Build-out has officially started on St. Pete's first mini golf-themed bar, Par Bar, which should debut this fall. That means cooler temps for your strokes and sips.
Marcel Gruber and Kurt Campagna met over a beer at St. Pete's MacDinton’s and are co-owners of the putting pub, so Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reached out to Gruber for much-needed details on the concept.
He and Campagna wanted to think outside of the box when it came to entertainment, so they decided not to invest in other outdoor lawn games (giant Jenga, cornhole, etc.) like every other bar in the area. But where did this stroke of genius for a putt-putt bar come from?
Gruber told CL that he first came across a mini golf-themed bar in Seattle; the idea's been stuck in his mind ever since.
“I never saw an opportunity for it to come to life until I saw this space,” Gruber said. He thinks his 10,000-square-foot space coming along at 2253 1st Ave. S. is ideal for a consolidated-yet-challenging mini golf course and added that Par Bar is looking to host a permanent food truck on-site to feed guests.
Tipsy guests trying their hands at hole-in-ones will also have access to 10 brews on tap.
"We wanted to open a bar that complements the thriving brewing scene rather than compete." Gruber explained about his choice to not open a brewery, “Our focus right now is on build-out and permitting, but we plan on working with local breweries to fill our taps.”
Gruber plans on opening Par Bar around happy hour and closing around midnight. He said hour may change based on demand.
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This article appears in Mar 12-19, 2020.