Wine Exchange to close in Hyde Park Village
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Feb 1, 2023

Longtime South Tampa mainstay Wine Exchange will close its Hyde Park Village location.

The restaurateurs behind Wine Exchange, Mark Smith and Rick Drummond, said in a statement posted to social media Wednesday that the business "faces an uncertain future after 32 successful years" because its landlord, Boston-based WS Development, did not renew its lease in Hyde Park Village.

The lease expires March 31, according to Wine Exchange's post. The restaurateurs said they're looking for a new location.

The closure comes as Bouzy, a champagne bar from the parent company of Cru Cellars, opens in the village on Feb. 6.

A spokeswoman for WS Development said the developer couldn't confirm what will go in the space.

"We wish Wine Exchange every success in their future endeavors, and we are so thankful for their partnership," Alexandra Clark, WS Development vice president of asset strategy and experience, said in a statement.

Wine Exchange predates WS Development's ownership of Hyde Park Village. The developer bought the shopping district in 2013 and has spent millions of dollars modernizing the property and luring new restaurants and retailers there — many of whom were new to the Tampa Bay market.