Seminole Heights’ Flocale food hall is closed

A year-and-a-half after opening, Seminole Heights’ Flocale food hall has closed.

Travis Masters, former CEO of Westshore Pizza and partner at the multi-concept dining hall and pub, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Flocale (Stylized as "FLocalé")  fell victim to a slow summer and that business dropped off a cliff in July. He said that about 30 full-and-part-time employees lost their jobs this morning, adding that they are being paid for today, although the restaurant did not open doors this morning.

“The decision was made yesterday,” Masters told CL about closing today.

The food hall—located at 5910 N Florida Ave.—was home to King of the Coop, Westshore Pizza, Slide hot dogs and burgers, and even an axe throwing concept.

Joe Dodd, owner of King of the Coop, told CL that he was not part of the decision to close Flocale altogether. “There was a call with investors last Thursday, and that’s pretty much when I knew I was done,” Dodd said, adding that he immediately started working on a landing place.

On social media this morning, he announced King of the Coop’s closure at Flocale, plus plans to open out of Cigar City Cider & Mead in Ybor City. Dodd told CL he would like to be open in Ybor City by next week, and that he did not know Flocale would announce a closure today.

“Honest to god, I wish I could take all our employees with us, but technically we’re opening a new location and have to build the business up,” Dodd said, adding that he’s willing to give recommendations to any employers looking for restaurant staff.
“I wish I could take every single one of them. Financially, I can't. I'm hoping that we'll be able to build business up and those that still need jobs that we're able to help.”

Joining Dodd in the move to Ybor City is the crew from Matt’s Fat Cookies, which had a presence at Flocale, too. Dodd says that moving into a smaller space out of Cigar City’s cider and mead shop at 1812 N 15th St. gives him a chance to pare down the menu to tenders, wings, and one sandwich. He hopes to add Sunday-only bone-in chicken once the location gets going.

“I’m looking at this as not backwards but forwards,” Dodd said, adding that King of the Coop’s Westchase location is still a go, but experiencing construction and supply-chain-related delays.

As far as Flocale, Masters told CL that it wasn’t as if the food hall didn’t have a lot of customers, just not enough.

“I appreciate the community and their support and their coming out. Being born and raised in Tampa, I appreciate everybody who's in Tampa trying to support a local business,” Masters added. “It's unfortunate it wasn't enough but that's not that's not on individual patrons. It’s just a sum total of everybody is not just wasn't enough.”

Masters said that landlords of the Flocale building are in talks with founders of Westshore Pizza about possibly taking over the lease.

“I think that would actually be a good thing,” Masters said. You know, if Bob [Bobby Vasaturo, owner of original Westshore Pizza] can resurrect the space and you know, help that staff and community.”

Calls to the building’s last owners have yet to be returned, and we’ll update this post when we hear back.

This is a developing post.
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