In early January, after Union by Commune + Co. announced its closure at Armature Works, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay asked PR reps at Buddy Brew to confirm a rumor that the locally-owned chain would open a new location at the Tampa Heights food hall.
“I spoke with the Wards, and no, they cannot confirm this,” the rep told CL. “If and when there is Buddy Brew expansion news, you will be among the first to receive notification from us! We appreciate you reaching out and feel [free] to be in touch!”
Well in a Monday press release, Buddy Brew—which has locations on Bay to Bay and in Hyde Park Village, Oxford Exchange, Tampa International Airport and downtown Sarasota—announced plans to move into the food hall, with co-founder Dave Ward writing, “Armature Works is a special place that has so much architectural and cultural history, and it was a perfect fit for Buddy Brew’s latest expansion.”
The space, which PR reps said will indeed live in the former Union by Commune + Co. stall, will serve coffee products as well as “a full breakfast and lunch menu, including Buddy Brew’s signature avocado toast with poached eggs.”
Tampa Bay Business Journal reported yesterday’s news ahead of the press release and said wife-and-husband team Susan and Dave Ward have a relationship with Armature Works co-founder Chas Bruck, whose company SoHo Capital owns the buildings which house both Buddy Brew's Bay to Bay Boulevard cafe and its production facility on West Cass Street.
Dave Ward did not disclose costs for opening the 450 square-foot Armature Works location—which could open as soon as the end of this month—but did tell TBBJ that "It was a very fortuitous deal,” adding that "From a sales per square foot perspective, [the new location] should be the best performer by far.”
UPDATED: 03/3/21 12:19 p.m. Updated to clarify that SoHo Capital owns the buildings where Buddy Brew's Bay to Bay Boulevard Cafe and West Cass Street production facility live, not the cafe and facility themselves.
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This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 3, 2021.