The Oyster Bar swung its doors open again on Oct. 14. The new spot spans 3,200 square feet in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District. Two years had passed since the last customer walked out.
Owner Josh Cameron had aimed to shut down temporarily in Aug. 2023. Six months — that was the plan. But 2024’s hurricane season hit hard, and contractors fell behind schedule. The timeline ballooned.
The restaurant now sits at 2245 Central Ave., twenty blocks away from where it started at 249 Central. More kitchen space means more room to work, and the shucking section got bigger too.
“It’s been really awesome to see the local community and the fans that have been waiting to come on in and support us,” Cameron said , according to the St. Pete Catalyst. “We’re very humbled and have been happy with the level of interest.”
This seafood spot first appeared in 1999. Cameron purchased it in 2013.
Born in Australia, Cameron picked St. Petersburg after driving across the U.S. with friends. Running a business here would cost less than back home, he figured.
After visiting Pinellas County, Cameron contacted brokers. He wanted to see what might work. When the restaurant went up for sale, he bought it.
Cameron had dreamed of owning a bar. At first, he wanted to make the space a drinking spot. Back in inland Australia where he grew up, oysters were rare. Hard to find.
“Once I arrived here and met the staff and heard about the history of the space, I thought ‘I can’t close this down. I need to learn what’s involved with running an oyster bar,'” Cameron said, per the St. Pete Catalyst.
Over time, Cameron grew his ventures around town. His Crafty Hospitality Group runs the Crafty Squirrel sports bar and Aussie brewpub Where’s Jubes too.
The new spot honors what came before. Some workers have stayed with the restaurant longer than Cameron has owned it.
Cameron keeps strong ties with vendors and oyster suppliers, and he’s bringing back old recipes that customers loved. He’s teamed up with executive chef Joshua Bury, who worked at Red Thread and Oaks on 4th before this, to make the menu bigger.
Zoie’s restaurant used to occupy this space. Now the team has extra room to prep meals and shuck oysters for diners.