The Globe Says Goodbye

ST. PETERSBURG - After nearly 13 years, the Globe Coffee Lounge closed its doors for good Wednesday night, and hundreds dropped by to bid a fond farewell to a home away from home. 

The closing means no more Supa-Fudgy Brownies or Sloppy JoEllens. The Globe was not just known for its tasty menu but also for a welcome atmosphere. Everyone who entered was a friend.

But owner JoEllen Schilke was ready to call it quits. Earlier this month  for good after accepting a job at WMNF radio. 

As Schilke walked into the Globe Wednesday night, there was no time for teary eyes, or a long conversation with old friends. It was time to get to work. 

The St. Pete coffee shop, at 532 1st Ave. North, was filled to the brim. The lines to get into the Globe spilled out onto the sidewalk and into the parking lot. The tone was convivial. This was a family gathering.

Schilke told Patch that between 300-400 people came through the Globe Wednesday for one last time. This one was for the memory books.

"I am so grateful that they gave the Globe their time and money, energy and love," Schilke said. "It could have all gone terribly awry. I believed that we could build a place that didn't have advertising, could feed and water many different types of people, and was a safe, happy home away from home." 

As the crowds began to fade and closing time drew near, emotions started to kick in for Schilke. 

"After Matt got done singing, I asked him to do Have Gun's song, 'When We Were Kings.' His wife, Geri X, and my wonderful friend Moira (who came down from Atlanta) were standing there, and we had our arms all around each other," Schilke said. "At one point, the lyrics are about the people we've lost on this journey. That got me teary eyed."

As music blared and friends reminisced about good times Wednesday, Schilke said she is grateful to have been part of something that people felt connected to in St. Petersburg. That connectedness may be what she will remember the most.

"I will always, always, always love the music. Good music and the Globe is the absolute best. And treasure our true regulars and dear friends. All that is good.

“This has been like a crazy detour that I feel really really blessed that I got to do,” she said. “There’s a lot of emotion, but I’m glad it’s over. The Globe couldn’t be anywhere else. Couldn’t be in Largo, New York. It’s a pure St. Pete thing."