New Wine Lounge Coming to St. Pete
A boutique sparkling wine lounge named Velvet Coupe is scheduled to open in St. Petersburg in mid-May. The new concept is being launched by real estate broker Dina Branham. The lounge will reportedly focus on a curated selection of boutique-style sparkling wines.
- The lounge is located at 25 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South in the EDGE District, occupying a 1,450-square-foot space. This space was formerly home to a business called Baked in the Burg. - The property is part of a larger 15,960-square-foot historic building known as Star Plaza, which was originally constructed in 1923. - This venture marks a return to the hospitality industry for owner Dina Branham, who previously owned a wine bar and shop in Delray Beach called Wine House Social. In Delray Beach, Branham also launched a "shop local" campaign to support small businesses in her bar's neighborhood. - Branham has an extensive background in real estate, having been a licensed agent in Florida since 2003 and a broker since 2004. She founded her own boutique agency, the Deluxe Group Real Estate, in Boca Raton in 2007. - The new lounge enters a robust St. Petersburg hospitality market, which saw a 34% year-over-year increase in bed tax revenues and a hotel occupancy rate of 79% in January 2025. The broader Tampa-St. Petersburg market is considered one of the most balanced in Florida. - The business model focuses on a niche market of sustainably produced, organic wines and a "moody sexy chic" atmosphere designed for lingering, with seating for approximately 30-35 guests. - The investment in the EDGE District aligns with broader development trends in St. Petersburg, which has multiple new hotel projects planned and is experiencing growth in the tech, healthcare, and tourism sectors.
