Punky’s Bar & Grill Sold In St. Pete, Sports Bar Moving In

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — For nearly seven years, Punky’s Bar & Grill has served as an integral part of St. Petersburg’s LGBTQ+ community.

Now, the restaurant, which opened Dec. 15, 2015, has closed its doors — abruptly — for good Wednesday morning.

“Two thousand four hundred twenty-three days. We have accomplished a lot in this time. We have made friends, loyal customers, gained an amazing team of employees who have become family,” the restaurant’s owners, John Burt and Lynn Deibert, posted to its Facebook page. “We worked hard, laughed a lot and made a difference every chance we had. We have become a place of safety for the LGBTQ+ community, a melting pot for people from ALL walks of life…and their pets! We have celebrated victories, survived struggles, mourned losses and came together to help each other and the community.”

They added, “Punky’s has been such a joy for so many people, but she is ready to retire… gracefully. Punky’s has closed our doors as of this morning, Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022.”

While the owners didn’t share on social media what’s in store for the soon-to-be-empty space, an employee said that staff were told that an offer was accepted on the business.

Sierra Ethridge told Patch that the new owners plan to open a sports bar with a full liquor license and food.

According to the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office, LoBianco Real Estate Holdings LLC in St. Petersburg owns the property. James LoBianco is named as the company’s principal.

Ethridge added that Punky’s closure came as a surprise to its employees.

“We loved our jobs, we loved helping the community with all our charity work, and we are all devastated with this sudden news and need jobs,” she said.

Patch has reached out to Punky’s for comment. This story will be updated with their response.

In its Facebook post, Punky’s owners said they “are providing solid leads for new workplace opportunities” for its staff. They’re also distributing the remaining food inventory to its workers and local charities.

Over the years, the venue has become known for hosting its weekly drag queen bingo night with performer Georgia Moore, raising more than $150,000 for more than 100 local charities and organizations.