New café headed to St. Petersburg Museum of History
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Dec 16, 2022

The St. Petersburg Museum of History has selected a partnership of three prominent St. Petersburg developers to create a new concept café at the museum.

St. Pete natives Ryan Griffin, Bill Griffin and Blake Whitney Thompsonare the forces behind Perry’s Porch — named in honor of C. Perry Snell, a developer who in the 1900s helped create the Northshore, Old Northeast, Snell Isle and Granada Terrace neighborhoods. In 1925 Snell created the Snell Arcade, which remains a prominent fixture downtown.

Perry’s Porch will include a full restaurant, coffee bar, and outdoor dining space for guests to enjoy waterfront views. The group is working with WJ Architects on the project. The restaurant's design will incorporate Snell’s focus on blending nature and architecture. The team will be building the new restaurant on the museum property. The museum itself has plans for a 10,000-square-foot expansion including a new exhibit space, a massive public art piece from Ya La’Ford, a rooftop terrace and a Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Welcome Center, according to the museum's website.

“Being born and raised in St. Pete, the St. Petersburg Museum of History and the wonderful story of our community hold a special place in our hearts,” Ryan Griffin said. “We are extremely honored to be part of the museum’s next century.”

Thompson and Ryan and Bill Griffin are the owners of Seed & Feed Hospitality LLC. Similarly to what Seed & Feed Hospitality has done at Trophy Fish on Central, the group’s menu at Perry’s Porch will focus on fresh and local flavors. Chef Jon Robben created a menu for both onsite dining and “picnic-basket” experiences to take food with them as diners explore downtown and St. Pete Pier.

Seed & Feed Hospitality’s Director of Spirits Morgan Zuch — who designed the historical local craft cocktails at the company’s cocktail flagship The Mandarin Hide — has created specialty cocktails that will be featured at Perry’s Porch.

“We see this as a chance to leave an indelible mark on the St. Pete culinary scene,” Thompson said. “We want this venue to become an extension of the St. Petersburg Museum of History experience and have us help serve as St. Pete ambassadors to each guest that may be visiting our amazing city.”

Rui Farias, executive director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, said Thompson and Griffin lead a “successful local group” that wants to honor the city's history while creating an original café experience.

Perry’s is expected to open summer of 2024. With two more concepts in development to open in 2023, Thompson said the Seed & Feed team is aggressively attracting new talent.

The St. Petersburg Museum of History is the oldest museum in Pinellas County. It was formerly known as the St. Petersburg Memorial Historical Society and first opened its doors in 1921. The museum focuses on preserving and highlighting the history of Florida with an emphasis on St. Petersburg and the Pinellas peninsula. On top of its unique local exhibits, the museum also has the world's largest autographed baseball collection called Little Cooperstown.