As a kid, nothing was worse than when my little brother angrily pulled the controller cord out of our clear green N64 as I pulled into first place on Star Road.
Mario Kart is a contentious and divisive game.
Now, over a decade later, there is rarely a time my brother and I can get together to challenge one another to a head-to-head matchup. Instead, when we can, we frequent Green Bench or 3 Daughters Brewery for a beer. We talk about relationship problems, our jobs and make fun of one another about the dumb things we did in high school.
But sometimes I want to be that kid who used to dominate his younger sibling on the sticks again. A new St. Petersburg arcade bar gives me that chance.
Right Around the Corner opened Sept. 16 on Central Avenue and offers an enticing mix of games and brews. Now we can mock each other with both beers and controllers in hand.
On the first floor behind a dark, hardwood bar is a big screen TV for movie nights, sports games and more. Facing a window overlooking Central, another television runs Super Mario Bros. 3 on a Super Nintendo.
The first floor also has three arcade boxes, a pinball machine and a shuffleboard table. Upstairs there is a 7-foot billiards table, a professional dart board and four N64 controllers for the aforementioned Mario Kart, guaranteed to make or break relationships.
Tom Rockhill is the co-owner and bartender. He said he’ll be serving the beer most days. Rockhill’s passion is brewing beer at home. He helps run the St. Pete Home Brew Club and takes pride in participating in the local beer scene here in St. Pete.
Rockhill’s knowledge of craft brews is impressive, and he said that nothing makes him happier than finding people the right beer. With seven taps of unique local brews and a fridge filled with bottles and cans from all over Florida, he said he was certain people would get something to satisfy.
For those that just want something simple, there’s the low-budget staple: Pabst Blue Ribbon. To keep things fun, behind the bar are a number of activities people can do to earn a 99 cent beer.
To unlock the special, one can prove that they support the local scene by showing a receipt from a St. Pete business, get home responsibly with a Lyft or Uber ride or show some Right Around the Corner pride by checking in on Facebook or Instagram.
Events will be happening throughout the next few weeks, from tap takeovers (when local breweries fill up the bar with their own beer and merchandise), to open mic nights, which will be held on the second story patio.
Right Around the Corner has a lot of room to grow, and Rockhill said that he would like to serve a few of their own brews after they have established themselves.
St. Petersburg and the greater Tampa Bay area is a centrifuge for craft beer in the state. Over the past five years, it’s grown into a thriving community.
Rockhill said that the interaction he’s had with other bar owners has been nothing but positive – the Ale and the Witch, a long-time craft beer bar in the downtown Tower Plaza courtyard, even donated glasses to the bar right before opening because they were low on glassware.
Right Around the Corner is a welcome addition to Central Avenue. The sheer amount of activities and distinguishable location makes it an interesting and enjoyable experience.
My brother lives over the Howard Franklin in Tampa, and we’ll be planning a Mario Kart rematch over beer very soon.
