The Pelican Pub had St. Petersburg itching for news of a re-opening after images of a mysterious rash purportedly contracted from a bench at the bar led to owners to voluntarily shut down.
During the closure, which lasted for just two days, bar staff worked hard to rid themselves of whatever kind of funk may have been causing skin irritation.
According to an official at the Florida Department of Health, Pelican Pub, located at 18 2nd St. N., right next to Jannus Live, is officially good to go.
To celebrate, Pelican Pub is acknowledging the drama and toasting to the bench (now removed) by reopening on Halloween night, October 31, for a "Bury the Bench" party.
“While we don’t know for sure if the bench was the culprit or not, we take all complaints regarding safety very seriously and made immediate and permanent changes to the pub to remove any doubts and ensure the well-being of our guests,” Sean Knight, an owner of the Pelican Pub said in a news release. “We requested the help of state health inspectors, had the establishment treated for potential insects and removed the bench in question.”
As part of the "Bury the Bench" ceremony, Pelican Pub is offering patrons one free round of "Bye-Bye Bench Bomb" shots. A tombstone will also be erected for the bench. An illustration of the tombstone says "The Bench: 2014-2019 — Supported many. Irritated some. Remembered by all."
“Our teams have been working around the clock to get the pub back up and running and we’re grateful to everyone’s hard work and patience,” said Knight. “We’re ready to get back to what we do best, which is throwing great parties and having fun.”
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