive-through café. He hand-picked Pete’s Bagels for the space.

“Pete’s Bagels has shown their commitment to the community from day one,” said Robert Blackmon. “The Harbordale Standard Oil Station has always been about restoring a landmark, and bringing pride back to the neighborhood. Mom especially (Carolee) always felt bad for the little building, and wanted to help it have a new life, where it could shine again. Pete’s is the perfect brand and steward for the project because they really care about the serving the community more than most business owners.”

Pete’s General launched in 2019 inside a small building fronting Round Lake in Historic Uptown -- just north of downtown St. Pete. Bagels were not initially the focus, but that quickly changed. Before long, Peterman was searching for a larger home for Pete’s.

In the summer of 2021, Pete’s moved into a larger, 1,500-square-foot storefront at 2361 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District. Visit on any given Saturday morning and there will most certainly be a line of hungry customers waiting to indulge in Pete’s bagels.
Today, Pete’s is a household name in St. Pete. And even residents across the pond in Tampa are taking notice. Earlier this year, Pete’s opened an all-day café in Ybor City.