The Table Restaurant in downtown St. Pete rebrands, retools, renames itself “THE Place”
October 6, 2009 at 5:16 pm by Brian RiesSt. Pete’s The Table has ridden a rollercoaster of ups and (mostly) downs since it opened just two years ago. (The long tale, in chronological order: here, here, here, and here.) The original owners walked away from the place, then a new team of owners stepped in, chefs came and went, then the ownership shifted again.
It looks like more change is on the way. According to newish operating partner Andrew “Wilko” Wilkins, the restaurant will cease using The Table as its moniker after tomorrow night, and will close for approximately one week before re-opening as a “new restaurant tentatively named ‘THE’ Place, along side its new companion ‘THE’ Place To Go.”
Chef J. Ward will remain in the kitchen, and will spearhead a menu change that will reflect “an economically priced and organic ingredient focused menu with Euro-Asian influenced menu items along side American Classics,” according to Wilkins. The new spot will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night, and will feature easy pick-up meals, delivery and fast-casual style dining.
Maybe a total re-invention is what the troubled restaurant needs, but I’m pleading with you Wilkins (and partners George and Linda Rahdert) to reconsider the name. Have you ever tried to do a web search for a business called “THE Place”? And I thought The Table was a silly name…
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