Turns out, Bavaro’s was working on more than the addition of a brunch menu to its St. Petersburg location last month. Founder Dan Bavaro, who first brought his Neapolitan pizza restaurant and pastaria to downtown Tampa in 2009, has decided to dedicate the Seminole Heights property that he recently purchased to an interactive mural.
For the time being, at least.
Eventually, the site will be home to a to-be-determined Bavaro’s concept, but until then, the new mural at 5103 N. Florida Ave. — dubbed #LoveWallTampa and created by local artist Bianca Burrows of BB Art — is meant to unify and uplift the neighborhood.
“We want to help unite the community with this interactive mural to support bringing this community together, which has suffered much tragedy in recent months,” according to a statement from Bavaro.
The mural is essentially a billboard made of metal, which allows all who stumble upon it to express what the word “love” means to them through an assortment of magnetic, colorfully painted letters. Afterward, Bavaro’s and Burrows encourage #LoveWallTampa users to share photos of their messages on social media — using the hashtag, of course.
“Please don’t take the letters,” reads a sign posted near the mural.
A welcoming party for #LoveWallTampa, featuring light bites and beverages, is planned between 3 and 6 p.m. May 13.
“We want to bring people together,” Bavaro added. “We just want everyone to share some love.”
