ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s no secret what makes St. Petersburg special.
“It’s all these small mom and pop shops and businesses,” said Rachel Clark from Shoreline Sugars Boutique.
WATCH: Tampa Bay 28's Larissa Scott finds out what's happening with local businesses in St. Pete
But it’s not just any small business.
“Funky little independent shops,” said Kelly Rodriguez-Laureano, managing partner of Lolita’s Wine Market.
And they’re specific to this city.
“There’s not another mix just like it anywhere else wherever you travel,” said Michelle Whiting, co-founder of Hostess.
They’re all a close-knit community, that’s what makes what’s been happening in St. Pete lately especially disheartening.
“We’ve had more than a few businesses close,” said Clark.
“When you see firsthand people that you know and love, not able to make it, it really hurts,” said Whiting.
Multiple shops in St. Pete have had to shut their doors this year.
“This summer was worse than most summers,” said Whiting.
“I think that we’re all struggling,” said Rodriguez-Laureano.
For the shops that survived the COVID-19 pandemic, making it through last year’s hurricane season was the turning point.
“People have less disposable income. People who do have disposable income are the ones who really were affected by the hurricanes. It’s really plagued havoc on our businesses,” said Rodriguez-Laureano.
Now dealing with higher prices and tariffs, it’s all proven to be too much for some.
“It’s very scary… we are really attempting to do a great job of keeping our prices reasonable because we want to be seen as a community business but we can only do that if the community supports us in return,” said Rodriguez-Laureano.
Owners feel it’s more important than ever before to support local.
“It’s really important, think about it. I mean where you’re spending your dollar and what that effect is to the community you want to live in,” said Rodriguez-Laureano.
“I think it’s just a conscious decision going into Q4 to really think about how you’re spending your dollars eating and shopping local versus national chains,” said Whiting.
“I think people forget like if they’re not supporting these small businesses, that St. Pete is going to lose the charm of it being what St. Pete is,” said Clark.
Many businesses are struggling right now, doing what they can to stay open.
“We’ve been facing a lot of challenges that are outside of our control,” said Rodriguez-Laureano.
“I think it’s easy to take for granted because that’s kind of been St. Pete,” said Whiting.
“You can't say ‘oh my god this is my favorite store’ but if you haven’t been in there in 3 months, is it your favorite store?” Clark said.
Without local support, they fear more shops will have to shut their doors.
“That is my biggest fear for here in St. Pete and I think the community has to have some awareness about that if they want to keep St. Pete funky,” said Rodriguez-Laureano.
“It’s the backbone of our community... it would be really sad to see Central Avenue become a ghost town,” said Clark.
They are hopeful things can turn around.
“We just have to hang in there for sure it will get better. I think what will make a huge impact is people recognizing the they have a choice on where to spend their money,” said Whiting.
To support local consider buying something from a locally owned store when you need something. If you’re looking for a night out— go to a local restaurant or bar. If you need a gift card, consider getting one from a local shop instead of a big chain.
Business owners said you don’t have to spend money to support them. Even just telling a friend about your favorite local shop or sharing on social media helps a lot.
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Larissa Scott stays on top of everything education-related for Tampa Bay 28, but it’s not her only focus. From public health concerns to everyday expenses, Larissa is here for you. If you have a story you want to share, send her a message below.
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