St. Petersburg's tallest residential building celebrates first retail tenant

The luxury skyscraper that will be the tallest residential building on Florida’s Gulf Coast when it opens to the public later this year officially welcomed its first tenant to the ground floor. 

Volta Wine + Market is the first retail tenant announced for the Residences at 400 Central tower, at 449 Central Ave. in downtown St. Petersburg. City officials and project partners celebrated the official start of construction on the upscale wine bar’s new space inside 400 Central’s Suite #136 Wednesday, calling the occasion a major milestone on the road to redeveloping the Central Avenue corridor. 

Volta’s founders, Michelin-recognized sommelier Zach Pace and Rachelle Tomushev, joined St. Petersburg Mayor Welch in celebrating the start of construction on the 2,000-square-foot space. Volta Wine + Market is the first ground-floor retail location in the building.

“Today we are celebrating the future of Central Avenue and the continued evolution 400 Central has brought on,” Welch says in a release. “Businesses like Volta show the demand for concepts that bring people together in meaningful ways.”

Volta Wine + Market will feature a fine wine shop and gourmet market in the front of its space and an intimate bar and lounge in the rear, a release says. 

Renderings reveal a “warm, design-forward interior,” the release says, with music pumped through an analog hi-fi system and turntables setting the tone for a “more intentional, conversation-led experience.”

Courtesy image

The retail market will feature more than 300 bottles from around the world. The shop will also sell pantry staples, artisanal dairy, prepared foods and specialty items focused on clean ingredients and craft producers.

At the bar and lounge, guests will enjoy rotating by-the-glass wine selections, craft beer, sake and low- and non-alcoholic options, or select a bottle from the shop’s retail shelves to enjoy on site. 

Volta Wine + Market is currently in its fundraising phase, the company says, offering investors a chance to become “Founding Members” and be a part of bringing the concept to life. Among other benefits, founding members will have exclusive access to special events, discounts, priority allocations and sommelier concierge services, the release says.