Melt n Dip, a dessert cafe chain that allows guests to create their own chocolate-covered creations, will open a downtown St. Petersburg location, one of 11 nationwide, by Dec. 1. The brand's first Pinellas County store, and third in Florida, will operate from the Plaza Tower at 221 1st St. N. Melt n Dip will occupy a 2,300-square-foot space that formerly housed sushi restaurant Rollbotto, which closed in May 2024 after over a decade in business.
Nearly half of the south Skyway Fishing Pier, located on the Manatee County side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, will close indefinitely Monday. "Following recent structural inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation, vehicle and pedestrian access beyond the bait shop is no longer allowed at Skyway Fishing Pier State Park," states the Florida State Parks website. The entire north, Pinellas County side of the fishing pier remains open to the public.
St. Petersburg's Sunshine City Mosaic will be dedicated Wednesday, Oct. 29 at a public ceremony in Sunset Park, at the intersection of Central Avenue and Park Street N., from 5 to 7 p.m. Three local artists designed and created the sidewalk mural, 175 feet long, four feet wide and consisting of more than 15,000 individual pieces.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area's inflation rate decreased by .10% over the past two months, after a prolonged period of increases. Personal finance platform WalletHub, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, ranked Tampa Bay 19th on its list of "cities with the biggest inflation problem." The metro area paced the nation in September and ranked No. 15 in July and No. 3 in August. However, the local year-over-year inflation rate remained unchanged at 3.3%.
The Madeira Beach Recreation Department’s 44th Annual John's Pass Seafood Festival takes place today (12-9 p.m.), Saturday (10 a.m.-9 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) at John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk. Live music on multiple stages, arts and crafts vendors, family-friendly activities, seafood and Halloween events. Admission is free at 12945 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach. Website
The City of Madeira Beach has purchased 4.6 acres of vacant waterfront property at 555 150th Ave. for $18 million, despite having no plans for land that has attracted developers. The property, located at the entrance to the city from the Tom Stuart Causeway, was appraised for $21 million and $27.5 million. Officials have considered creating a waterfront park, but will solicit feedback from residents before making any decisions.
Slime Kitchen, which offers a popular hands-on slime-making experience, will open its first East Coast location in Clearwater's Countryside Mall. The brand has rapidly grown on the West Coast and celebrates its local grand opening Oct. 30. "With each new opening, we're reminded that slime connects people of every generation and every place through creativity and imagination," said founder Kathy Ando.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz and second baseman Brandon Lowe were named American League finalists for Silver Slugger Awards at their respective positions Thursday. Historic bat maker Louisville Slugger has awarded the best individual batting performances at each position in both leagues since 1980. Four Rays have previously won the award, including Diaz in 2023, and this year's winners will be announced Nov. 7 at 6 p.m.
Mediterranean concept Mythos Greek Bistro will replace the LGBTQ+ bar and restaurant Salty Nun at 2501 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg's Grand Central District. Konstantinos "Dinos" Chilias and business partner Daniel Marina are refreshing the 3,000-square-foot space ahead of its reopening in November. Mythos will offer live Greek music and other entertainment on select nights, and remain open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
David J. Fischer, a former three-term mayor of St. Petersburg, died Wednesday morning at 92. Fischer led City Hall from 1991 to 2001, as St. Petersburg transitioned to a strong-mayor form of government. He also successfully ran for mayor three times before the city implemented term limits.
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus has awarded over $1 million in student scholarships for the first time in the school's history. Campus officials credited the spike in financial aid to a combination of increased outreach efforts, expanded donor engagement and a commitment to raising student awareness of opportunities. USF St. Pete distributed the scholarships through 59 unique funds with an average award of $5,416.
Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Leo Fernandes announced Wednesday that he will retire following the 2025 season, ending an illustrious 13-year professional career. However, Fernandes will remain with the club in a new role, with additional details coming "soon." He notched 46 goals and 37 assists, a Modern Era record, over nine seasons with the team. Fenandes, 33, also helped the Rowdies secure two USL Championship Eastern Conference trophies and became the club's first Player of the Year in 2022 after tallying a career-best 19 goals and nine assists.
