Thirsty First Is Closing After 10 Years in Downtown St. Pete

Downtown St. Pete is preparing to say goodbye to another familiar Central Avenue business. Thirsty First, a longtime sports bar and neighborhood hangout known for packed game days, late nights and loyal regulars, has announced that it will permanently close after 10 years in business.

The bar will host a final farewell celebration on Sunday July 26th, giving customers, former employees and longtime supporters one last opportunity to visit the downtown destination.

A Decade of Game Days and Downtown Memories

Thirsty First originally opened in 2016 at 119 1st Avenue North. What began as a neighborhood sports bar eventually developed a reputation as a reliable destination for football games, UFC fights, drinks, food and downtown nightlife. The business later moved into the much larger former Acropolis Greek Taverna space at 515 Central Avenue. The nearly 9,000-square-foot, two-story location included 69 televisions, a 1,400-square-foot kitchen, an upstairs VIP lounge and a miniature Jumbotron.

For owner Greg Mikurak the business ultimately became more than the sports bar he originally imagined. In the closure announcement, Mikurak reflected on watching first dates become marriages, strangers become lifelong friends and championship celebrations fill the building. He thanked the customers, employees, entertainers and vendors who helped transform Thirsty First into a community over the past decade.

Closure Comes During Lease Dispute and Rising Costs

The closure comes as Thirsty First faces an ongoing dispute with the property owner. An eviction lawsuit filed by the landlord alleges that the business failed to pay several months of rent and also failed to cover certain property tax and insurance expenses. Those claims remain allegations connected to the active legal dispute.

Mikurak has said the business was unable to reach an agreement with the landlord. He also pointed to rising labor, food, insurance and occupancy expenses as mounting challenges for independently operated restaurants and bars. According to Mikurak, nearly every part of operating a restaurant has become more expensive while customers have become increasingly cautious about discretionary spending.

The situation highlights a growing concern across downtown St. Pete. Larger crowds and a rapidly developing downtown do not always translate into financial security for locally operated businesses facing higher rents and operating costs.

One Final Sunday at Thirsty First

Thirsty First will close following its final celebration on Sunday July 26th at 515 Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg. For the regulars who watched games there, celebrated milestones there or simply considered it their neighborhood bar, the closure represents more than the loss of another place to eat and drink.

It marks the end of a decade-long downtown chapter built around friendships, sports, celebrations and the customers who continued returning. The doors may be closing, but for the people who made Thirsty First part of their lives, the memories will remain firmly connected to Central Avenue.