The Mill closes, citing disruptive construction

Longtime downtown St. Pete restaurant The Mill, known for its industrial-chic decor and rustic Americana dishes, is closing its doors. 

A post on The Mill Restaurant’s Facebook page attributes the closure to the ongoing construction of a tower alongside the restaurant at 200 Central Ave. 

“We are heartbroken to write this, but after almost a decade The Mill Restaurant is closing. As many of you know there has been construction behind our facility for the last several months. What you may not know is the damage caused by this construction has been massive,” the Tuesday Facebook post read. 

The restaurant group’s post did not name the project that led to this exit; however, sources said it is related to Kolter Urban’s 42-story condo tower Art House that’s underway.  

The post didn’t detail the damage at the site, but from a street perspective, the construction has affected the parking for the restaurant as well as the connecting sidewalk. 

“We understand there may be inconveniences caused by large scale urban redevelopment projects such as Art House. We have developed numerous major downtown buildings in Florida, Georgia, and Canada and have always taken appropriate measures to ensure the safety and continued operation of businesses within the vicinity of our projects. We have utilized this approach and taken the proper actions regarding The Mill restaurant in St Petersburg,” Kolter Urban wrote in a statement to the St. Pete Catalyst.  

On Facebook, the restaurant group stated, “It [the construction] has become so invasive to our space that we feel we can no longer ensure the safety of our staff and patrons alike. It is because of this we have been forced into the heartbreaking decision of closure at this location.” 

The post did not disclose a closing date. 

Jason Griffin, a managing partner at The Mill, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Griffin and his business partner Chef Ted Dorsey opened The Mill in 2015. They also own and operate Nash’s Hot Chicken on Central Avenue.

A street perspective of The Mill restaurant and the construction for Art House. GoogleMaps.

“We are sincerely sorry for this, but know we will be back as this is not the end,” the group’s post concluded, stating patrons can check back for updates as the owners will search for a new restaurant site. 

The Mill has a second location in South Tampa, which opened in 2019.