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B&B's new owners say demolition not in plans

By SHARON BOND
Published November 20, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - The new owners of Mansion House Bed & Breakfast keep running into people around town who ask why they just bought a place that will close at the end of the year and be torn down to make way for condominiums.

Mansion House Bed & Breakfast, 105 Fifth Ave. NE, will not be torn down. But a business with a similar name just a block away will be: Mansion by the Bay at 145 Fourth Ave. NE.

Kathy and Peter Plautz bought the Mansion House Bed & Breakfast Aug. 5. They are preparing a grand ribbon cutting for Dec. 7 to show people they are up and running and plan to stay that way.

"It's almost across the board," Kathy Plautz said of the many people who think her place will be rubble soon.

The Plautzes retired early and were sailing down the coast last year, thinking they might like to settle in Florida. They arrived in St. Petersburg during the weekend of the St. Anthony's Triathlon. They took a walk through town, saw the inn and bought it a week later. They live in the inn, run it, including cooking for guests, and tend to the grounds.

GULFPORT - Bark & Browse opened Saturday, offering pets and their owners a place to shop.

The new shop is at 5114 Gulfport Blvd. Owners Lisa Lombardo and Lane Martin say their place is a funky boutique with displays on shabby chic furnishings. Items for sale include foods, designer treats and toys. Dog training also will be offered.

Dogs are welcome in the store.

The owners say part of their community activity will be involved with pet adoptions. Bark & Browse will not offer dogs and cats for sale but encourages those interested in getting pets to visit local shelters or contact established kennels.

ST. PETERSBURG - Adobo Grill, the taqueria at BayWalk, has closed.

Owner Peter Veytia said it was too difficult to get the volume needed to keep the restaurant going.

"It was a great experience, a great opportunity. Time proved that it wasn't a good location for a fast-food outlet. That little extra gravy in the business we weren't getting," he said.

Veytia closed the restaurant Nov. 13 when his lease expired. He also owns Red Mesa on Fourth Street N and will concentrate his efforts there. He said the five Adobo employees joined the staff at Red Mesa.

Veytia said sales numbers early this year made him realize he had to do something. Because he loved being downtown, Veytia considered other locations. None were the right place.

[Last modified November 20, 2005, 00:54:20]