Merry Pier an Outlet of Convenience and Recreation

, having been open since 1902. The attraction was named after local resident and Captain, Kenneth B. Merry. He lived on the tiny finger of Pass-A-Grille until the ripe age of 83.

The pier and general store are now owned by the City of St. Pete Beach while the Merry Pier Partners operate the business. The partners took over in February of 2011.

Previous management had turned the place into a somewhat touristy spot, but the new team is adamant about getting the beloved bait store back to its roots.

Nancy Davidek, of Merry Pier Partners, said that the goal is to reestablish a connection with the local community. "Slowly some of those fishermen, that had kind of started going other places, are coming back," said Davidek.

There are snacks and drinks where beach apparel used to hang and a fresh fish market where souvenirs used to dwell. The change up in the store's stock has proved to be successful as the pier is becoming a favorite spot for local fishermen.

Bait, tackle and ever fishing charters are all available at the Merry Pier. It is a one stop shop for locals and tourists looking to indulge in some Florida style fun. In addition to the fishing charter options,

Another plus to having Merry Pier Partners operating the shop is the tight knit relationships they have with local wildlife groups. "We are very close with the Audubon Society and the ," said Davidek.

The partnership works well and the line of communication is always clear, which helps the efforts reach a maximum level of effectiveness.

Davidek and company are content with their current state and strive to stretch an awareness of the area across state lines. In fact, the Merry Pier Partners hope to stick around for quite a while.

"We are very proud," said Davidek. "We hope they're happy with us and we hope they want us to stay for a long time."