Kingsford's charcoal-themed Tampa restaurant has closed

Despite the brand playing a key role in your afternoon barbecue, Kingsford's charcoal-themed restaurant in Tampa has apparently flamed out.

Charcoal company Kingsford closed its Westshore Plaza eatery Kingsford Fire Grille, a one-of-a-kind licensing agreement made with hospitality proprietor Mike DeMaio, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

The general manager of the plaza gave a statement to TBBJ  announcing the closure, but an official date of when it occurred has not been confirmed.

Calls to the business, located at 204 Westshore Plaza, from Creative Loafing Tampa Bay were not answered.
The grill pit of smoked meats and trademark barbecue opened its doors on Oct. 4, 2021: meaning the storefront didn't even last five months.

DeMaio, the former Vice President of Kingsford Fire Grille, is not a novice to the restaurant industry. His history at Brinker International—the hospitality company that runs Chili's and Macaroni Grill—set him up with high hopes of keeping the niche concept afloat.

The now-empty 7,900-square-foot space leaves room for a new dining spot to snatch the prime, mall-adjacent real estate.