Big Changes in Store for 8th Avenue Pub

According to Mike Kelly, grabbing a late night bite to eat in town these days is nearly impossible, unless you want hit the Taco Bell on McMullen Booth. 

But that is about to change, thanks to a major addition Kelly is working on for his popular downtown Safety Harbor hot spot, the 8^th Avenue Pub. 

Within a month Kelly should be serving pizza from his authentic Italian wood fired stove, and he’s excited to be the first place in the downtown area to offer fresh food after 10 p.m. 

“When I opened in 2009, this was first liquor pub in the area,” Kelly said during a break in renovations. “There was nothing else like this in this town.

“Now this will be one of the only wood fired pizza places in the area ... and we will be selling it well after 10 o'clock, when all the restaurants close.” 

Kelly, who has lived in the area for 26 years and used to own a liquor store in the Northwood Commons shopping center, has relied on selling booze and booking live music to generate revenue for his bar. 

But he readily admits it’s hard to make a good profit on beer sales alone, especially since he normally doesn’t collect a cover charge to see the bands. 

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So when he noticed the oven sitting in the vacant Vincenzo’s restaurant near his old store, he made an inquiry to the property owner and worked a deal to bring the massive brick beast to his new place. 

“It was just sitting in the old restaurant for the last three years, and the owner was getting ready to sell it, so I made him an offer and we worked out a deal,” Kelly said. 

“I didn’t really plan on doing food here ... but four years ago I didn’t plan on being in the bar business, either. Things change.” 

Kelly is knocking out an entryway to gain access to the new room at the far end of the pub, where he will add seats, dartboards and a stage for live music in addition to the oven. 

He hopes the addition of food will allow him to book bigger acts and not only boost his own business, but also helps raise the profile of the entire downtown area. 

“This place isn’t for everyone. You walk in and you either like it or you don’t," Kelly admits. "But if they don’t eat or drink here, hopefully they’ll go somewhere nearby.

“I opened this to be a neighborhood bar, but I’m willing to adapt for the benefit of the neighborhood.”

8th Avenue Pub

Address: 103 8th Ave. N.

Phone: 727-799-1105

Hours: Mon, 7pm - midnight; Tue - Thu, 4pm - midnight; Fri, Sat, 4pm - 3am