Thrive
Social club at Snell Arcade to open in ’26
Medina 405 will feature an array of amenities such as a billiard room, wine cellar, cigar room and a theater.
Local legend has it that the Snell Arcade may have been used during the Prohibition era to smuggle liquor. While never proven, the nearly 100-year old building is a fixture on Central Avenue. Its basement will be given new life in 2026 in a way that honors its legacy.
Medina 405 is the next venture in St. Petersburg’s social club story.
The city has a long history of associations such as the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and the Vinoy Resort and Golf Club. This is at the heart of the project, said Tricera Capital founder and CEO Ben Mandell.
The Miami-based developer is turning the approximately 9,400-square-foot space into a membership-only club that offers lounges, a wine cellar, cigar room, private dining areas, a library, theater, billiard room and a golf simulator.
Mandell and his team plan to start construction once permits are approved and anticipate a soft opening in nine to 12 months. The lease for the space was signed earlier this year.
Small touches will pay homage to St. Petersburg’s 1920s and ’30s culture, such as turning a tunnel that bootleggers potentially used into the wine cellar, he explained.
The Snell Arcade building. Photo: Smith & Associates Real Estate
While the project will reflect on the Snell Arcade’s past, Mandell plans to modernize the space and hopes it becomes a center for conversation.
“There is a momentum to St. Pete that, even with certain headwinds, is not going away,” he said. “Part of the creation of Medina 405 was to help nurture that and give the professionals in the marketplace a place to congregate, socialize and discuss the growth of the city.”
Mandell added that the club will be marketed to both younger and older businesspeople to encourage collaboration between generations.
“My goal is for Medina 405 to continue to bring out the young professionals in a big way and give them more options and a real sense of place where they can continue to see the city grow and make them want to be a part of it long-term.”
Mandell and his team looked at various clubs around the country to select amenities for the venture.
The building’s age has presented some challenges and limitations in the design process, Mandell added. To exemplify, he explained how the Tricera team had to find a way to keep the cigar bar ventilated without causing an odor issue throughout the rest of the building. The Snell Arcade was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
A key part of Medina 405 will be local collaborations.
Currently, Mandell and his team are in discussions with a local cigar company to curate a collection for the club. Additionally, he hopes to work with nearby restaurants for catering options. The club will not have a full kitchen.
Medina 405 will be open every day and have weekly and monthly events, Mandell said.
