New dog bar and tiki lounge to open in Gulfport space
Four local restaurateurs are banding together to flip the former Caddy’s space in Gulfport into a two-story restaurant.
The new concept, dubbed Stormrunners Tavern, opening early next year at 3128 Beach Blvd. South, will feature three bars overlooking Boca Ciega Bay.
There will be a walk-up ground-floor bar and an open-air high-end bar called “The Crow’s Nest” on the second floor. There will also be an outdoor dog-friendly tiki bar called “BARk.”
The multi-tiered restaurant will be the first of its kind to open in Gulfport.
The new concept is the brainchild of restaurateur Dave Burton, owner of The Getaway in St. Pete, and Tampa’s GenX Tavern, Tampa Pizza Co. and Holy Hog BBQ.
He is partnering with Fred Metzler, owner of the Dog Bar on Central Avenue, and Ian Taylor and Joey Frasco, owners of The Galley and The Ship’s Hold in downtown St. Pete, as part of a new ownership entity connected to the project.
The partners inked a lease agreement for the space following the Caddy’s seafood chain’s sudden closure in July. Caddy’s also closed its St. Pete Beach location, which will now be home to Taverna On The Bay, a restaurant concept that will serve Mediterranean dishes with a modern twist.
Prior to Caddy’s taking over the Gulfport space in 2019, other restaurants operated at the property, including Spinnakers, Dive Bar and Grill, Beach Haus, Aqua Bella and Roman Gardens.
“We have been longtime friends and worked on this for the past six months. Dave was great at finding the location,” Frasco said.
The team is working with Tampa-based design and architecture firm api(+).
Renderings reveal colorful tropical Florida theming, with storm warning flags surrounding the building.
The space suffered damage from recent storms, but the owners expect to open Stormrunners Tavern in the first quarter of next year.
The group will hire well-known chefs and outside management to oversee the day-to-day operations and bring “local and fresh Florida fare” dishes; the partners will continue to run their existing restaurants.
