Mastry’s Brewing is pioneering mixed-use development in Pinellas Park

What was once a manufacturing facility at 5805 Park Blvd. was. in Pinellas Park is set to undergo a transformative redevelopment into a mixed-use complex led by Mastry’s Brewing Co.

The project, called Park Junction, will include a 5,000-square-foot brewery and a 36,000-square-foot market house with office space, studios, event areas, a taproom, vendor kitchens and a rooftop event venue. Mastry’s will anchor the complex and bring partners to fill the space, which will have 19,000 square feet of floor space and be several stories tall.

According to a video posted on the City of Pinellas Park’s Facebook page, the former manufacturing facility has been demolished and the site now sits vacant while Mastry’s goes through the process of submitting permit applications for its large-scale development.

Mastry’s Brewing Co. was founded in 2014 as a nanobrewery inside the Italian restaurant CD Roma in the Tyrone district of St. Petersburg. The success of the startup brewery led to the independent Mastry’s Brewing Co. in 2016, the first microbrewery in St. Pete Beach. Matthew Dahm, founder and CEO of Mastry’s Brewing Co., said they had a vision for it. They saw growth from the start, but needed more space and the right way to scale.

“The number of square meters is particularly important in the beverage industry. “You need more space for equipment, tanks and visitors,” explained Dahm. He noted that hurricanes, years of red tide on St. Pete Beach and COVID lockdowns stalled their growth plans, but when the property at 5805 Park Blvd. appeared, it was the right time for the next step.

“The City of Pinellas Park has been a fantastic partner from the beginning; “Really a partner who didn’t say, ‘Here’s the process,’ but worked with us to help us make this a successful project for everyone,” Dahm said.

A key part of the process was ensuring Park Junction fits into the city’s comprehensive plan, which provides direction for future development and helps the city prioritize infrastructure investments. Part of the plan calls for the definition of a “town center,” with Park Junction forming the cornerstone. Dahm believes Park Junction’s location and the concept itself represents a chance for success, comparing the market house concept to that of Armature Works in Tampa.

“It’s a very mentally stimulating and relaxing environment. It offers (visitors) a variety of options and is very community-oriented,” Dahm said. “It’s the same atmosphere that people love at a craft brewery, where it’s not just a sit-down restaurant and you’re isolated in your own spot. You get to move around and meet new people and it really brings the work, life and play mentality together.”

Dahm said they hope to submit plans for permitting by late 2024 or early 2025, with the goal of breaking ground immediately; The construction work is expected to take around 12 months. He added that while the space is not yet fully filled, there are some “strategic” food and beverage partners that will be announced soon.

The project is expected to be an economic driver for Pinellas Park and create more than 100 new jobs. As Pinellas Park continues to grow alongside neighboring St. Petersburg, Dahm hopes to bring the project’s local impact into focus.

“We really want to be a great community partner; I can’t emphasize this enough,” he said. “You see these big developments often, but we are the local small-town kids who have put a lot of time into developing a model that is completely community-focused – something everyone can embrace and enjoy.”

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