![\"Blind](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/img0661-2_900xx5712-3213-0-536.jpg\")
Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters has opened its ninth Tampa Bay caf\u00e9 inside downtown Tampa\u2019s Rivergate Tower.<\/p>\n
Customers have already started dividing the caf\u00e9s into different parts of their week, he said. Some stop at City Center on weekends because it is closer to home, but have told him Rivergate will become their weekday coffee shop once they\u2019re back in the office.<\/p>\n
When Torres arrived in Tampa from Panama in 2006, he considered $2.50 expensive for parking downtown. He remembers passing that lot near what is now Amalie Arena, feeding six quarters into a parking meter instead and calling it a bargain. Today, he said, spending about $20 to park downtown has become routine.<\/p>\n
Read the latest Tampa business news and updates<\/a><\/p>\n Growing up in Panama City, Torres said, the city\u2019s business center was known as the financial district. He sees Tampa moving in the same direction as law firms, banks, accounting firms and technology<\/a> companies continue to add offices downtown.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to play where Class A office happens,\u201d Torres said. \u201cThat\u2019s the customer who orders catering, hosts meetings and entertains clients.\u201d<\/p>\n Blind Tiger\u2019s downtown business now extends beyond the counter. Torres said companies hire the caf\u00e9 for client breakfasts, fundraisers and office events, while others install its commercial espresso systems so employees can make cappuccinos, lattes and macchiatos without leaving the office.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t need them to come to us,\u201d Torres said. \u201cWe can actually bring coffee to them.\u201d<\/p>\n Blind Tiger recently hired two catering sales representatives and a catering sales manager to pursue that work. <\/p>\n The company is also working with organizations including the Tampa Bay Chamber, Tampa Bay Economic Development<\/a> Council and Tampa Downtown Partnership to introduce employers to its catering, office coffee service and mobile espresso bar offerings.<\/p>\n Torres opened Rivergate before Labor Day to meet office tenants before companies begin planning fall board meetings, client events and catering orders.<\/p>\n Read More Tampa Bay Business News<\/p>\n