It's been one crappy year for Gina Vivinetto.
It began with a doctor's call in January about a tumor next to her adrenal gland. Her first surgery in February went awry, causing a host of other medical problems. Then, in May, after she posted a tongue-in-cheek comment to a Ronda Storms MySpace parody site, the St. Petersburg Times asked her to resign from her job as pop music critic. Two months later, while still reeling from losing a job she'd held for 15 years and numerous surgeries, the biggest blow came when local musician Mike O'Neill, her dear friend of 17 years, jumped off the Skyway Bridge.
"It's been a tough year," she says, smoking a cigarette outside the gallery that was maybe her year's only bright spot — the Bombshell Gallery, a funky artspace/ coffeeshop/ music venue at 2536 Central Ave. But on Nov. 30, due to ever-rising rent and expenses related to her illness, Vivinetto's venture will close.
"It's kind of amazing that we made it through the year," the 34-year-old says of the storefront she began renting last November. Beyond showcasing local artists, Vivinetto hosted bingo nights, open mics and live music throughout the week.
"This was really, really fun," she says. "I discovered so many great musicians and artists."
Some of those musicians and artists, as well as old friends, have joined together for a benefit concert to help pay off the collectors who have been calling Vivinetto (her medical bills top $30,000).
"The one great thing about this community is we pull together when somebody needs help," says musician Stacy Mathis, an organizer of the event.
Bombshell Gallery will join other independent businesses that have moved from Central or closed in recent months. Beginning in June, the entire east 600 block of Central Avenue was vacated to make room for condos. The developer of Residences at 601 Central has since delayed the project and put the now vacant block back on the market. Vivinetto says Central Avenue's "progress" is changing its eclectic character, pushing out the small businesses that first made the area a destination.
"They don't make it easy for you anymore in St. Pete," she laments. "Everyone has dollar signs in their eyes."
The Viva La Gina benefit concert rocks the Bombshell Gallery on Oct. 14 from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Admission is $7 with all proceeds going to offset Vivinetto's medical expenses.
This article appears in Oct 11-17, 2006.