Beef O'Brady's considers site near Publix

The family sports pub tests the waters at Northeast Shopping Center.

By JON WILSON

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 18, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- A family sports pub could move into part of an empty department store in Northeast Shopping Center, perhaps by early next year.

A Beef O'Brady's representative spoke last week to members of the North East Park Neighborhood Association, which is the neighborhood closest to the center situated on 37th Avenue N between Third and First streets.

The restaurant, which operates franchises at about 50 locations throughout Florida, would move into the old Woolworth's store in the center.

"We love the idea," said Chuck Winship, president of Beef O'Brady's franchiser, Tampa-based Family Sports Concepts. "We've met with (the neighbors) and we're just real excited. We've been trying to get into Fourth Street for several years."

The restaurant would continue an upgrading of the shopping center, which is owned by Publix. Publix renovated and enlarged its supermarket, opening a new store in 1998.

A Beef O'Brady's representative approached North East Park president Scott Willis about three weeks ago, asking to speak to the neighborhood association to see if residents had any problem with the restaurant opening, Willis said.

"The only question anyone had was whether there was a liquor license," Willis said.

Beef O'Brady's sells beer and wine but not liquor. The restaurant's menu offers typical sports pub fare: burgers, wings and sandwiches. A children's menu also is typical.

The restaurant would be the first Beef O'Brady's in St. Petersburg. Others are in Clearwater, Dunedin and Seminole, and two are planned for Largo. The Northeast store would be the sixth in Pinellas County.

The restaurant chain was founded in 1985 by Jim Mellody.

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