Whole Foods aims at Valrico, King State says goodbye, and more Tampa Bay restaurant news

OPENINGS/CLOSINGS

St. Pete's Outcast Brewing Company will soon open out of former Brutalist building
A building that once housed two popular breweries is re-opening its doors under a new LLC and ownership this month. Outcast Brewing Company will open at 1776 11th Ave. N in St. Petersburg next week, out of the building where King State’s The Brutalist and Flying Boat Brewery once operated. Richie and Jill Hamm purchased the large St. Pete parcel earlier this year and have spent the last several months renovating and decorating their new craft brewery, music venue and hangout spot. According to its social media, Outcast Brewing Company will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, Sept. 13 from 2 p.m.-midnight. Richie Hamm, a Pensacola native who relocated to The ‘Burg with his family a few years ago, tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Outcast is a "brewery that feels more than just a brewery," due to its variety of beverage options and entertainment experiences.— Kyla Fields

Ybor City’s Sky Puppy Brewing opens on September 13
Nearly three years after getting the keys to Ybor City’s historic Tampa Fire Station No. 2 building, Danielle Vergnaud-McKinnon and her husband Matthew McKinnon will finally open their new brewery to the public. Sky Puppy Brewing, located at 1313 E 8th Ave, opens on Friday, Sept. 13, Matthew’s birthday. At recent soft opening nights, Sky Puppy featured a dozen beers on tap, along with four natural wines by the glass. Beer styles created with Sky Puppy’s seven-barrel SS Brew Tech system included Mexican lager, hazy IPA and hazy DIPA, Czech pilsner, Belgian wit, two Florida weisses, and a sweet stout. Beer lovers are in for a treat when they open the heavy fireproof doors at Sky Puppy. The interior, which can accommodate about 45 people, was designed by Danielle and features high ceilings, comfortable booths and tables, plus a small bartop and common areas for standing. Dramatic bat sculptures by Florida artist Copper Tritscheller greet visitors upon entry and reappear on the brewery’s 13 tap handles. Textiles work from artist Sydney Brown (of Foot Stuff Rugs & Co.) is currently featured in the rotating gallery space.— Ray Roa

Tampa Heights coffee shop and cafe King State to close in October
Despite its popularity and a place in the top 10 of Food & Wine’s “Best Coffee Shops in America,” King State will have to close its Tampa Heights location next month. The shop at 520 E Floribraska Ave. made the announcement on Tuesday night, adding that it would continue to “roast coffee and brew beer for the masses!” A closing date has not been announced, but owners wrote that their move out would happen towards the end of October. “We are working on getting a new operator in here that will treat this space well and will allow King State to still be a part of Tampa,” they added. King State, which celebrated its five-year anniversary over the summer, was borne from a DIY coffee roasting warehouse operation and opened in June of 2019. It quickly became a popular destination thanks to its surefire breakfast, laid-back light-filled dining room, and killer drinks. Like many other businesses, King State battled through the pandemic, with the last few years bringing a lot of change for co-founders Tim McTague and Nate Young. King State moved through chefs, added nighttime and cocktail service, plus dealt with a loss of businesses when a City of Tampa pipe project shutdown the road in front of the cafe. They also opened two St. Pete concepts—brewery and beer bar The Brutalist and a second King State location—which have since closed. Last February, they filed for bankruptcy reorganization in an effort to get lean and keep going. In its announcement, King State wrote, “we wanted it to be a place people could call home in Tampa. A place where natives could be proud of. We feel that we have done that.”— RR

Whole Foods looking to open new store in Valrico
It would appear Tampa Bay is about to get another Whole Foods. A new Whole Foods Market location is currently "in development" in the Valrico area, the company recently confirmed to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, didn't disclose to the publication exactly when it will open or where. Though plans filed with Hillsborough County last month show a 38,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market opening opening at the Lithia Crossing shopping plaza, where the Fresh Market recently closed, says TBBJ. The new outpost will be the fifth Whole Foods in the Tampa Bay area, and a first for the east side of Tampa Bay.

New halal fried chicken restaurant Fryer House opens in Seminole Heights
Seminole Heights now has its own unofficial fried chicken district. The Fryer House, a new halal fried chicken spot, opened Sunday, Sept. 1 in the former BFF Artisan Bakery location at 6617 N Nebraska Ave., which is directly across the street from popular Korean fried chicken restaurant Ganchu Chicken & Beer. The concept centers around halal-fried chicken sandwiches and tendies, as well as Japanese "karaage" chicken, and American style, all with varying degrees of hotness from "Nada" to "Pepper X," which requires a waiver. The Fry House menu spans plenty of sides like fried corn ribs, mac 'n cheese, fried okra and more. There's also vegan and vegetarian offerings, including vegan cauliflower and waffles, vegan cauliflower sandos and vegetarian loaded fries. Plus, there's grilled halal chicken pastor tacos available on the weekends. This is the company's first brick-and-mortar location. Fryer House also has a food truck parked at 11301 N 56th St., in the Terrace Oaks plaza in Temple Terrace.

Chick N Max announces plans to open five new Tampa Bay locations
Kansas-based chicken chain Chick N Max is headed to Tampa Bay. The company, known for its almond wood-smoked pulled chicken sandwiches, announced plans to debut up to five Tampa area locations in the coming years. "Southeastern markets like those across Florida boast a well-established fast-casual chicken restaurant market, and we’re aiming to establish a strong presence of our own and capture market share," said Chick N Max’s Vice President of Franchise Sales and Development, Jeff Frahm in a statement. "We’re excited about turning the page to this next chapter of our evolution and look forward to bringing our innovative take on chicken to the area." The fast-casual chain currently has eight locations spread out across Kansas, Texas and South Dakota. For the unfamiliar, the chain's menu centers around 10 different types of chicken sandwiches, including its signature almond wood-smoked pulled chicken and fried tenders. There's also a handful of sides like fries, onion rings, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and smoked white beans, plus eleven sauces up for grabs.

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter