Concrete Jungle Just Closed Downtown and Central Ave’s “Next Big Thing” Cycle Is Showing

Downtown St. Pete just lost another nightlife spot.

Concrete Jungle, the Tulum-inspired restaurant and bar inside the Kress building at 475 Central Ave., announced on social media that it has closed. The concept opened in November 2023 under local restaurateur Stephen Schrutt’s Hunger Thirst Group.

And yeah, this one hits a nerve because it’s not just “one more closure” it’s a loud reminder that Central Ave is becoming a rotating door for big-build, big-vibe concepts that don’t always get the time (or breathing room) to become long-term staples.

The Shutdown, The Lawsuit, The Part People Don’t Like Saying Out Loud

A lawsuit filed in October 2025 alleged Concrete Jungle owed $104,732 in unpaid rent. That number matters because it puts the closure in a different category than the usual “thanks for the memories” farewell post. It turns the conversation toward the real downtown pressure points: fixed costs, lease terms, and how unforgiving the margin can be even when a place looks packed on Instagram.

Concrete Jungle wasn’t the only Schrutt concept to go dark recently. The Avenue and No Vacancy closed last year, while Schrutt still operates Dirty Laundry, Good Fortune, Lost & Found, and Park & Rec DTSP.

Here’s our HOT TAKE: St. Pete keeps cheering for new openings, but we don’t talk enough about what it takes for places to stay open!

When closures stack up, it raises a real question about the current downtown model, not just one operator or one location. Are we creating a scene that’s sustainable for locals and operators… or a scene that’s designed for constant turnover?