Starved for so long, can Seminole Heights support six new drinking, dining spots?
From the St. Petersburg Times/TBT
SEMINOLE HEIGHTS — The cliches about Florida, Hillsborough and Nebraska avenues still abound — the used car lots, the cheap motels, the colorful grit. But new life is breaking through cracks in Seminole Heights’ ugly urban corridors.
It’s all supposed to happen this year:
A onetime auto repair shop will become a Spanish tapas restaurant, a British pub and a sushi bar.
An old gas station will serve international brews on draft.
And two vacant lots will give way to al fresco dining and a sports bar.
As residents clamor to City Council wet-zoning meetings, voicing just how desperate they’ve been for neighborhood dining, Mike Merino thinks back on his own deli, which closed just a few months ago.
And he wonders: Will the neighborhood be able to support six new establishments?
• • •
Every morning he drives along Florida Avenue, the vacant Merino’s Deli storefront stares him in the face.
It started off strong.
He opened it in January 2007, wanting to capitalize on the influx of new residents in the neighborhood. He hung photos of his Italian family on the wall and invited his customers to do the same.
Merino’s Deli became what he wanted it to be, a neighborhood lunch spot with character, where regulars ordered “the usual” from a sandwichmaker named “Mama.”
But parking became a problem in the lot Merino shared with an auto repair shop.
Its original owner had worked out a schedule that offered Merino the spaces he needed. But a year later, when that owner sold the building to someone else, a tow truck moved in, and the deli lost its parking.
People then had to park a block away and walk, Merino said. His business started to decline.
When he canvassed the neighborhood with fliers, he got a new influx of customers who said they didn’t know his place existed. Business increased, but only for a short time. Wall Street tanked and people just stopped coming. On Nov. 1, 2008, Merino’s Deli closed.
These days, Merino is looking for a job. He says he could re-open his deli in one day, but not in Seminole Heights.
“I’d be scared to,” he said. “The pie is only so big.”
• • •
Let’s talk about this idea of the proverbial pie being sliced too thin. Will the restaurants all be starved for little pieces of the same neighborhood?
California-based restaurant consultant Ron Santibanez, whose national client list includes Disneyland and A&W Restaurants, doesn’t see a pie. He sees a magnet.
“They’re strengthening their marketing through numbers,” he said. “They feel like they’re trying to create a destination location.”
People like choices, he said. Sometimes, they’ll go to a food destination and then decide where to eat. Variety is good. Competition is good.
His only concern with Seminole Heights is whether the neighborhoods alone can support the restaurants.
Census data from a decade ago showed that residents in Seminole Heights neighborhoods earned lower than the city’s average of $22,010 at the time. The community has undergone somewhat of a makeover since then with increased home values that indicate higher-earning neighbors. Still, Santibanez urges the new restaurants to reach outside the neighborhoods for clients and to include price points that will fit everyone’s budgets.
Cheaper options are keeping restaurants afloat in this tough economic climate, he says. People want to feel like they’re getting a bargain, but they still want the luxury of eating out. Mid-priced is the way to go.
The neighborhood is already home to a few restaurants. On Fridays, Cappy’s Pizza is packed. And on Saturday mornings, people line up at the Three Coins diner just to get a table.
“Sometimes people will sit around the dinner table figuring out how to pay their bills,” Santibanez says. “Then they’ll get up and say, ‘What the heck? Let’s go out to eat.’ “
• • •
At first, Melissa Deming admits she was a little nervous about six places opening at the same time in a neighborhood not used to supporting that many. But the owner of Ella’s, an upcoming Americana folk art cafe on Nebraska, thought, “I think it’ll be great. There are going to be a variety of things. It will make the neighborhood a destination.”
It helps that some of the restaurants have already established themselves in other neighborhoods.
The Independent, an international brew pub, has a popular location in St. Petersburg. And people still remember Sangria’s, the tapas restaurant formerly in SoHo now set to open next to the Hillsborough Avenue Starbucks.
Sangria’s owner John Obediente actually wants to mimic his restaurant’s last home by creating a small version of its old corner, complete with a pub and a sushi bar. Obediente is counting on both neighbors and non-neighbors to frequent his restaurants.
The Independent will specifically be a neighborhood pub, owner Veronica Vellines says. Others will, of course, come. But she decided on this location because residents are starved for a cool place to hang out.
“We’re going there for Seminole Heights,” she says.
And if the neighborhood turnout to support her pub at a recent City Council meeting is any indication, the Independent’s bar will be lined with residents.
Ingrid Smith, who lives a few blocks away, says she’ll walk there. And another resident, Ben Mills, says the bar is what he has been waiting for. “It’s so long coming,” he said at the hearing.
With each of the six restaurants receiving the same kind of support from the neighborhood, Merino just hopes those people step up to sustain them.
“Maybe what happened to me is a good thing,” Merino says. “You’ve got to support things. You’ve got to go to them. You’ve got to put your money where your mouth is.”
Alexandra Zayas can be reached at azayas@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3354.
Six new spots for Seminole Heights
Sangria’s
What: Spanish tapas bar and restaurant
Where: 512 E Hillsborough Ave.
Also at this location:
• Myoumi sushi bar
• LeRoy’s Gastro Pub
Status: Ready to break ground
Ella’s
What: Americana folk art cafe, from comfort food to pasta to vegetarian selections
Where: 5119 N Nebraska Ave.
Status: Under construction
The Independent
What: Pub that will serve food
Where: 5016 N Florida Ave.
Status: Ready to close on property
Richy’s Themes
What: Sports bar with beer, wine and food
Where: 6401 N Nebraska Ave.
Status: Under construction
The problem with Merino’s was more than just parking. He was a great guy and we enjoyed going there. The problem was his food was mediocre at best. It was like subway with an extended menu. The first time I ordered soup there I was so disappointed. I figured it would be made from scratch but clearly was not. On visit had to throw the chili out as it was unfit to eat. I do hope he reopens in a bigger location that will allow him a true kitchen to prepare better food. His kindness and personality are missed.
Merino’s was a bad location hands-down. The dining area was cramped, so having to park a block away to pop in for take-out was often a non-starter for us. I passed by more than once because I was never quite sure where I could park…if you put that kind of burden on your customers, can hardly expect to keep them. I enjoyed the food, and chatting with Mike, but parking was a real problem and I think it was the largest contributor to people going elsewhere. Another thing was the deli wasn’t easy to spot from the road. I hope Mike would reconsider the neighborhood for a new location that had convenient parking and more visibility.
I agree about the food at Merino’s not being of good or consistent quality. I ate something almost weekly (mostly to be supportive), often greens were not fresh. And some of the menu items were straight out of a jar or package like the antipasto salad.
Mike was always friendly, but I really wish he wouldn’t blame the neighborhood.
I cringe every time there’s a Seminole Heights article by Alexandra Zayas of St. Pete Times…she usually has a negative slant about us.
The neighborhood is not to blame for Merino’s demise. Operating a deli out of what was an office for a mechanic’s garage was the main culprit. I expect Sangria’s and The Independent to do just fine. Because it’s an unknown entity, Ella’s will have to do something to separate itself from the competition.
This is Alexandra Zayas from the St. Petersburg Times. Just so you know, #3, I live in Seminole Heights.
Merino’s was so-so with their sandwiches. I agree with # 1 & 3, not much better than Subway. If S.H. could get a place that offers sandwiches like those from Brocato’s on Columbus Dr then it would surely be a hit to stay forever. Their Cuban’s are awesome, meatball sandwiches too!
Would be great if Brocato’s would open a side-store here in Seminole Heights.
#3 I think that she does a very good job of covering the neighborhood. I feel she has all the facts when she writes a story and has a fair and balanced article - not like the other paper….I’ve also seen her down at city council when the others aren’t. Her paper does not recycle the story in 3 different sections all week. The story gets out there and she goes on to another.
I’LL TAKE ALEXANDRA COVERAGE EVERY DAY!!
signed,
Alexandra groupie!
This is Mike Merino and I received a call about the comments made in this blog.
Please allow me to point out some specific items mentioned.
1. Thanks to all regarding my personality, I have lived in this neighborhood for quite a few years and it is my home.
2. It was not my intention to indicate that the closing of the deli came due in part to the lack of support from the neighborhood. My comment regarding not re-opening in the Heights was meant to imply that there will be many more food operations and the competition will be very strong as all the new upcoming places will work very hard to be successful and there is only so much money to go around , especially in these tough financial times!
However, I have been a restaurant owner operator for many years and I tried so hard to find a better location but , was unable to do so. Therefore it was my original objective to eventually buy the building and make it into a group of retail stores to give the folks that live here places to go to, such as doctors office or a hair dresser etc… Anyway, you get the point.
If you really read the article correctly, I closed the doors because the new owner wanted to make me pay more rent and re-do the original lease.
Then he killed me by opening up a “USED CAR LOT” and ending up taking all the left over parking spaces.
If you take a moment and think about it, when the original owner Larry Jackson AKA “Larry’s Garage” he gave me the spaces needed to give the customers a place to park.
I’m proud to say that Merinos was a very successful operation until we got hit by the “Perfect Storm Restaurant Killer”
a. slumping economy-Gas at $4.00 a gallon
b. A new owner that did everything to get me out
c. Another used car lot that took all my space.
Finally, as for the comments made regarding our food, if it was so lousy how did we do great business despite all the obstacles confronting me.
All I can say is; I miss the deli like it was my own child, I miss the super friends I made being there,
It was an honor to be there and to know everyone that appreciated that my heart was in that little place in the corner of a nasty garage next door EVERYDAY!
My Best Regards,
Mike Merino
Mike, your great personality and GOOD FOOD are missed in SH! My Saturdays haven’t been the same since you closed. I wish you the best.
Merino’s problem was it was a lunch spot in an area that most working people won’t take the time to go to for lunch.
I think the Ella’s feature will be atmosphere. This is something we have been missing here in the heights. So far the food I have tasted from Ella’s has been great.
What the hell people????? I thought no one checked the site out on the weekends. I just happened to sign on and come check out the site to kill my boredom. you guys had a party and didn’t tell me. There were tons of comments today. Feels like a weekday. Glad peple are coming here. I like what the blogger is doing with the open forum. Seems to beef up the weekends so we can all still be chatting. Gina
#10. Many of the people in SH run their own businesses and a lot of them work out of their homes. For those of us that do, Merino’s was a godsend. We could have him deliver if we were too rushed or lazy to take time out to soot over to grab a sandwich or chat with him or our friends. There are virtually no sandwich shops in SH and having one was great! Mike was a delight and his food was good. Like Starbucks it became a gathering place. but, I have to agree that the economy and lack of parking created problems both for Mike and his customers. We need to find a good location (better parking, more visibility and much more square footage)and welcome him back.
Susan Long
Now a wonderful choice for lunch here in SH, I recommend checking out Reservations, located in the old Ybor Pizza space on Nebraska.
I don’t think they deliver (yet…I hope they eventually do) but it’s quick to drop in and pick up.
Their salads are wonderful
Here’s a link to their menu: http://www.reservationsmenu.com/gourmettogo/Menu.html
Sherry@YesterDaze
There are two great locations that I cannot believe have not been taken as they both have plenty of parking. They are located accross the street from each other on the corners of Nebraska and Patterson. One has an awful chain link fence that is screaming to be taken down and the other is a bungalow that would make a great eatery or antique shop or tea house.
The article states that the Richey’s Theme bar is “Under Construction”, I pass that property daily and in reality nothing has been done to the property for at least 2 months. Do we know if they are still moving forward?
It worries me that Richey’s building looks like an auto parts store. Was that plan B?
Can anyone from OSHNA Board fill us in???
the PD “planned development” approval has it set up as a restaurant - as I understand it- if there is a variation in change of use then the PD has to be modified. A liquor license was requested and approved for the site. I too think it looks like a Pep Boys site…not so much like a neighborhood friendly site like Ella’s is going to be. Course if you have windows then you don’t have walls for the 52″ plasma TVs.
I was on the OSHNA board and land-use Committee when this building was approved. I don’t remember it’s looking like an auto parts store, but then I don’t know if we ever had anything other than a site plan to look at. One of the issues was the grand tree. Only Richey’s was willing to work around the tree. Also, you have to remember his site plan approval was before Sangria’s, before Starbucks, before Ella’s, before the Independent, etc. He is also the only one who seems willing to develop Nebraska. Those of us who live on theE of 275 were screaming for some redevelopment. BUT, his site plan and interior layout struck all of us as great.
I must say, though, that the exterior o the building doesn’t do a lot for me either.
Susan Long
For years, I have been recommending that the house on Patterson and Nebraska be redeveloped into the Back Porch Restaurant.
Susan Long
I doubt a neighborhood deli with so many houses in close proximity would be shut down by $4 a gallon gas. If the food were good, I would have walked there at least 3 times a week for lunch. I tried to support Merino’s but I just couldn’t get into the food. Being friendly, being part of the neighborhood…that’s all great but if the food doesn’t cut it, your friends can only keep you in business for so long. Maybe the neighborhood wouldn’t be able to support all of these restaurants, but if you create a destination…people will support you. I live in Seminole Heights and drive regularly to South Tampa and other areas to patronize restaurants that I like. If there was a restaurant with a reputation for great food and drink in Seminole Heights, then that too may be a destination for people in other parts of the city.
Well said 3, I loved Mike but the food was on the level of a Subway. Everything tasted similar. When he said he was opening a deli, I thought more of real deli with awesome cheeses and meats. If you have not made it to the Old World Cheese Shop in Temple Terrace on 56th then your missing it. I would love to see them open a store over here.
“It worries me that Richey’s building looks like an auto parts store.”
The auto parts store on MLK and Neb. looks like a drug store
I was sad to see that Marino’s closed. It’s a shame that Mike had so many factors working against him. I wish I could have eaten there more often, but it was closed whenever we tried to (I guess it was always Sunday). I don’t think that Seminole Heights will have any problem supporting these new places that will be open on evenings and weekends.
I never went to Merino’s Deli because of the name. I thought they only sold lunchmeat. These days a lot of people don’t think of Deli as a place that sells sandwiches. Some deli’s do both, but some don’t. Who wants to walk into a deli that only sells meat and then walk out looking like an idiot?