A downtown St. Petersburg sports bar has announced this weekend will be its last.
Thirsty First, located at 515 Central Avenue, posted on Instagram that it will close this Sunday, July 26, following a farewell celebration. Owner Greg Mikurak wrote that closing the bar is “one of the hardest decisions” they’ve ever made.
“Over the last decade, I’ve watched first dates turn into marriages, strangers become lifelong friends, championship celebrations shake the walls, and thousands of people choose to spend some of the best moments of their lives with us,” Mikurak wrote. “We’ve celebrated victories, survived difficult times, and made memories that I’ll carry with me forever.”
Thirsty First originally opened in August 2016 on 1st Avenue North. The sports bar moved to its current 1,400-square-foot location in 2023. The bar advertised itself as “St. Petersburg’s top sports bar & lounge.”
This closure follows an eviction lawsuit the sports bar was facing, in which the landlord claimed Mikurak had not paid rent for the months of March, May, and June 2026, according to Pinellas County court records.
Instagram commenters seem to have mixed opinions about Thirsty First’s closing.
“Bars and restaurants all through St. Pete and Tampa are closing up! Everyday another place,” someone said.
Someone else wrote, “Even though I was a recent regular, I will miss this place so so much. The memories I made in a short time will not be forgotten.”