Photo via @k1ngst8/Instagram
King State, at 520 E Floribraska Ave. in Tampa, Florida.
The shop at 520 E Floribraska Ave. made the announcement on Tuesday night, adding that it would continue to “roast coffee and brew beer for the masses!”
A closing date has not been announced, but owners wrote that their move out would happen towards the end of October. “We are working on getting a new operator in here that will treat this space well and will allow King State to still be a part of Tampa,” they added.
King State, which celebrated its five-year anniversary over the summer, was borne from a DIY coffee roasting warehouse operation and opened in June of 2019. It quickly became a popular destination thanks to its surefire breakfast, laid-back light-filled dining room, and killer drinks.
Like many other businesses, King State battled through the pandemic, with the last few years bringing a lot of change for co-founders Tim McTague and Nate Young. King State moved through chefs, added nighttime and cocktail service, plus dealt with a loss of businesses when a City of Tampa pipe project shut down the road in front of the cafe. They also opened two St. Pete concepts—brewery and beer bar The Brutalist and a second King State location—which have since closed. Last February, they filed for bankruptcy reorganization in an effort to get lean and keep going.
In its announcement, King State wrote, “we wanted it to be a place people could call home in Tampa. A place where natives could be proud of. We feel that we have done that.”
“We’ve made so many memories. So many mistakes. So many relationships we’ll have for the rest of our lives. Nothing can take that away,” they added.
In its forward-thinking manner, King State continued to share the upcoming goings on at the Tampa location, including “pumpking (spice)” offerings, a mezcal mixer, oyster social, espresso martini competition, and spooky final dance set for a still-to-be-announced Friday in October.
“We don’t fully know what’s next, but we know that we have shared in so many moments here in this old gas station. Everything from weddings to funerals to engagements to heavy phone calls, loss, joy and moments that we’ll never ever forget. The connection of humans from all different walks of life under one roof is a beautiful thing. The thing we will miss the most,” the post added. “As well as telling people we don’t have public WiFi. That was so much fun.”
Read the full statement via @k1ngst8 on Instagram.
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