The 2,700 square foot raw bar will open in late summer
ST. PETE BEACH, FL – The phrase “good things come to those who wait” isn’t always applicable to commercial real estate, but after an extended marketing period that began before the pandemic, Blakemore Kearney and Joshua Sims of Vector Commercial Real Estate helped facilitate a long-term lease between Haran Hospitality and landlord Rudy Consoni of MHRR Investments, which was signed Friday, May 28, 2021. And the result is definitely good.
Helm Provisions and Coastal Fare, a seafood-driven lunch and brunch raw bar focused on local and responsibly-sourced seasonal ingredients, has taken possession of their space and is set to begin buildout immediately. They will also offer a home-meal-solutions market as well as “stock the ‘fridge” options for vacationers and picnic set ups for beach goers.
The property, located at 7736 Blind Pass Road, is the former Verducci’s restaurant building. When the Italian institution moved to its current space next door, MHRR enlisted Vector to find the ideal tenant for its daytime-use-only building.
“There is nobody else (other than Vector) I would have considered to find a good tenant for that property. It wasn’t an easy building to rent as it came with its challenges,” said Consoni. “Helm will be an attraction for St. Pete Beach. They’re excited, they’re knowledgeable and they’re doing something different.”
Kearney is happy he could make the match.
“This space has generated a ton of interest from the outset, but due to its unique daytime-use-only requirement, it was going to take a very specific business model to make it work,” Kearney said. “Not only is Helm a great fit for the space, but it’s exceptionally rewarding when given the opportunity to put great people together.”
As for Heidi and Michael Butler, hotel and restaurant industry veterans and co-founders of Haran Hospitality, now is the time to take the leap into creating their own concept.
“We have always fantasized about having our own place. We have both worked for years as consultants doing concepts and design and this particular concept spoke to us,” said Heidi Butler. “We were ready to get back to Florida, get back to the beach and bring the Helm with us.”
And they couldn’t have been more pleased with Kearney’s expertise.
“Blake was amazing to work with through our whole lease process,” Heidi Butler said. “He was attentive, informative and extremely knowledgeable. It was refreshing to work with someone who we felt like we could trust right from the beginning.”
Vector Commercial Real Estate is a full-service commercial real estate firm established in 1985, located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Vector has consistently been ranked in the top 25 real estate companies for the Tampa Bay area. The Vector Companies offer clients experienced representation in all facets of commercial real estate. Our full-service capabilities make Vector truly unique in the local commercial real estate market, enabling us to knowledgeably represent clients from all perspectives and strategically achieve their objectives.