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Punky’s Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg closes after nearly 7 years in business

The LGBTQ-owned bar and restaurant, located at 3063 Central Ave N in the Grand Central District, opened in December 2015.
 
Punky’s Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg closed its doors for good Wednesday, the LGBTQ-owned business announced on social media. The bar and restaurant, located at 3063 Central Ave N in the Grand Central District, opened in December 2015 and quickly became a popular destination in the neighborhood.
Punky’s Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg closed its doors for good Wednesday, the LGBTQ-owned business announced on social media. The bar and restaurant, located at 3063 Central Ave N in the Grand Central District, opened in December 2015 and quickly became a popular destination in the neighborhood. [ Michaela Mulligan / Tampa Bay Times ]
Published Aug. 4, 2022|Updated Aug. 4, 2022

Punky’s Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg closed its doors for good Wednesday, the LGBTQ-owned business announced on social media.

The bar and restaurant, located at 3063 Central Ave N in the Grand Central District, opened in December 2015 and quickly became a popular destination in the neighborhood.

In its post, the business said it had accomplished a lot in nearly seven years, including hosting fundraisers that raised more than $150,000, including Charity Drag Bingo events that benefitted more than 100 non-profit organizations in the area.

“We have made friends, loyal customers, gained an amazing team of employees who have become family. We worked hard, laughed a lot, and made a difference every chance we had,” the post said. “We have become a place of safety for the LGBTQ+ community, a melting pot for people from ALL walks of life…and their pets! We have celebrated victories, survived struggles, mourned losses and came together to help each other and the community.”

Punky’s Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg closed its doors for good Wednesday, the LGBTQ-owned business announced on social media. The bar and restaurant, located at 3063 Central Ave N in the Grand Central District, opened in December 2015 and quickly became a popular destination in the neighborhood.
Punky’s Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg closed its doors for good Wednesday, the LGBTQ-owned business announced on social media. The bar and restaurant, located at 3063 Central Ave N in the Grand Central District, opened in December 2015 and quickly became a popular destination in the neighborhood. [ Michaela Mulligan / Tampa Bay Times ]

The post went on to say that “Lynn and John would like to thank EVERYONE who supported Punky’s since we opened on December 15th, 2015. It has truly been an amazing journey. We are honored that you chose to support Punky’s and we will cherish our friendships and all of the memories that we made together.”

No reason was given for the closure, other than that “Punky’s has been such a joy for so many people, but she is ready to retire… gracefully.”

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.