Landlord Gives Downtown St. Pete Retailer, Coffee Shop Notice To Vacate

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A downtown St. Petersburg retailer known for selling art, handcrafted goods and gifts from across the Tampa Bay area will be leaving its longtime home in the 600 block.

The Merchant and the attached Crislip Cafe, which have the same owners, “received notice to vacate” their home at 645 Central Ave., after eight years in business, according to a Monday afternoon social media post.

The businesses, veteran- and artist-owned and teacher-led, opened in 2018 and are known for celebrating local culture and the arts. They’re part of the historic Crislip Arcade.

The owners didn't say when the retail and coffee shop might close.

After receiving the notice from their landlord, the future for the businesses is uncertain, the owners added. “We’re exploring whether there might be another space on Central Avenue where this dream can continue, or whether this chapter closes here. We simply don’t know yet.”

The news came as a shock to the owners, who had big plans for their space.

“Over the last month, many of you watched us painting walls, building new spaces, and dreaming out loud,” they said. “We were transforming The Merchant & Crislip into something even bigger than a coffee shop or gift store. We wanted to create a true third place—a place where people gathered not because they had to, but because they wanted to.”

Some uses they envisioned for the space included “a place for artist interviews, storytelling nights, poetry, live music [and] create-you-own art experiences.”

The owners said, “Those dreams weren’t just business ideas. They were our hearts.”

Despite the uncertainty that lies ahead, they’re still hopeful for the future of the store and coffee shop.

“This isn’t goodbye just yet. It’s simply the end of one chapter… and we’re hoping the story isn’t finished,” the owners said.

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