Longtime owner of The Chattaway, Jillian Frers, holds a commemorative pillow on March 18. The St. Petersburg restaurant is under contract and expected to sell this summer and remain the community. [ Photo by EVAN RODRIGUEZ/Times ]

St. Petersburg’s iconic burger spot looks toward its next 75 years.

The Chattaway, one of St. Petersburg’s original drive-in restaurants, is set to stay in the community, according to prospective owner Cullen Mahoney.

On Monday, Mahoney said that local restaurant owners John John Delladonna and Mark Ferguson have joined him as investors to keep The Chattaway open.

Ferguson owns Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill in St. Petersburg and Delladonna owns Shrimpy’s Waterfront in St. Pete Beach.

The Chattaway is known for its burgers, large patio, afternoon tea service and live music. It’s an iconic, family-run St. Petersburg institution that has fed generations. Matriarch and owner Jillian Frers was at the helm until her eldest daughter Debby Kitto took the lead.

The restaurant is in the process of being sold, as the Tampa Bay Times reported in March. The sale is supposed to be finalized in August.

Part of the outdoor dinning area of The Chattaway in St. Petersburg includes pink bathtubs used as planters. Part of the outdoor dinning area of The Chattaway in St. Petersburg includes pink bathtubs used as planters. [ Times (2019) ]

Ferguson confirmed the partnership Monday by phone and said they plan to add more seafood to the menu and obtain a liquor license.

The Chattaway is a “community asset,” he said.

In March, Mahoney, of Sodus Development, was evaluating whether he could preserve the space that locals have come to know the past several decades, but it was too early to tell if that would be doable. Sodus is a St. Petersburg-based real estate development firm.

“I care deeply about The Chattaway and what it means to the residents of St. Petersburg,” Mahoney said in March. “Any path forward would need to be rooted in preserving what makes this place special.”

Mahoney lives in the neighborhood and has seemingly doubled down on his statement. He wants to keep The Chattaway in the community, he said Monday.

After the partners take over ownership of the property in August, Ferguson said they expect to throw a grand opening party in September.

Updates are planned for the space as well as a tightening of operations, like installing a point-of-sale system.

“I’m excited to get started and excited to see what the next 75 years looks like,” Mahoney said.

Ferguson thanked the family and said he and the partners plan to “keep it going for another 75 years.”

358 22nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg. thechattaway.com

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