(Tampa Bay Times) ST. PETERSBURG ― Baum Avenue Market, the trendy food hall in St. Petersburg’s EDGE District, has undergone several transitions since opening. The popular Central Avenue market has been home to multiple food concepts, including sushi, crepes, vegan desserts, fast-casual Indian and a raw bar, to name a few.
The space has since dwindled to include just two restaurant vendors, but in many ways, they feel like one. That’s likely because Pinoy, the newest addition, and Karma Juice Bar and Eatery, one of the market’s longest-running stalls, are a family affair.
Josie Barber, who owns the popular smoothie bowl and health food spot Karma, first scouted the empty market location for her sister Raquel “Jingle” Baluyut in August. Baluyut, who recently moved from Miami to the Tampa Bay area, worked catering jobs in the past but never owned her own restaurant. When her sister presented her with the opportunity to run her own spot, she jumped at it. The way Baluyut tells it, the restaurant was a “present” from Barber… Read More
