After almost three years within the EDGE District, The Sourdough Co. is making ready to relocate to at least one among downtown St. Pete’s most recognizable historic structures.
The bakery and café will switch from 1113 Central Avenue to the previous Union Belief financial institution building at 895 Central Avenue.
The 1926 building has remained vacant since its final financial institution tenant left in 1996.
The Sourdough Co. will have almost 11,000 sq. feet across the building’s ground floor, mezzanine, and basement.
Proprietor Ariana Duksa announced the switch on social media Monday.
“From baking internal our dwelling to filling a historic building within the center of St. Pete… we can now now not regularly ponder we secure to deliver that,” Duksa wrote. “Thank you to at least every body who has ever purchased a loaf, pastry, coffee or meal from us. From a cottage bakery, to our first storefront, to this gorgeous historic financial institution.”
Before opening its first storefront in 2023, The Sourdough Co. operated as a cottage bakery out of Duksa’s Seminole dwelling.
The enterprise constructed a following via its naturally fermented sourdough loaves, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, soups, wraps, and sandwiches sooner than coming into into the previous Karma Juice Bar & Eatery establish next to Intermezzo Espresso & Cocktails.
Primarily the latest café gave the enterprise a space to grow, but Duksa mentioned The Sourdough Co. fundamental more room and a more everlasting dwelling.
Its landlord would most efficient agree to at least one-year lease terms, leaving the enterprise without the long-term certain guess it fundamental sooner than making further investments.
“We knew we wanted a bigger establish anyway,” Duksa mentioned in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We thought to be commissary kitchens and baking off-region while maintaining our retail operation here. We regarded at several assorted alternatives, but finally, our lease wasn’t steady. We fundamental to search out a establish we might possibly well possibly grow into, with more room for our crew and our potentialities.”
The nonetheless space will give The Sourdough Co. room to develop bigger its meals and coffee offerings, amplify bakery production, and add more steal-and-inch and retail objects.
Duksa mentioned the café is peaceful working via its future menu, but expects to add more breakfast and lunch alternatives beyond its latest sandwich- and wrap-focused replacement.
The larger establish can even change how potentialities command the café.
Folk will continue ordering on the counter sooner than discovering a seat, but they’ll be ready to decide on from several levels of the building.
Duksa mentioned the basement can hang a quieter, moodier ambiance for potentialities who must work or settle in with a coffee, while the previous financial institution vault will be start every single day for seating.
The café also plans to make command of its extra room for non-public occasions and collaborations with other companies.
“It needs to be a space the establish any individual comes, eats, hangs out,” Duksa mentioned. “They’ll attain on every single day foundation.”
For Duksa, the building’s character was a first-rate segment of the appeal. The previous financial institution has high ceilings, arched windows, exposed brick, and a smooth vault, a range of which is able to live segment of the done café.
“Now we hang the consideration of bringing this building motivate to existence while keeping what makes it so particular,” Duksa wrote in her announcement. “We’re preserving its gorgeous windows, long-established brick and big financial institution vault with deep appreciate for its historic previous.”
The renovation will consist of building out the 2 present kitchens to meet The Sourdough Co.’s needs.
Duksa mentioned the crew is occupied with refinishing the bottom and incorporating walnut wood, marble, and gold finishes that match the building’s long-established character.
She also hopes to repeat historic pictures, assessments, and other memorabilia from its years as a financial institution.
“Fairly a range of it did secure torn out, and we don’t must spin any of that out,” Duksa mentioned. “Why would you cover it up? Why would you keep away with it?”
The Union Belief building was constructed within the center of St. Pete’s first major exact property enhance. It was expanded in 1938 and again in 1967, even supposing those additions had been finally demolished for the neighboring Camden Central residences, leaving the fresh financial institution construction.
The historic building has attracted several proposals since NationsBank, now Bank of The US, moved out in 1996.
In 2023, entrepreneur Jim Fiore announced plans for J. Fiore’s Up-to-the-minute Steakhouse on the property, though the project never materialized.
Duksa mentioned The Sourdough Co. hopes to start in early 2027, even supposing permitting and construction might possibly well possibly affect that timeline.
Till then, the bakery and café will live start every single day at 1113 Central Avenue.
Make certain that to have a examine The Sourdough Co. on Instagram for updates.
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