“Artisan Painted, Solid Wood Furniture, with, Coastal, Beach and Old Florida Decor”
The Coastal Cottage opened this summer, repurposing St. Pete Beach’s old ‘Five & Dime” store, just west of the post office on Corey Ave., the city’s main downtown shopping district. Restoring one of the street’s largest spaces into a co-op art and craft gallery was one of the best things that could happen to Corey Avenue.
As the new gallery for local art and craft artists and dealers, owners Jasmine and Vince Hunter have a huge inventory available, so offerings are constantly changing, mostly solid wood, made in America.
They are bringing the Coastal Lifestyle to South Saint Petersburg and the beaches. It offers a large selection of quality, up-cycled, solid wood and re-purposed furniture.
“We really want to stress that we are bringing affordable, solid wood furniture, in beach, coastal, cottage and ‘Old Florida’ designs. We are the only store in all of St. Petersburg that has chosen to focus on those styles,“ Vince told Paradise NEWS.
All at great prices too! While Coastal Cottage is the premier location in Tampa Bay, for painted, Coastal furnishings and home decor, that isn’t all they’re about. Coastal Cottage is a co-op, a collection of 45 of the finest furniture Artisans, jewelers and pickers in West Central Florida.
Together, they bring you an unmatched collection of painted, re-purposed and up-cycled furniture, unique jewelry, vintage finds, collectibles and one of a kind items, to make your home Coastal Fabulous!
With nearly 6,000 sq. ft. you’re sure to find something you love. From one-of-a-kind pieces of repurposed furniture to hand-painted cabinet doorknobs, this shop has the makings of a true destination for all of Tampa Bay, and a tourist attraction as well. Jasmine and Vince have been in the business for over 10 years, and have loved the welcome they’ve received in St. Pete Beach from residents and businesses alike.
The shop’s opening could not have been timed better. It was fully stocked and decorated for the holidays, and Vince said volume was already outpacing the best they had ever done elsewhere. St. Pete Beach’s City Commission is starting to get serious about updating Corey Ave., dedicating $250,000 toward that purpose in the city’s 2019 budget.
Corey Avenue has been enjoying a bit of a renaissance with a very successful, fun Fresh Market each Sunday Oct – May from 10-2. Seafood Festivals have proven popular, as well as the Craft and Art Festivals held in early December, late January, April and June. Now that the craft shows and the markets are able to co-exist, attendance has been excellent. People who find the Coastal Cottage when they visit the Craft show are coming back at other occasions to browse and dine on Corey Avenue.
Find the Coastal Cottage St. Pete Beach on Facebook for a peek at the items and classes they are offering. Here are a sampling of the comments you will find there. “
I am NOT a boutique or gift store girl. I dislike tourist stores. This place is NOT any of those things. It’s an art gallery of local artistry. Paintings, furniture, candles, jewelry and more. I LOVE this store. The owners and staff are super nice. I will be back, and if there’s a frequent shopper card, you know I’ll have one in my wallet!!”
“Love it! They have such a variety that is often changing based on vendors and what sells. Unique items abound – I went in with dimensions for a variety of options and I left with three tables. Two end tables for my living room and a bedside table for my guest room. I love that it is repurposed/refinished work providing new life for quality pieces of furniture. They also have small items that would be perfect gifts in addition to home decor. If you’re near Corey Ave stop in.”
Some of the dealers involved in Coastal Cottage:
The Fabulous Funky Munky; rescues, revamps, rehabilitates and up-cycles old unloved furniture and objects for your home. Lori & Alan offer vintage painted furniture, original art work and other fabulous finds in a variety of styles from Cottage Glam to Coastal Chic. “We feel fortunate to be able to use our passion and creativity to bring you beautiful pieces for your home through Coastal Cottage.”
Valerie Catalano of “Valerie Designs” is a professional muralist and designer. At Coastal Cottage, she applies her artistry to furniture and decorative home accessories. She specializes in colorful beach and tropical themed scenes. Valerie also accepts commissioned projects.
Simple Treasures ~ Dorothy Moraca’s specialties include woodworking and furniture restoration using mixed media for visual enhancement and one-of-a-kind designs. Her unique furniture embellishments transform ordinary pieces into extraordinary accent furnishings. Find her at Coastal Cottage on Tuesdays.
Ken and Gail with Our Serenity have been building and repurposing furniture for over 8 years. They love creating something different and unique, a piece that is one of a kind. Potting benches have become their signature pieces. Each one is different, always having a one of a kind item incorporated into the design. It may be weathered barn wood, an iron sink, an old window from Georgia or hardware from the north.
Seaside Serenade Designs, LLC launched in August 2018 after retiring from 31 years of teaching. I have been blessed to open a vintage farmhouse inspired boutique in Coastal Cottage, as well as stage, redesign and decorate homes for clients and make my lifelong dream my new reality.
Lisa, Beach Signs & Designs, a local artist living in Treasure Island hand gathers sea shells, coral and driftwood from the local beaches and incorporates them in her work. She wants to share her love and a piece/peace of the beach with you! Her love, passion and respect for the beach, the sea and all its inhabitants are illustrated in her creations. For years, she volunteers locally to support sea turtle conservation and education.
Sunflower Market takes old gently used furniture and gives it a fresh look with paint and new fabrics, especially furniture that has a history of being made in the USA with solid wood and craftsmanship. They also sprinkle in fun items like Butterfly Benches.
Local Boy Dennis attended St. Johns School, Madeira Beach Jr. High and St. Pete High School. My dad also went to St. Pete High School! Raised on St. Pete Beach, he tries to paint the places we know and Love. Visit his booth for original paintings and prints.
Susan Freeman of Surf Designs retired last year and finally had time to tinker in her garage. “I have refinished furniture for years and found satisfaction in building new things with stuff I had laying around. I made a few light fixtures from repurposed objects for my home and was encouraged to create lamps to sell. I now create lamps from records, books, even wooden hangers. I enjoy creating new ways to use discarded objects and hope my creations will make people smile.”
Cuckoo’s Nest – What do teachers do when they retire? Karen and Donna decided they could not stay home and eat bon bons. They discovered painted furniture and chachkis. For the past four years, they have been discovering all the nooks and crannies of the business. They love it! That is how the Cuckoo’s Nest was formed.
300 Corey Avenue – St. Pete Beach • weekdays 10:30 – 6 pm & weekends 10:30 – 4 pm 727-914-3538 • www.CoastalCottage.net
Article by Peter Roos