A new Beef ‘O’ Brady’s will open Tuesday at 2901 66th St. N. in St. Petersburg, filling a space that sat empty after an Applebee’s abruptly closed there last summer.
Owners Amit and Jamie Khanna, a husband-and-wife team who relocated from Colorado, plan to create about 50 jobs at the restaurant. The opening date falls on St. Patrick’s Day — a fitting choice for the Irish-themed sports pub chain, which was founded in Brandon in 1985.
The 5,853-square-foot building will seat 182 guests indoors and 49 on an outdoor patio. It becomes the city’s second Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, joining the location at 4775 34th St. S. Oldsmar has the only other Pinellas County location.
The Khannas previously owned a restaurant and a gas station in Colorado. After moving to St. Petersburg, they said they wanted to get involved in the community through a restaurant again.
They hope to work with local youth sports programs and host different community events weekly. The couple said they also plan to expand throughout the area.
The building at 66th Street North and 29th Avenue North has had a long run as a restaurant site. Built in 1972, it housed the Longshoreman Restaurant, The Knot Garden and Suki’s in the 1990s before becoming an Applebee’s in the early 2000s.
That Applebee’s closed July 6, drawing criticism after employees said they received as little as seven hours’ notice. The chain’s parent company, Dine Brands Global, has been shrinking the brand nationally, cutting its store count from 1,578 in 2021 to 1,501 in 2024.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, meanwhile, is in growth mode. The chain opened five locations in 2025 and has announced plans for eight more this year. Parent company FSC Franchise Co., based in Tampa, also operates The Brass Tap craft beer bar and the Newk’s Eatery fast-casual chain.
The brand, known for its wings, Angus burgers and family-friendly atmosphere, requires franchise owners to be hands-on operators involved in their communities. About 70% of its roughly 135 locations are in Florida.