Kitty's House of Pizza Will Open Next Month
Owners focus on to-go operations at their new St. Petersburg storefront, leveraging high-heat equipment.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Live Poll
Do you believe new local food businesses generally improve your neighborhood?
Steven Garrahan and Kurt Drake will open Kitty's House of Pizza in St. Petersburg this November. The 1,400-square-foot facility at 4059 Fifth Ave. N. will operate primarily as a takeout establishment.
Why it matters
The investment by the partners in the Central Oak Park property serves as part of a broader local effort to renovate the neighborhood. By co-locating a pizza shop with a Bright Ice commissary, the operators aim to maximize the utility of their commercial footprint.
The new site occupies 1,400 square feet with 26 indoor seats, though the owners plan to increase capacity to 50 with future outdoor patio expansion. The business model centers on 12-inch and 16-inch pizzas prepared with 72-hour fermented dough and cooked in a 600-to-700-degree brick oven.
The players
Steven Garrahan
Co-owner and entrepreneur managing the new restaurant and existing ice cream business.
Kurt Drake
Co-owner and entrepreneur partnering in the pizza restaurant and commissary project.
Bright Ice
An established local ice cream company that has operated in the area for seven years.
The details
The facility uses a specialized Marra Forni rotating brick oven designed to maintain temperatures between 600 and 700 degrees for consistent production. While currently configured for 26 indoor seats, the owners have designed the business to handle high-volume takeout, with an adjacent space functioning as a commissary for their existing Bright Ice brand. Future operational plans include the introduction of beer and wine service to support the expansion of seating to 50 patrons.
Timeline
2019: Bright Ice began operations four blocks away.
November 2026: Scheduled opening of Kitty's House of Pizza.
Market Landscape
The opening follows the partners' seven-year history with Bright Ice, which established a local operational footprint in 2019. This new venture marks a strategic move to leverage that existing local presence by clustering complementary food and beverage services.
Operators should monitor how the partners manage the dual-use of their space to balance the pizza storefront with the Bright Ice commissary needs. The planned transition to beer and wine service suggests a strategic shift toward increasing average check sizes and extending evening dwell times.
The takeaway
The owners are utilizing a high-efficiency brick oven and 72-hour dough fermentation to differentiate their product in a competitive pizza market. Future operators should track the success of their patio expansion plans and liquor licensing process as indicators of neighborhood demand for full-service dining.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts in the region, visit Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tampa Bay Times.
Live Poll
Do you believe new local food businesses generally improve your neighborhood?
