St. Petersburg building that housed Hideaway Café listed for $3.6 million

Brianna Alfaro of Dalton Wade Real Estate Group listed the two-story property at 1756 Central Ave. for $3.6 million on Oct. 7. The listing came less than two months after the Neon Lunchbox closed in the former Hideaway Café space on Aug. 29. The building dates to 1923 and houses Lolita's Wine Bar and Restaurant plus two apartments on the upper floor. The entertainment space is now vacant, though its small stage remains in place.

Alfaro said the owners are ready to step back. "They loved it. They haven't had any issues with tenants," she said. "They just want to retire. They're getting older." About 60% of the property's existing rental spaces are occupied, Alfaro said. Lolita's is expected to stay under its current lease, the apartments have been renovated and the empty entertainment space was recently repainted.

Musician John Kelly opened the Hideaway Café at the address in 2009 and ran it for 13 years. The venue included a recording studio, with audiences seated a few feet from the stage. It drew a regular crowd of singer-songwriters, and Rebekah Pulley, Kirk Adams and Gypsy Wind played the farewell concert there in April 2022. Rising rent pushed Kelly out of the space.

The Neon Lunchbox moved into the room nearly two years later, opening in March 2024 with food, cocktails, comedy, karaoke and trivia built around 1980s and 1990s nostalgia. Its owners closed it Aug. 29, citing operating costs, building maintenance problems, personal health issues and economic conditions.

Alfaro, a St. Petersburg native, said she would like to see live music and local art return. "If someone, a native that really wanted to bring back that old St. Pete feel with open mics and art shows and things like that, they can absolutely do that," she said. The former Neon Lunchbox space covers about 2,500 square feet and could be split into smaller storefronts with city approval.

The sale is listed and the future of the space belongs to whoever buys the property. "There's so much that can be done," Alfaro said.