Jan-Feb Issue

The Galley:
New Bar on the Block
Pete Bolland and Ian Taylor set out on an adventure in
downtown St. Petersburg. Opening a new classy bar and
restaurant across from Williams Park, they worked hard
for their opening night in late December. I spoke with
Pete about the bar and the plans they have for this new
downtown hot spot.
How did you opening night go? It was a great time.
We aired the FSU vs Michigan game and then the Ronda
Rousey UFC fight. It was a special night for sure.
Was opening your very own bar a dream of yours
or did it come about in another way? It’s been a
dream of mine for a long time. I knew in 2005 I wanted
to have a place of my own. Having worked in this industry
as long as I have, 17+ years now, that’s the ultimate end
game, is to be the owner-operator. Everything I’ve done
in my career has been done to prepare for this moment.
I’ve learned a ton from so many people along the way.
Ian became part of the dream a couple of years ago.
We’ve been close friends for a decade plus, and we’ve
worked closely together the last couple of years. He has
been building bars and I’ve been working in them. We
have complementary skills sets, it is working well for us.
Was it fun, a challenge, or both to put your menu
together? What types of food will you be serving?
The menu is something I’ve had in my head for a long
time: fresh Florida food, with delicious nutritious super
foods. The menu I think is a big reflection of my own
personal tastes and background. However, it’s really been
elevated to the next level by our chef, Ian Carmichael.
I’ve been blessed to be friends with him for about 7 years
now and he has continued on a similar path as myself,
entrenching himself in his craft and honing his skill.
We had a lot of people that wanted to work with us, the
stars aligned for us with Ian. We are lucky it all worked
out so quickly.
As far as the menu, we are a mostly from scratch kitchen
that has a focus on Superfoods and Florida inspiration.
We have something for everyone; very proud of what we
are serving. We feature iconic Tampa Bay dishes like a
great Cuban sandwich, Buffalo shrimp and the Grouper
sandwich. Then we have some fun stuff like Sweet Potato
Gnocchi, Octopus and Filet Mignon Philly Cheese Steak
sandwich.
You plan on having live music a few nights a week.
Are you welcoming solo performers, duos or full
bands? When can the community look forward to
live music events? We are going to stay away from full
bands, I think the room doesn’t allow for it. We’ll max out
with a duo or solo acoustic performances. We will do live
music on Fridays from 5 to 9pm for our “extra” Happy
Hour and then on Saturday nights when there isn’t UFC
or major sporting events. We’ll also mix in some performances
for other events when it’s prudent.
Who performed on your opening night? The Josh
Magwood Duo was here opening night. They are St. Pete
guys through and through, and I’ve worked with them for
years. Same with Chris LeFever and Mike Warren who
played the following night. Great vibes and great classic
tunes.
20 BUZZ Magazine Januauary - February 2017