Goodyear, Nolen, SKUx, Cultosaurus, The Merchant: St. Pete On The Move

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Check out the latest business news, including openings, closings, relocations and new developments, in the St. Petersburg area:

The Movement Sanctuary Searching for New Home

The Movement Sanctuary, a circus training center that offers various movement-based workshops, classes, private lessons and festivals for all ages, is looking for a new home.

The center, offering classes such as acroyoga, aerial silks, parkour, circus conditioning, handstands and more, “is being forced to move” from its location at 910 5th Ave. N., according to a Facebook post.

“At the earliest, the end of April would be the last month at this location. Potentially it could be the end of May,” The Movement Sanctuary wrote in its post.

The training center is seeking a new spot and hopes to find an upgraded space with higher ceilings and smoother floors.

Goodyear Sells Portion of Building

A portion of the former Goodyear Rubber Products Inc. property on Central Avenue, along the eastern edge of the Grand Central District, has sold, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Two local real estate investors, Rossi and Linda Bonugli, who co-founded Properties by BLR, bought the property’s corner lot, a two-story warehouse at 1900 Central Ave., for $2.39 million in mid-March. They said they have no plans for the property yet.

Goodyear moved its headquarters from St. Petersburg to Clearwater in February.

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City’s Former Communications Director Launches Firm

Janelle Irwin, former communications director for the city of St. Petersburg under Mayor Ken Welch, has launched her own public relations firm, Summit Communications Strategies, according to St. Pete Catalyst.

While she’s taking on subcontracting work with private clients and attorneys through other local firms, she hopes to focus on politics.

“Politics is my niche; I want to focus on political efforts ahead for the 2024 election cycle,” she said.

The former journalist, who was senior editor for Florida Politics, said she’ll be available for work as a democratic or nonpartisan consultant.

Irwin stepped down from her role with the city at the end of August, alleging a “hostile work environment,” Patch previously reported.

St. Pete Start-Up Raises $11 Million in Series A Funding

A St. Petersburg start-up company, SKUx, raised $11 million in Series A funding, according to a news release.

The company, which offers a payments technology and consumer engagement platform, will use the funds to scale its current product offerings. The money raised will be used to launch its patented SKUPay technology.

The funding round was led by an unnamed “strategic family office investor focused on fintech and payments,” the company said. It also included funding from Advection Growth Capital and other strategic investors in the CPG, retail and health care sectors.

“SKUx is deeply grateful for the continued commitment and support of our investors as we continue to strive to provide value for our customers and solve some of their biggest challenges,” said Bobby Tinsley, co-founder and president of SKUx. “The launch of SKUPay™ as the next generation of product- based payment standardization is further testament to the innovation and resolve of our team.”

Developers Purchase Union Central District Plaza

A development team from St. Petersburg has bought the Union Central District plaza at 3235 Central Ave. for $13 million, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported.

The property, which is just off 34th Street, was bought by a partnership between Eastman Equity and Blake Investment Partners in St. Petersburg and Washington, D.C.-based Kettler.

Kettler, a partner on the Gas Worx mixed-used development in downtown Tampa, also owns properties in St. Pete’s Edge District.

Currently, Hibbett Sports, Family Dollar and Octopharma Plasma call the plaza home. There are plans for the eastern portion of the building to be demolished, making way for a 300-unit apartment building with retail space, reports said.

The Merchant Gift Shop Expanding

With the immediate closure of its coffee shop, the Crislip Café, The Merchant gift shop in St. Petersburg’s 600 block is expanding into that space.

“Due to rising prices, staffing shortages, and other myriad reasons, we have had to make this difficult decision,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post.

They said they’ll be “going back to (their) roots” as they expand the gift shop and art gallery into the café space in the coming months.

Cultosaurus Moving to Central Ave.

Cultosaurus, a toy and comic book shop, is moving from its 16th Street location into new digs on Central Avenue.

The store’s previous location has closed and it will reopen at 529 Central Ave. — the space once occupied by the RockShop Fine Gems & Jewelry — at a date to be announced, according to Cultosaurus’ website.

Fourward Glass Gallery Closing

The Fourward Glass Gallery and Smoke Shop at 1000 Central Ave. in the Edge District is shutting its doors.

Everything in the store is on sale for 60 percent off, according to the gallery’s website.

The shop features glass blown water pipes, pendants and decorative pieces, like bowls and pipes.

Vertical Construction Begins on The Nolen

Vertical construction has started on the 23-story condominium tower, The Nolen, at 126 4th Ave. NE, according to St. Pete Rising.

The 288-foot development, which began in October, will have 31 residences once completed.

DDA Development in Tampa is behind the residential project.

“With our tower crane now fully assembled we begin the next chapter in the construction of The Nolen - going vertical,” Bowen Arnold, principal at DDA Development, said. “We're excited to bring our residents a step closer to their new home. We are expecting completion next year.”