Caribou Coffee 701 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Caribou Coffee is making its way to the Gulf Coast, and its first Tampa Bay location will soon have a home on Central Avenue. Its menu consists of expected coffees and lattes with various flavors, in addition to breakfast and lunch sandwiches, bagels, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits and baked goods. While the Bay hasn’t had a standalone Caribou Coffee location yet, folks might remember a few of its caffeinated beverages as Einstein Bros. Bagels locations used to carry its products. Photo via Caribou Coffee Credit: Caribou Coffee / Facebook

The Tampa Bay Business Journal announced that the Caribou Coffee was making its way to the Gulf Coast last spring, and its first Tampa Bay location will soon have a home on Central Avenue.

ILovetheBurg says that St. Pete resident Michelle Mathis—who has owned several Subway franchises with husband Bill Mathis—recently secured the former Banyan Cafe space for Tampa Bay’s debut Caribou Coffee.

St. Pete’s Caribou Coffee will open at 701 Central Ave. sometime this summer, but Mathis plans to open several more throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.

Its menu consists of expected coffees and lattes with various flavors, in addition to breakfast and lunch sandwiches, bagels, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits and baked goods.

While the Bay hasn’t had a standalone Caribou Coffee location yet, folks might remember a few of its caffeinated beverages as Einstein Bros. Bagels locations used to carry its products.

Banyan Cafe used to have two locations in downtown St. Pete—its MLK cafe closed in early 2020 while its Central Avenue spot, aka the future home of Caribou Coffee, shuttered its doors just a few weeks ago.

On social media, many locals expressed their continuous worry about national chains taking over The Burg’s beloved 600 Block. Dozens of comments called for more locally-owned businesses, while reminiscing on the communal charm of the now-closed Banyan Cafe.

Caribou Coffee was founded in Minnesota back in 1992, and now boasts over 400 locations across the U.S., most of which are still in the midwest.

Another popular midwest coffee franchise that recently came to Tampa Bay is the Michigan-based Biggby, which opened its Clearwater location back in January.