Rreal Tacos acquires former Red Mesa Cantina building in downtown St. Pete

Regarded as one of downtown St. Pete’s most recognizable restaurant properties has a recent owner.

Atlanta-basically based mostly Rreal Tacos has purchased the extra special Red Mesa Cantina constructing at 128 Third Boulevard South, where it plans to inaugurate three restaurant and bar concepts beneath the Rreal Tacos rate.

The ground-flooring restaurant is anticipated to inaugurate in early 2027, with the final concepts opening in phases.

Founded in Atlanta in 2015, Rreal Tacos is legendary for Mexican avenue meals inspired by Mexico City, with a menu centered spherical tacos served on handmade tortillas pressed to tell.

Guests might maybe also furthermore request burritos, quesabirria tacos, tortas, enchiladas, fajitas, ceviche, avenue corn, loaded fries, and dwelling-made salsas, along with an intensive preference of tequila, mezcal, and craft margaritas.

The greater than century-venerable constructing used to be firstly constructed as St. Petersburg’s first fire area and most no longer too prolonged within the past housed Red Mesa Cantina for 16 years before the restaurant closed in June.

“This constructing has watched over downtown St. Pete for greater than a hundred years. We did no longer purchase it to commerce what it’s. We provided it to honor it and like it with life and hospitality for the next chapter of its life,” CEO Damian Otero said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Otero said the acquisition came collectively nearly in an instant after he learned Red Mesa Cantina used to be closing.

“I used to be getting a haircut,” Otero recalled. “I drove straight to the airport, caught a flight and met up with the owner. By 6 p.m., we were walking the property and rising with a deal.”

Buying the property, in would favor to leasing it, represented the excellent funding the company has made.

“We had to purchase it. That’s why we gambled the final company on this,” Otero said. “We weren’t willing for this. That’s how a lot we mediate on this corner, this property and St. Pete.”

Otero said preserving the constructing also performed a primary characteristic within the resolution.

He said owner Dean Kucera had alternatives to sell the property for redevelopment but in a roundabout method chose a purchaser dedicated to conserving the constructing standing and continuing its use as a restaurant vacation space.

Harrison Gault and Jay Billings of Commercial Companions Realty represented Rreal Tacos within the sale transaction.

The greater than 16,000-square-foot property will at closing dwelling three concepts staunch thru its three phases.

The ground flooring will characteristic the flagship Rreal Tacos restaurant, while the 2d flooring is anticipated to become a stout-service restaurant, although Otero said the thought that is peaceable being finalized.

A rooftop bar will agree with the constructing’s third stage, with meals on hand from the animated places beneath.

When fully operational, the property will characteristic five bars staunch thru three phases, accommodate nearly 800 traffic, and utilize greater than 250 other folks.

Founded without exterior investors or non-public fairness backing, Rreal Tacos within the intervening time operates numerous areas within the course of metro Atlanta and is making willing to inaugurate its first Florida restaurant in downtown Tampa later this year.

The St. Pete restaurant will become the company’s 2d Florida space.

Otero said the company evaluated numerous markets before expanding exterior Georgia but in a roundabout method chose Tampa Bay thanks to the alternatives it provided each the industry and its employees.

“We asked ourselves, if we will advertise one of our managers to become a industry accomplice in any other order, where are they going to be the happiest?” Otero said. “It used to be Florida. Tampa and St. Pete objective made sense.”

He added that the company plans to proceed expanding within the course of the Tampa Bay space before pondering assorted substances of the order.

In incompatibility to many rising restaurant brands, Otero said Rreal Tacos has expanded by reinvesting profits serve into the industry in would favor to franchising.

“We’re no longer a franchise. We salvage got no non-public fairness and no exterior investors,” Otero said. “The full lot we make, we reinvest serve into the industry.”

Construction is anticipated to launch within the arriving months, with the bottom-flooring Rreal Tacos slated to inaugurate in early 2027.

The 2d-flooring restaurant and rooftop bar will apply as work progresses on the remainder of the constructing.