Healthy Dining Options at The Pier
Everyone's thinking about healthy dining options lately and The Pier has some choices for YOU when visiting us for entertainment, activities, meetings or just getting together with your friends.
If you're in the Dockside Eatery food court, you might want to check out Burger Bay, Cones on The Pier, Hong Kong Corner or Morrow's Cafe. Burger Bay offers Falafel sandwiches, a veggie burger, Greek salad, chicken salad and fresh fruit daily. Cones on The Pier has low fat frozen yogurt, sugar-free ice cream and non-dairy Italian ice. Hong Kong Corner prepares sauteed mixed vegetables (add grilled chicken for protein) and stir-fried rice - made fresh to order. Morrow's has dark chocolate, dried pineapple and papaya and gummy bears if you're having a sweet tooth and Morrow's Cafe whips up fat free smoothies.
The Waterside Grill & Bar (undergoing a name change from Captain Al's Waterfront Grill & Bar) prepares a mean grilled cheese and tomato sandwich on whole wheat bread, and offers a Luau chicken sandwich, Mahi Mahi on a hearty roll, Southwest chicken salad, a classic garden entree salad (you can add shrimp or chicken to this), a veggie or Bayou fish wrap. Waterside Grill & Bar is located on the first level of The Pier at the water's edge and also holds FREE Salsa dancing every Friday night from 9:15 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Cha Cha Coconuts Tropical Bar & Grill on the 5th floor of The Pier (and on the Observation Deck with the BEST view of downtown St. Petersburg) was voted one the "healthy choice restaurants for Pinellas County"! Their offerings include fish tacos, a veggie burger, grilled tropical Mahi entree, sweet potato sticks (YUM!) and a medly of fresh green salads.
The Columbia Restaurant on the 4th floor of The Pier has been a staple in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties (and other counties in Florida) for over 100 years. THIS Columbia also has the amazing view of Tampa Bay from any table in the restaurant and will prepare their famous 1905 Salad tableside - with turkey or shrimp, if you don't want ham. They also have black beans & rice, Eggplant Riojana, and the 1905 Langostino (grilled shrimp), which is FABULOUS!
Last, but by no means least, is Fresco's Waterfront Bistro at the beginning of the approach to The Pier - corner of 2nd Avenue S.E. and Bayshore Boulevard. Fresco's talented chef, Jason Espositio, offers the following healthy options: Black Bean Zucchini Quesadillas, Garlic Mussels, Marinated Conch Salad, Portobello Tower, Roasted Mediterranean Veggie Au Gratin and Smoked Salmon Flatbread Pizza.
So, now that your mouth is watering.....head out to The Pier to try our healthy dining options!
Fireworks for the 4th @ The Pier
Photgraphy by Tim Boyles - Fireworks over The Pier
As a child, my first memories of the 4th of July were those of spending on the beaches of Manatee County with my best friend, Margaret, and her family. She came from a large family - with six children in all - and each summer her cousins, aunts and uncles would gather at the family beach house for a picnic on the 4th of July. We, as smaller children, would like sparklers and run up and down the beach with our "torches" until they burned out. Sometimes, we would throw them into the water and watch as they sparkled against the night sky until falling into the Gulf of Mexico. As I grew older, I would spend the 4th with my parents, and sit on the seawall of the Manatee River and watch the county's fireworks display shot off a barge in the middle of the river - visible to the residents of Palmetto and Bradenton at the same time.
Many years later, when working for Club Corporation of America at the Plaza Club in downtown Bradenton, I invited my family to the club's July 4th buffet located on the top floor of the Plaza Del Rio building and to watch fireworks. It was funny, though, because even though you could SEE the fireworks through the glass, you couldn't HEAR them and there was no "ooohhh" or "aaahhhh" sound coming from the spectators. So, we started our own "noises" inside the 7th floor private dining club.
This year, I celebrate my ninth 4th of July celebration at The Pier, as part of the management team for this amazing city-owned property in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Each year has been wonderful with full days of activities and music aimed at all ages and all demographics of our beautiful city and county. We have had the pleasure of meeting Ashlee Simpson when she performed here, meeting an American Idol finalist, seeing Brooke Hogan and her famous father, "Hulk", and even having pictures taken with Taylor Swift! In 2006, I even had to coordinate the events in a wheelchair from a broken ankle injury a few weeks prior to the 4th! In recent years, our celebration has been toned down, somewhat, with partnerships lessening, budgets what they are and our celebration does not include a celebrity performer, but it is still fun! We have had the "Dance Heads" for the past few years, where our guests have made music videos of themselves while sitting in front of a green screen and kept the DVD as a rememberance of their time here.
This year, we have a full line-up of fun, too, which includes back-to-back bands in our Waterside Courtyard from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. with "Bob, the World's Strongest Juggler" performing during the band's set-up/tear-down. We begin at 1:00 p.m. with the "Daniel B. Marshall Band", performing folk and rock originals along with contemporary covers until 4:00 p.m., followed by "Fast Lane" with R&B and funk music from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Our headliner band is "Save the Radio", featuring alternative, pop and acoustic rock sounds from 8:00-11:00 p.m. with a break at 9:00 p.m. for fireworks!
Inside The Pier there will be characters with whom to interact from 1:00-5:00 p.m. - a unicylist, a magician, a caricature artist and "George Washington". Face and/or body painting will be offered for a nominal charge (today), depending on the design and complexity from 1:00-9:00 p.m. We also welcome back the hilarious entertainment of Erick Kand, comedy hypnotist who will be performing TWO shows - one from 5:00-6:00 p.m. and the second one from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Dockside Eatery food court area. Guests volunteer to be hypnotized and it creates a full hour of laughter and fun for those watching!
At 6:00 p.m., we will welcome the Miss Florida contestants who will be introduced by radio personality, Jack Harris, from WFLA, followed by a "Meet and Greet".
Of course, at 9:00 p.m. fireworks will be shot off Spa Beach Park, at the base of The Pier - compliments of the City of St. Petersburg. (They COULD be shot as early as 8:30 p.m. or as late as 10:00 p.m. - weather dictating - but if they are not shot by 10:00 p.m., they won't be seen this July 4th.) All day parking is available for $5 in either the Pelican or Dolphin Parking Lots at The Pier, Valet Parking will be $6 or you could park in any of the downtown parking garages and jump on the Central Avenue Shuttle or the Looper to get to The Pier.
Remember, NO coolers can be brought to the parks and no alcohol can be brought to The Pier. We have our Dockside Eatery food court, and four sit-down waterfront restaurants from which to choose your dining and/or beverage options - Captain Al's Waterfront Grill & Bar on the 1st level, Cha Cha Coconuts Tropical Bar and Grill (who will have two bands on the 5th level from 1:00-8:00 p.m.), the Columbia Restaurant on the 4th level and Fresco's Waterfront Bistro on the corner of Second Avenue and Bayshore.
We also have a variety of unique shops, boutiques and galleries on the first level with collectables, hats, artifacts, jewelry and more, as well as The Pier Aquarium on the second level where their fish can entertain you. Wheel Fun Rentals will be offering temporary tattoos at their space in front of The Pier and don't forget to visit the Dolphin Queen for guaranteed sightseeing tours or take a spin around the Yacht Basin in an electric boat from the Electric Marina Boat Rentals (behind the Dolphin Parking Lot).
PEEPS at The Pier
1st place winner in the Information Technologies (IT) charity fund Peeps contest at Raymond James Financial
There are PEEPS in the Food Court at The Pier! Yes, the same marshmallow chicks, bunnies and ghosts available during the holidays at your local grocery store. Why are they at The Pier?
Now in its seventh year, the IT charity fund Peeps contest at Raymond James allows IT associates to show off their creative talents while supporting the community. Each spring after Easter, Peeps artists display their creations and work and associates vote on the best choice by making a donation. The donations go to the IT charity funds “adopt a child” program. This program gives lower-income children Publix gift certificates at Thanksgiving and also provides them with toys, clothes and Walmart Gift certificates at Christmas. Last year, the IT charity fund was able to “adopt” 164 children!
Of the 11 entries in the contest, The St. “Peepers”burg Pier was voted 1st place! It was created not only to raise money for IT’s charity fund, but also to gauge associates’ opinion on whether or not to keep The Pier. IT associates overwhelmingly voted that The Pier should be kept!
The Pier was created by the Middle Office Operations Software Development team including: Beth Fox, Debra Durant, Gene Lane, Harriet Freed, Joel Ott, Linda Boyle, Maureen McKinnon, Nancy Chapman, Paula Halsey, Srinivas Avancha, Sue Pfahler, Greg Seller, Bill Swan and Marshal Heney. Overall, the Peeps contest was a success and raised more than $2,087 for the “adopt a child” program! It took 27 hours to create one Marshmallow Peep in 1953, but takes just six minutes today!
About the IT Charity Fund
The IT charity fund was created over 20 years ago by associates in the IT Department at Raymond James Financial to raise funds throughout the year to help make contributions to the community. This is accomplished by selling sodas and snacks every day, as well as hosting special events, such as pizza sales, bake sales and even the Peeps contest.
The St. “Peepers”burg Pier will be on display in the Dockside Eatery food court for several weeks. Please come by and see it, but don’t touch or EAT the display!
Peeps are marshmallow candies, sold in the US and Canada, that are shaped into chicks, bunnies, and other animals. There are also different shapes used for various holidays. Peeps are used primarily to fill Easter baskets, though recent ad campaigns tout the candy as "Peeps - Always in Season". They are made from marshmallow, corn syrup, gelatin, and carnauba wax.
Peeps are produced by Just Born, a candy manufacturer based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Peeps were introduced nationally in 1958 by Pravin Pant Sr., a Nepali immigrant. When Just Born acquired Rodda Candy Company in 1953, they automated the process (originally the chicks were formed by hand) and mass-produced them. The yellow chicks were the original form of the candy — hence their name — but then the company introduced other colors and, eventually, the myriad shapes in which they are now produced.
Just Born has expanded its product line to include bats, cats, pumpkins, and ghosts for Halloween; hearts for Valentine's Day; eggs for Easter; trees, gingerbread men, snowmen, the word "JOY", and stars for Christmas; and red, white, and blue chicks and stars for the 4th of July.
Although the original Peeps were standard marshmallow flavor, some of the newer flavors include chocolate mousse (bunnies for Easter, cats for Halloween, reindeer for Christmas), strawberry and vanilla (hearts for Valentine's Day), cocoa (cats and bats for Halloween), sugar cookie (gingerbread people for Christmas), and orange (eggs for Easter).
In 2009, Just Born expanded the Peeps product line further by introducing Peeps Lip Balm in four flavors: grape, strawberry, vanilla, and cotton candy. The first Peeps & Co. store opened in November 2009 in Prince George's County.
The Pier, located at the end of Second Avenue N.E. on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront is accessible off I-275
FREE Community Events at The Pier in April
April 10th: Hands Across the Bay
The 3rd Annual Hands Across the Bay event to Support Children’s Week is Saturday, April 10th from 12 to 4 pm at The Pier in downtown St. Pete. Please join us for this fun and free family activity. Not only will you be able to learn about all kinds of issues important to children in our community, but your child will also have an opportunity to add their handprints to the thousands of others going to Tallahassee to be hung in the Capitol. Read more about the event on the their website at www.projectpatchwork.org.
Children’s Week occurs every year in March/April in Tallahassee to educate and advocate for children’s issues. Read more at childrensweek.org.
April 10th: Zumba Bash Fundraiser for Haiti
Zumba Bash Fundraiser for Haiti - Produced and directed by Gemma Hughes, Fitness/Dance instructor extraordinaire! Join Gemma and her special guests to raise money for her Habitat for Humanity trip to Honduras.
5:00-5:30 p.m. - Beginner Zumba
5:30-6:30 p.m. - Regular Zumba
Donate what you can afford - suggested donation of $10 to participate - and enjoy Zumba at The Pier with Gemma!
April 16th-17th: Purina Dog Challenge
The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Spa Beach Park. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Incredible Canine Athletes and their 'humans' will converge in Spa Beach Park to compete for the most coveted titles in Canine Athletics at the 2010 Eastern Regionals Championship. The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge features five core events. Diving Dog, Freestyle Flying Disc, Large and Small Agility Competition, Jack Russell Hurdle Racing and Head to Head Weave Pole Racing. There will also be additional special events, including a local qualifier for a limited number of spots, in Diving Dog and Freestyle Flying Disc on Friday, April 16th. (TIMES, INFO TBA) The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge at Spa Beach Park will air on National Syndicated Television. For more information go to www.carsonevents.com and www.petcentric.com.
April 16th-17th: SPCA of Tampa Bay Adopt-a-Thon at The Pier
The SPCA of Tampa Bay will host an Adopt-a-Thon at The Pier on Friday, April 16th from 9AM-3PM and on Saturday, April 17th from 10AM-4PM in the Waterside Courtyard. They will also have the D.A.R.T. van on site with information on their organization, as well.
The Purina Dog Challenge event will take place in Spa Beach Park, as well, so bring your dogs to the park and to The Pier for a "doggone" good time!
April 24th: St. Pete Hospice Stroll
Saturday, April 24th, the Suncoast Hospice, will present the "Hospice St. Pete Stroll" at the St. Petersburg Pier. Registration is at 8:00 a.m., and you can much on snacks, make friends with some pelicans and get ready to hit the 3.7 mile trail at 9:00 a.m. Strollers will make their way along the city's lovely waterfront and through stately neighborhoods. All proceeds from the event will benefit the patients and families served by Suncoast Hospice.
For further information, contact Niki Pasek, Special Events Coordinator, at 727.HOSPICE (467.7423) or email stroll@thehospice.org.
If you want to put a team together, visit thehospice.org for further information.
Easter Weekend at The Pier
Voices and instruments will join in familiar and beloved music to greet the sun on Easter morning, Sunday, April 4, 2010, when Florida Resurrection House, Inc., local churches, the Salvation Army, and The Pier welcome guests to this public celebration of Easter Sunrise at The Pier, 800 Second Avenue NE. The ecumenical worship service will begin at 6:30 a.m. with music by the Salvation Army Band. Free parking is available in The Pier parking lots and trolleys will be available.
Major George Patterson, St. Petersburg Area Commander (Southern Pinellas County) will deliver a sermon titled “The Son is Risen.” The Salvation Army Band will offer familiar Easter favorites and Philip Dickhaus, a member of the Board of Directors of Resurrection House, will share his testimony of support for this ministry. For more information about Resurrection House, visit the website at www.floridaresurrectionhouse.com.
The free will offering at the Sunrise Service benefits Florida Resurrection House, Inc., an ecumenical ministry and nonprofit corporation formed by downtown St. Petersburg churches in 1987 and dedicated to helping homeless or working poor families with minor children become self-sufficient.
Pier shops, restaurants and outdoor adventure businesses will be open on Easter Day. If you are wishing to make reservations for a fabulous Easter Dinner, please call the Columbia Restaurant at 727.822.8000. Captain Al's and Cha Cha Coconuts take walk-ins. Fresco's Waterfront Bistro also has a fabulous weekend brunch on Saturday and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
The Music Fest on the Water is held every Sunday and this week we feature "Charlie Souza and the New Tropics" from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Courtyard. As a nominee to the Florida Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame, and currently touring with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Gene Cornish & Dino Danelli in The New Rascals, Charlie was influenced by most artists he has colaborated and performed with including Tom Petty, Gregg Allman, Cactus and The Tropics. His most recent CD "Livin' in Paradise" contains the song "Carry Me Back to St. Petersburg" which was voted the winner of the official city song contest for St. Petersburg.
Ask them to play the official song of the city "Carry Me Back to St. Petersburg" when you are here to enjoy their adult, contemporary sounds. You can always check out their website for more at: CharlieSouza.com.
This weekend at the St. Petersburg Pier, we have a variety of musical performances that will entice you! "Lucid Druid" performs on Saturday, March 20th, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Waterside Courtyard. This Celtic band is our very own belated "St. Patrick's Day" event, and you can grab a bit to eat or a beverage from one of our restaurants or food court and enjoy a FREE concert by the Bay!
Joanne Conte, face painter extraordinaire, will be on hand from 2:30-5:30 p.m. this weekend for FREE face and/or body painting.
At 7:30 p.m., we will have our monthly Movies on the Waterfront series, featuring "Labou" - a story about "long lost treasure and new found friends". Run time is 95 minutes and is for ages 8 to adult. Sponsored by the Parent Guide Magazine, "Labou" is brought to you by Kids First!
On Sunday, March 21st, we have our farewell performance by "Happy Days" from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Waterside Courtyard. These crazy brothers from New York City will perform for your entertainment and impersonate one of your favorite artists, I am sure!
Enjoy your weekend at The Pier! While you're here, visit our unique shops, galleries and/or boutiques, The Pier Aquarium, or take some time out for a dolphin sightseeing cruise, rent an electric boat, peddle your way around downtown on a bike, or feed the pelicans!
Zombie St. Pete Event February 27th
"
Ever ask yourself? What would happen if the living dead rose and attacked in your own hometown?
Some students at USF did too, and they wrote a book about it.
ZOMBIE ST. PETE includes 12 ghoulish tales of zombie mayhem that takes place in actual locations of sunny St. Pete like The Pier, the State Theater, Mahaffey Theatre, the Old Northeast and a certain unnamed downtown church that has a lot of celebrity clientele. ZOMBIE ST. PETE also boasts photographs of local citizens, zombiefied, and ready to pick your brain.………..from their teeth.
If you like zombies, and are demented enough to enjoy the thought of the living dead destroying the town you live in, you are guaranteed to love every stinking, rotten page of ZOMBIE ST. PETE!"
On Saturday, February 27, 2010, The Pier will host the official release of Zombie St Pete, which is a compilation of a variety of Zombie culture stories based in our own hometown! Edited by USF St. Pete Professor Frances Auld and students Aaron Alper and David Reynolds, Zombie St. Pete debuts many local, first-time authors and features stories of zombie mayhem, all centered in prominent St. Pete locations!
Well-known zombie culture author, S.G. Browne, has written the forward to the book and will be here IN PERSON! S.G. Browne is the author of Breathers, a dark comedy about life after undeath told from the perspective of a zombie. His second novel, Fated (scheduled for release in November 2010), is a dark, irreverent comedy about fate, destiny, and the consequences of getting involved in the lives of humans. A film version of Breathers is in the works and is being produced by Diablo Cody ("Juno").
Justin Duffy, who works at the Dali Museum and received his BFA from the Ringling School of Art and Design, has illustrated the cover art you see here for Zombie St. Pete. "It's an image filled with zombies," Duffy says, "which I set against one of St. Pete's greatest landmarks - The Pier."
The event is scheduled from 5:00-10:00 p.m., on Saturday, February 27th, to include readings from participating authors, music from local band “Have Gun, Will Travel”, book signings from the authors and S.G. Browne, and even a "sighting" of the zombies from "Thrill St. Pete" who will do a reprise of “Thriller”!
Community Forum to be held Tuesday, February 2nd
On Tuesday, February 2nd, the city will host a community forum to hear from The Pier Advisory Task Force and to gather input on alternatives for a new Pier as the city continues discussion about future possibilities for The Pier and surrounding property. The forum will be held Tuesday, February 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at the Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Avenue South.
With news that St. Petersburg's Pier approach is deteriorating and will need to be replaced, and $50 million in tax increment financing is earmarked for Pier redevelopment (with funds available in 2012), St. Petersburg has been embarking on a process to envision a future plan for The Pier over the past several months.
Last year, the community was invited to provide its ideas through workshops and an online survey. Former Mayor Rick Baker and City Council appointed citizens to a Pier Advisory Task Force to further study the issue. Task Force members are evaluating a variety of conceptual ideas for possible new Pier structures, and need your input. If you are not able to attend the Jan. 19th forum, there is a second one scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 2nd at the Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Ave. S. at 7 p.m.
Pier conceptual ideas, and more background information, can be seen on the Task Force's portion of the city's website at www.stpete.org. For more information, call 892-5779.
NEW ideas to be presented for The Pier
As reported on 10 Connects today:
St. Petersburg, Florida -- What will the St. Petersburg Pier look like 10 years from now? Tuesday afternoon, January 5, 2010, the city's Pier Advisory Task Force will get plenty of ideas when a Miami-based architectural firm presents a number of conceptual drawings. The firm, Bermello Ajamil & Partners, was hired to help local officials try and come up with ideas to repair/replace or possibly reconstruct the aging landmark.
"These folks that we've retained are quite experienced in waterfront and pier type projects all over the world and we expect to see some stimulating and some outrageous ideas," task force chair Randy Wedding told 10 Connects.
It's expected Bermello Ajamil & Partners will present the task force with 10 to 20 different drawings Tuesday afternoon. The meeting is just the latest step as officials move closer towards coming up with a plan for The Pier.
The goal, according to Downtown Enterprise Facilities Director Chris Ballestra, is for the city to be ready to move forward with a plan by 2012. He notes, at a minimum, the support pilings on the approach road need to be replaced.
"In the year 2012, we have access to $50 million of TIF funding. If we spend more then that amount of money in the reconstruction of The Pier... it will require a referendum."
Wedding says the task force was to make a recommendation to the mayor and city council as to what officials should do with the pier by February 25th. But he expects the task force will ask for more time.
NOTE: Bermello Ajamil has been reviewing all public comments from the community meetings held in the fall of 2008 and all documents related to The Pier for several months. The Pier Advisory Task Force, appointed by former Mayor Rick Baker and approved by City Council, has been meeting since March 2009, consisting of twenty (20) business people representing a broad spectrum of the community - tourism, hotel industry, boating, restaurant owners, etc.
Unique Offerings from The Pier
Visitors at The Pier during Jingle Bell Run 2009.
“Families just love The Pier,” says advertising and promotions manager, Susan Robertson, a Pier-goer for her entire lifetime. "I started out at The Pier when I was just a toddler, and then went to see my brother and his friends celebrate his birthday on the 'Captain Mac' show, which was filmed in the studios at WSUN-TV at The Pier. Now, I bring my grandchildren, Emily and Jackson here. They love to feed the pelicans, have grilled cheese sandwiches at Burger Bay, visit The Pier Aquarium, and recently we did the Dolphin Queen Sightseeing Cruise, the Electric Marina boats and rode on the bikes at Wheel Fun Rentals!"
Since 1899, generations of families have visited The Pier in downtown St. Pete, especially during the holiday season. There’s free holiday entertainment, great things to do with the kids like watching the dolphins, listening to bands, having your face painted, getting a balloon animal and enjoying inexpensive food and beverages.
If you haven’t been to The Pier recently, you probably don’t realize there is a new route for the trolley that runs from The Pier to BayWalk to the west end of downtown’s Grand Central District. This new service is just 25 cents. Watch for the newly painted YELLOW Trolleys rolling down Central Avenue to The Pier.
“If you haven’t found just the right gift, there are some really unusual treasures to buy right here at The Pier,” Susan explains. "There’s everything from jewelry and decorative glass to leather goods and cashmere scarves. You can also purchase gift certificates for the 'adventure' at The Pier - Dolphin Sightseeing Cruises, Electric Marina Boat Rentals, Wheel Fun Rentals and our newest catamaran at Boating at The Pier, or from any of our four sit-down waterfront restaurants - Captain Al's Waterfront Grill and Bar, Cha Cha Coconuts at The Pier, Columbia Restaurant and Fresco's Waterfront Bistro." A few of the unique offerings are as follows:
MJ Toons has more than 100 different post cards, Hawaiian children’s clothing, a wonderful selection of adult T-shirts, and kids tees featuring SpongeBob, Dora and Diego. There’s also pirate-themed items, a huge selection of exotic seashells, and TY Beanie Babies.
At Wheel Fun Rentals, the WHOLE family can ride the same bike, for a wonderful family memory, riding around beautiful St. Petersburg to see all the holiday decorations!
At the Pier Aquarium, there’s one-on-one interaction, teaching kids about sea critters, plus fun, educational fish-themed toys, books and gifts in the museum store, just perfect for a Christmas stocking
St. Pete Candle Gallery offers on-the-spot custom candles with names, dates, and everything personalized. These unique gifts are regularly, $28.95, but now, they are just $24.95.
At Captain Al’s Waterfront Grill and Bar, you sit right at the water's edge. There are wonderful wide-open water views of beautiful Tampa Bay from their patio and at the huge outdoor Tiki Bar. Sign up to win a free dinner all during the month of December at Captain Al’s (A $50 value). Al’s outdoor patios are dog friendly! Captain Al's will hold Salsa Saturday on Saturday, December 26th from 9:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. FREE Salsa lessons take place at 8:30 p.m. (No one under 10 years of age is admitted after the dancing begins.)
Just Hats features a vast array of fashionable headwear for the whole family. Get 10% OFF any kind of hat with any purchase of $20 or more.
Rainforest Gifts has a collection of unique tropical gifts for everyone. A bright and lively store, and you’ll enjoy shopping at this unique shop while steel drum music plays in the background. Holiday special “magic” T-shirts change color with the Florida sun – they’re at a special price of two for just $20.
Bay Breeze Boutique offers gorgeous resort wear for women and men, including brand names like Reef, Teva, Fresh Produce and much more. This is cruise wear for the stylish traveler. Bay Breeze also has exceptional accessories and fun jewelry. Get 10% off with any purchase over $30.
The Columbia Restaurant is open for the holidays, and has special holiday menus for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Reservations are encouraged for these VERY busy days at the historic Columbia Restaurant - a fixture in Tampa Bay for over 100 years.
The Hide Out is Florida's premier leather store, with everything from alligator to rattlesnake, cobra to python, shark to stingray to eel. You’ll also find the best values on genuine cashmere and Pashmina scarves.
DD Collectables is a "hidden treasure" at The Pier with a HUGE variety of those hard-to-find collectable items - from posters, to tee shirts, signed baseballs, Betty Boop figurines, Elvis or the Three Stooges. Ask for Dave and he'll find it for you!
Peppers on The Pieris in a NEW location - just as you come in the door on the right side of the first floor. GREAT stocking stuffer ideas from the "chain-saw pizzz cutter" to pizza shaped potholders. You'll also find fabulous painted glass by Michelle - original items - ALL here at Pepper's. The merchandise at Pepper's on The Pier is mainly manufactured right here in St. Petersburg!
Watching owner, Carol Gray, work hard on her window display for Crystal Mirage Gallery was a real treat and you MUST see ALL of the red glass she has in one area, the holiday glass display inside the store of Swarovski crystal ornaments and more!
No matter which store you shop in at The Pier, your gift will be that much more special because you supported the local economy. (And the gift-wrapping is free at The Pier Concierge Center!) Enjoy the holiday season right now at The Pier.