A legal battle is simmering around 81Bay's South Tampa real estate, where a developer wants to replace the brewery and a bowling alley with apartments
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Dec 15, 2020

A developer has proposed replacing the South Tampa real estate home to 81Bay Brewing Co. and Pirates & Pins with apartments — but the property is mired in litigation.

The property is owned by a corporate entity linked to Tampa-based Gries Investment Fund, which took control of the building where 81Bay and the bowling alley are located via a deed in lieu of foreclosure in October, according to Hillsborough County property records.

Pirates & Pins, however, is disputing the validity of that transaction. The bowling alley says in court documents that it was granted first right of refusal under its lease with the property's previous ownership. Bob Gries, president and CEO of Gries Investment Fund, declined comment. An attorney for the property's previous ownership, American Infoage, also declined comment.

The bowling alley also says that it paid the previous landlord $200,000 for improvements to the property.

"Pirates & Pins is seeking summary judgment in the foreclosure action and asking the court to cancel the transaction and allow it to acquire the property," Eric Page, a partner with Shutts & Bowen LLP who represents both the bowling alley and brewery, wrote in an email.

Before the property changed hands, American Infoage filed an eviction lawsuit against 81Bay, alleging the brewery owed past due rent and seeking all unpaid and future rent.

The brewery, Page said, believes it "is in full compliance of an enforceable lease from 2015 and has no plans to vacate its West Gandy Boulevard location before the term of its lease ends in 2035."

"Further, we believe that the plaintiff in the foreclosure action cannot wipe out the hard work and progress 81Bay Brewing has made to establish it as a staple in South Tampa," Page said.