By Dinorah Prevost
It’s one of the last original businesses standing that spurred the resurgence of Central Avenue’s 600 block. Now, Daddy Kool Records is gearing up to move.
It was announced Feb. 2 in time for this year’s Localtopia.
The annual market, held in February, started in 2013 to promote shopping at local businesses.
It featured over 200 local vendors, from booksellers to coffee shops. USF St. Petersburg graphic design majors were also there selling their products.
Megan McDonald, Daddy Kool’s assistant manager, was at the record store’s tent at Localtopia. She said the record store is moving to a larger, cheaper space at 2430 Terminal Drive in the Warehouse Arts District. It moved into its current spot, 666 Central Ave., in 2010.
“The whole investors coming in and buying all spaces really did raise our rent,” McDonald said. “Not to say (that) we didn’t really prosper from all the new foot traffic, our business has never been better.”
Daddy Kool’s last day on the 600 Block will be March 24. At its new location, it plans to host live music and serve beer and kombucha on tap.
It is one of the last traces of Central Avenue’s music scene, with venues like The Local 662 closing in 2017 and Fubar in December. State Theatre is temporarily closed for renovations.
McDonald said the changing face of Central Avenue in recent years also motivated the move.
“Now it’s more for people who have a lot of money to spend on restaurants. So times are changing in general and we think the Warehouse District has a lot of potential and room to grow,” she said.
Across the park, bordering Fourth Street, about 15 graphic design students manned a crowded tent, selling stickers, posters and prints.
Last year, Localtopia became an annual event for students in the program. Money from sales goes toward their senior thesis show in May at Studio@620.
Julia Scheiber, a senior, said the group worked on its pieces in Harbor Hall leading up to Localtopia.
“For the past month or so, we’ve all been making designs. A lot of them are Florida-centric because a lot of St. Pete locals love Florida stuff. And the last few days, we’ve been printing everything, cutting it out,” Scheiber said.
“It’s been like a workshop. Everyone was working together to get everything done, which has been really cool.”
Daddy Kool reopens on April 13 for Record Store Day at its new location, 2430 Terminal Drive.
