Since 1999, the iconic Oyster Bar has called the entertainment district home. As a popular seafood house and local happy hour staple, the concept is nearing its 25th year in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg. As the second Central block has evolved, the vision for the brand’s future is in relocating the restaurant to better suit its concept and clientele.
“Our goal is to relocate the Oyster Bar to better serve our diners, but the pop up concept will be a lot of fun in that space” says Josh Cameron, proprietor of The Oyster Bar. “We’ve loved every minute of our tenure on the block. We really appreciate all the love over the years.”
The new location for The Oyster Bar has not yet been disclosed, but the loyal guests of this quarter century establishment can rest assured that the dining concept will continue building its legacy in the Sunshine City – not too far from its former home. For now, The Oyster Bar will be closing its doors on 249 Central Avenue on Sunday, August 20th and its replacement is sure to cater to the ever-growing entertainment district of downtown St. Petersburg.
“We love our Oyster Bar staff and want them to stay within the Crafty Hospitality family,” says Rhonda Woida, Director of Operations at Crafty Hospitality. While we get the new space outfitted, we’ve extended employment at our sister properties.”
Frank Clemente Designed Themed Pop Up Bar
249 Central Avenue will soon house a spectacular and unique experience to St. Petersburg locals and travelers with several themed pop up bars. The owners of the space are working with Frank Clemente, the Creative Marketing Director of FrankLynn Visual Marketing, to create immersive, holiday-inspired pop up destinations.
Q&A from Frank
What are you most excited about with the project?
This has been a huge dream of mine since high school. I have always wanted to have a restaurant where I can redesign the space to create a new experience for guests each time they visit. I am excited to work in a space where I can consistently blow people away and showcase the many sides of Frank!
What is the theme for September?
This space is going to evolve during the duration of my time designing the bar, beginning with an end-of-summer vibe transitioning into fall with the natural beauty of the fall landscape. Our design will remind guests of a northern U.S. fall with the leaves changing and cool air settling in. The color scheme for September is going to contain wood tones with burnt orange and purples filling the space, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that invites you to unwind and enjoy.
The Crafty Hospitality group will be bringing four extraordinary concepts for September, October, November, and December. At the end of each pop up bar experience, the establishment will close for 48 hours to completely transform the bar into a brand new theme with different interior decor, cocktail and dining menus, social media photo props, and more. The debut pop up will open Friday, September 1st with an “end-of-summer” theme – more details to come.
FRANK CLEMENTE: As Creative Marketing Director, Frank brings with him a unique 360 sense of how things look and work. Knowing that perception is part of the battle to influencing behavior, he works closely with the team in formulating ways to awareness and likeability. He’s a 30+ year veteran of the inner workings around how color and light affect aesthetics and mood. Throughout his career, he’s assembled countless accolades and awards for his design work. As former half of the creative duo of a major event design and production firm, his reputation for creativity and excellence are well documented. He has a keen eye for leading the way in designing what will become trends. Frank’s constant drive to deliver ever-evolving experiences that are full of robust imagination and creativity are contributions you want on your side when connecting your company or brand with your coveted demographic.
ABOUT OYSTER BAR ST PETE: Conveniently located in the heart of St. Petersburg’s entertainment district, The Oyster Bar offers a uniquely inspired culinary experience and has been a neighborhood favorite since 1999. The Oyster Bar strives to offer the freshest seafood, quality meat and poultry as well as provide friendly and efficient service to create a memorable atmosphere that sets them apart. The Oyster Bar St Pete is located at 249 Central Ave, St Petersburg, FL 33701. www.oysterbarstpete.com | 727.897.9728 | fb + insta @oysterbarstpete
EVOLVE & CO: Evolve & Co is a full-service advertising agency located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. The company is a collective of brand strategists and creatives, specializing in the lifestyle vertical. The firm is located at 475 Central Avenue Suite M7, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. www.evolveandco.com
Editors: For details, or to schedule an interview contact Lisa Williams [email protected] or 727.490.9835.
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