Earlier this year, the bar announced that it was being forced out of the plaza it called home for 10 years to make way for a parking lot and eventually new development. Around that time, CJ’s also confirmed it was moving to the former Buffalo City Bar and Grill location at 5631 Park St. N.
Fittingly, the commemorative shirts were emblazoned with the motto, “The Year of the Wrecking Ball,” as the former location, which was located near the popular VIP Mexican Restaurant on Gulf Blvd, is now nothing more than rubble. Rumors have been swirling for months about what will replace the demolished part of the plaza, with many claiming developers will soon swoop in and build overpriced condos, a move that is sadly becoming all too familiar in modern day Tampa Bay.
After many months of build out-related complications surrounding their supposed new home, owner Cherie Leal—who runs the business with her sons—opted to reopen their bar out of an ideal turn-key location in West St. Pete.
CJ’s Backstage celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 22 to the delight of die-hard, karaoke-loving regulars. The latest iteration of CJ’s is up and running in a St. Pete plaza located across the Tyrone Mall at 7022 22nd Ave. N.
CJ’s Backstage still offers all of the drink specials, entertainment and amenities that made the Best of the Bay-winning bar so popular for so many years. Leal tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that CJ’s new location features free parking, bar snacks from its kitchen, games and a variety of programming like live-band karaoke, dueling pianos, DJs and themed nights.
The entertainment calendar at CJ’s Backstage is stacked, promising karaoke six nights a week, with a live band playing your background song on Wednesdays. Every Thursday night from 7-10, CJ’s hosts an all request party that mixes music, comedy and audience participation in a “sing-along and laugh-along piano show.”
The no cover night continues after 10 with karaoke and dancing until 3 a.m.
Those who patronized the former location in Treasure Island will notice some major changes when they visit the new concept, one being that you can no longer smoke inside. The overall atmosphere has cleaned up quite a bit too, replacing tar-stained bar games and a popcorn machine with an expansive dining area and a long, sleek bar. There’s also a hearty food menu that includes ribs smoked in house and Philly cheesesteaks, as well as typical bar apps and handheld fare. Another notable difference at the new spot is the ample free parking, a welcome change from the metered spots at the Treasure Island location.
The grand opening of CJ’s Backstage was a long time coming, especially after many months of fighting to stay at its flagship location and the renovation delays surrounding its Park Street location.
“We found out we could no longer stay at the CJ’s in Treasure Island location about a year ago and most of you sadly know why, as the demolition in Treasure Island has already taken place there,” Leal says, addressing her customers. “They have torn that plaza down. That was tough all the way around as we fought to stay as long as we could, knowing we were about to lose everything, after building it up as CJ’s for 10 Years!”
The Leal family took over the 9,000 square-foot Park Street space in January 2023 in hopes to open its doors by April. But according to Leal, that day may never come.
It’s still unsure if CJ's on the Park will ever see the light of day, but as of now, Leal and the rest of her team are still battling the building’s structural problems, even after "sinking a fortune" into it. She describes the situation as a “total disaster” and claims that the construction crew of Jon Taffer’s reality TV show “Bar Rescue"—which featured the then-open Buffalo City Bar and Grill in 2019”—merely covered all of the building’s damage with fresh paint and new decor.
“We are still at total standstill there since it needs a complete build-out and are just waiting and waiting on answers and help while still having to survive and pay for things with no income coming in for months,” she explains. “I have been trying to get the help from the property owners to help with build out, as the place was unfit and unsafe to open as ANY type of business.”
Leal asks her customers to have patience with her and the rest of her family, as they are still unsure when (or if) CJ’s on the Park will ever open its doors.
While uncertainty surrounds its location on Park Street, regulars now have a place to experience all of that CJ’s charm right in St. Pete, only 4 miles away from its flagship bar on Treasure Island.
CJ’s Backstage is now open from 11 a.m.-3 a.m. every day, with a full and late-night menu offered daily, in addition to Italian specials featured every Wednesday.
For the latest news on CJ’s Backstage, head to its Facebook at @CJsOnTI or Instagram at @cjsbackstage, where updates about its daily events and specials are posted regularly.
It’s always hard to say goodbye to another gritty dive bar like CJ’s On The Island, mostly because it’s a reminder that times and tastes are changing beyond our control. While it’s understandable to mourn the loss of these beloved establishments, refusing to patronize new concepts, especially ones like CJ’s that are owned by good folks just trying to navigate the current environment, won’t do much to slow down the inevitable evolution of this place we call home. Tell your dive bars you love them while they’re still here, and pour one out for them when they’re gone.
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