The Orange Blossom, located at 220 4th Street North, didn’t rely on glitz and gimmicks, but on the quality of its food. Outlasting its competitors, the restaurant closed in 1986, later operating as a catering and banquet hall before being sold in 2016 and reopening as Voodoo Brewing Co.
In 1942 the city’s cafeterias became an integral part of the war effort. Over 100,000 service members invaded St. Petersburg for World War II military training. Our famous cafeterias were transformed into eloquent mess halls, feeding hungry soldiers.
As downtown St. Pete began to suffer economically in the late 1960s and 1970s, so did the cafeteria culture. Fewer retirees were spending the winters downtown, opting for senior living communities around the county.
Shopping centers popped up in the suburbs and eventually in 1972, a shiny new Tyrone Square Mall opened.
By the late 1980s “God’s Waiting Room” was nearly vacant, and the last of the once treasured downtown cafeterias served their final meals.