Food won\u2019t be available when Apt 34 first opens, but Leeper eventually hopes to introduce cicchetti, small Venetian-style bites typically served with wine. He is also considering collaborations that would allow local chefs to put their own spin on the format.<\/p>\n
Apt 34 will host occasional events inspired by the original 312 Roof Club, including Derby Day and Christmas parties, along with potential trivia, bingo, live music, and random theme nights.<\/p>\n
The buildout at 554 1st Avenue North is being designed by St. Pete-based Storyn Studio<\/a>, with Leeper working closely with Evan Vander Ploeg, one of his oldest friends.<\/p>\n The two have known each other since they were two years old, and Vander Ploeg visited Leeper in New York and attended parties at the original Apartment 34.<\/p>\n \u201cHe understands what we\u2019re trying to create,\u201d Leeper said.<\/p>\n Leeper hopes to have Apt 34 open in late 2026, ideally in time for the holidays, although the opening could slip into early 2027.<\/p>\n Ultimately, he hopes Apt 34 recreates something he loved about both Hell\u2019s Kitchen and St. Pete: bars where people of different ages and backgrounds can walk in, strike up a conversation, and feel like they belong.<\/p>\n \u201cCome as you are,\u201d Leeper said.<\/p>\n Or, as Apt 34<\/a> puts it more simply: Welcome to the best house party in St. Pete.<\/p>\n