"We have to find a way to preserve this," Cullen Mahoney said when the property under The Chattaway first crossed his desk as a redevelopment opportunity. "There's no other place like this on the south side."
He had been sent the 0.70-acre site at 358 22nd Avenue South as a possible location for townhomes or mixed-use retail. Six months earlier, in March, St. Pete Rising reported that the city's longest-running restaurant would serve its last meal in mid-July. The property was under contract and set to transfer in early August, and the family planned a final memorabilia "yard sale."
On September 25, The Chattaway reopened.
Looking back over 2026, a pattern shows up across St. Pete's long-running places. Being loved was not what decided which ones kept going. What decided it was who controlled the building, the lease, or the keys, and whether that person lived close enough to care. The places that made it were bought, rebuilt, or handed off by people with local roots. Several Central Avenue standbys with followings just as loyal closed when leases and costs caught up with them.
The Chattaway Was Saved by Someone Who Could Walk There
Mahoney lives within walking distance of The Chattaway. He had invested in restaurants before but had never run one when he put the property under contract and went looking for partners. The partners he found have local ties too. Mark Ferguson, who owns Ferg's Sports Bar, grew up in Lakewood Estates and has his own childhood memories of biking to The Chattaway. John John Delladonna owns Shrimpy's Waterfront.
Their purchase covered the restaurant and the land underneath it. That detail matters more than anything on the menu. A restaurant that owns its ground does not face a lease renewal, and the most important protection for this corner came from the deed.
The site's history runs back to 1922. That year a wooden building went up on a pie-shaped lot at 22nd Avenue South and 4th Street South, and its first tenant was Four Corners Grocery, with a single gas pump out front. After Prohibition ended in 1933, the corner became the Chattaway Drive-In, complete with carhops. Its modern identity took shape when Helen Lund bought the business in 1951. Her family's run accounts for the "more than 75 years" in this year's coverage.
"We care about every photo that's under polyurethane stuck to the bar. We care about every plaque screwed into the wall." — Cullen Mahoney, to St. Pete Rising
On a return visit, here is what's different:
- A second outdoor bar and an overhead canopy with fans, so the patio can stay open in rain that used to close the restaurant
- A full liquor license
- The same burger, which Mahoney has called "the holy grail," plus new seafood dishes inspired by Shrimpy's, Ferg's wings, and vegan options
- A new mural by Doodles by Lu in the front restroom, with plans to restore the tea room's floor so the room can be used for regular dining
A Clay Community Rebuilt St. Pete Ceramics
On the south side, in the Warehouse Arts District, a similar rescue played out at a smaller scale. In late January, a fire tore through St. Pete Ceramics at 593 22nd Street South in the Warehouse Arts District. It destroyed walls, shelving, tables, and equipment, and two rabbits that lived at the studio died. Firefighters believe an electrical issue caused it.
Co-owner Beth Miranda texted friends in the local clay community before sunrise. They showed up with bagels, coffee, pizza, and gloves, and in about 36 hours volunteers had emptied and cleaned the damaged studio. Her daughters started a GoFundMe that day, and it raised nearly $30,000. That money covered rent while the studio had no permanent space, replaced lost equipment, and paid other rebuilding costs.
Miranda and her business partner, Ethan Fielder, quietly reopened on September 18 in a renovated 1,800-square-foot space. Workshops, memberships, and pottery sales have all resumed. Part of the GoFundMe went to rent during the eight months the studio was closed, which says something about how much of a small business's survival comes down to keeping its space.
On 22nd Street South, Lorene's Space Went to a Local Chef
Lorene's Fish House at 927 22nd Street South didn't get a rescue, and it didn't need one. Lorene Office opened the restaurant in 1994 and served her last customers on Saturday, May 30, after 32 years. She retired in her mid-70s. The year before, Lorene's received the national "Backing Historic Small Restaurants" grant from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Within days of that last service, St. Pete-based chef Melissa "Melly" Gardner had the keys. She also runs the Three Generations food truck and Coasis in Tampa. "I am extremely grateful to be entrusted with such a great legacy," she wrote, thanking "Ms. Lorene" for her decades in the community.
Her new concept, Love22, opened in late June as a daytime café. The counter menu keeps a handful of fried seafood dishes as a nod to Lorene's. The weekend soul food menu Gardner planned now appears as Soul Food Sunday. Her online ordering page currently lists hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday. Those are later and shorter than the 7 a.m., six-day schedule announced in June, so check the current hours before going.
Central Avenue Lost Places With Loyal Followings
Downtown, the same months went differently. Each of these closings came with a public explanation, and in each case it was rent, a lease, or operating costs, not a lack of customers.
| Place | Address | How long it ran | What was reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thirsty First | 515 Central Ave. | 10 years, closed July 26 | The owner cited a landlord lease dispute and higher labor, insurance, food and occupancy costs |
| Crislip Cafe and The Merchant | Crislip Arcade, 600 block of Central | The Merchant since 2018 | Owners received notice to vacate the historic arcade |
| Brooklyn South | 1437 Central Ave. | 12 years | The owner said they "just couldn't keep up with rising costs" |
"People just can't afford these high rents," Thirsty First owner Greg Mikurak told the St. Pete Catalyst. The Merchant had shown work from more than 100 local artists, makers, musicians, and entrepreneurs since 2018. At Brooklyn South, Karen Kramer, who owned the shop with her husband Mark from 2024, had written publicly a year earlier that Central Avenue rent and food costs had become overwhelming. The shop opened in July 2014 under founder Matt Bonano, who covered its walls with cheese labels he had collected since the 1990s.
Not every Central Avenue story ended in a closing. The Sourdough Co. has announced a move from 1113 Central to the former Union Trust bank building at 895 Central. The owner hopes to open there in early 2027, depending on permitting and construction, and the current café is staying open in the meantime. Like the others on this list, it is a long-running business working out where it can afford to stay.
Still Waiting on Old Northeast Tavern
One favorite is still closed. Old Northeast Tavern and Old Northeast Pizza at 201 7th Avenue North closed for renovations in late 2024. They were supposed to reopen in summer 2025, but permitting issues pushed the date back. In June, co-owner Robert "Bob" Wareham said both would reopen later this year. He and Mark Brindle have owned them since 2008. As of early October, there's been no confirmed reopening date, and the pizzeria's website still says "Coming Soon."
The renovation connects the two businesses with a large shared dining room. Customers will be able to order pizza in the tavern again, though the two will keep separate menus. Wareham has mentioned possible new burgers and fries, a first for the tavern, and it now has a liquor license for cocktails. The 1925 building also houses Black Crow Coffee. Before the tavern, its corner space was home to Fender's Pharmacy, Elsie's Market, and Nan & Lou's Fountainette, among other tenants. When it reopens, it will follow the same pattern as The Chattaway: the owners kept the place and spent money on it rather than letting it go.
Where to Go This Month
The Chattaway's new ownership connects to one of October's regular events. The St. Pete Night Market takes place at Ferg's, 1320 Central Avenue, from 6 to 10 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, and the next dates are October 7 and November 4. The Saturday Morning Market's main season at Al Lang Stadium started October 3. The St. Pete Indie Flea sets up at Campbell Park, 601 14th Street South, from noon to 4 p.m. on October 11, with free admission.
When a long-held property changes hands, its future depends on who buys it, what they plan to do with it, and how carefully the sale is handled. That's true for a 0.70-acre restaurant corner and for a family home. If you own a property with history and are trying to decide what comes next, Lisa Kirkpatrick can walk you through your options calmly and in confidence. Let's Connect.
