Is the 'Best Florida Beach Bar' in Gulfport?

O'Maddy's Bar and Grille is one of nominees in an online contest to find "Best Florida Beach Bar." Would they get your vote?

Could Florida's best beach bar be right here in Gulfport? O'Maddy's Bar and Grille is in the running for this year's "Best Florida Beach Bar" crown, as chosen by readers of floridabeachbar.com. Voting in the online contest runs through April 30. Below is a look at all of the Bradenton area bars on the list. Would O'Maddy's get your vote? Last year, Jimmy B's Beach Bar in St. Pete Beach finished No. 1 overall. Sign up for the Gulfport Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!    

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Lori Rosso

7:39 am on Saturday, April 27, 2013

Definitely on the top of my list. Don't know about some of these folks but the sheer volume of customers that flock to O'Maddy's on any given day of the week prove they are doing something right.   more ›

Amigos, Meet at Paco's Tacos

Expect family recipes, fresh ingredients and a friendly atmosphere at Gulfport's newest casual restaurant.

There's a new Chihuahua in town, and his name is Paco! Paco is the inspiration behind Beach Boulevard's newest locally owned restaurant. Four friends, also known as the "four chicas," are inviting everyone to stop by Paco's Tacos in Gulfport on Thursday, Feb. 7, for homemade authentic Mexican dishes. Owners Barbara Banno, Jeanne Kunkle, Amy Hodges and Diane Bear — the "four chicas" — are holding a soft opening at 2930 Beach Blvd. starting at 11 a.m. Many residents already stop by Banno and Kunkle's downtown restaurant, Stella's. The couple has been helping people get their day started with coffee and breakfast dishes for three years. Now, they're joining their friends in this new business partnership. “We all have a love for Mexican food…

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Small Business is Big News at 2012 RNC

Small business has been a major theme both inside and outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum this week.

Small business has been a major theme both inside and outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum this week. With events tied to the 2012 Republican National Convention taking place in all parts of the Tampa Bay area, many local business owners prepared to have the biggest money making week of their year. At the beginning of the convention, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and the 2012 Tampa Host Committee projected a $150 – 175 million boost to Tampa’s economy because of the 2012 RNC. "The way the City (of Tampa) and the Downtown Partnership put it out, we'd have 50,000 visitors and we'd be swamped," said Marc Zolkowski earlier this week. Zolkowski is the co-owner of the Metro Lounge and Restaurant in downtown Tampa. His neighboring business owner, …

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Bulldog

8:43 am on Saturday, September 1, 2012

Definitions: Liberal: Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor. Generous in amount; ample. Conservative: Favoring traditional views and …   more ›

New In Town

Scuba Cat Charters is the New Cat in Town

Swim through an 80-foot long tugboat with Goliath grouper, friendly nurse sharks and barracuda on one of your diving trips with the newest business in Gulfport; Scuba Cat Charters.

Scuba Cat Charters can easily be described with three simple words: "relax and dive", according to owner Jeff Barfoot. Jeff says starting the dive charter with his wife, Elissa, is a dream come true. "Three weeks ago I was wearing a tie and slacks. I traded it in for shorts and sandals," Jeff said at the grand opening ceremony on Friday, July 27 at the Gulfport Marina. That's right, Jeff worked for an industrial chemical company and moved here, with his wife, from Nashville, TN. Elissa, also a diver, is a certified nurse midwife at Tampa General Hospital. "We like the water. We really didn't want to teach, (with a charter boat) you get to be in the water," Jeff said. Jeff and Elissa picked Gulfport because "Tampa has some of the biggest …

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Cherlene Willis

9:21 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012

Thanks so much for spreading the word! I know Jeff told me that they aren't very many dive charters near Gulfport and St. Pete, so they hope to fill that void!   more ›

'Call to Action' to Give Back Thousands to Small Businesses

LocalShops1 invites you to join their "Call to Action" and help revitalize the local economy by spending as little as $5 a week at independently owned shops.

Give Back Ignite a spending spree today and invest $90,000 into local businesses in Tampa Bay by spending just $10 a month at local stores; spend five dollars a week and even more would be put back into our local economy, according to LocalShops1. Ester Venouziou, president of LocalShops1, is spearheading the campaign, "Call to Action," and asking everyone to support small businesses. Call to Action The "Call to Action" is asking every family in the area to shift $5 of your weekly budget to independently owned stores. According to LocalShops1, studies show that of every dollar spent at a local business, about 70 cents stays local. Of every dollar spent at a national corporation, less than 40 cents stays local. Venouziou says the effort is …

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Cherlene Willis

9:25 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

No problem! It sounds like such a great idea!   more ›

Social Media Party for Small Business Is Thursday

Have you gotten your tickets to this special evening at the Pier, with local experts, some familiar faces and great appetizers from Bowled?

Time is running out. So are tickets! The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Extravaganza for Small Businesses, co-sponsored by Patch and LocalShops1.com, is Thursday – with a long list of local merchants and nonprofits attending what’s sure to be an informative and fun evening on the panoramic Third Floor of the St. Petersburg Pier. From 6-9 p.m., local experts will share power tips for promoting small business through social media – from newsletters to Facebook to blogging.  This is a great chance to see old friends and meet new ones, with American Stage, Saturday Morning Market, Grand Kitchen & Bath, Adult Care & Respite, Sunset Appliances, and Grandma's Auto Care among the guests. The evening will be fast-paced and fun, a chance to network…

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Where to Dine Out For Life in Gulfport

If you eat at participating restaurants in Gulfport or (and some others in the Tampa Bay area) a part of the proceeds will go to HIV/AIDS service organizations.

A handful of Gulfport restaurants are participating in a national campaign to stamp out HIV and AIDS on Thursday, April 26. A portion of the day's proceeds from "Dining Out for Life" go to about 60 service organizations that help men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS. 17 Gulfport restaurants are making a 25 percent donation of its proceeds:  Looking for more options in the Tampa Bay area? Visit DiningOutforLife.com for more participating eateries.

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Lori Rosso

9:27 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012

Gulfport has the highest percentage rate locally of restaurant participation in this event...these 17 represent almost 100 percent. That's darned impressive. Now go out and chow down!   more ›

Help Celebrate Older Americans Month in Gulfport

Attention local businesses! You can help celebrate Older Americans Month this May by offering special discounts for seniors 50 and over.

The Gulfport Area Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with the Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center to celebrate Older Americans Month in May. This year’s theme is “Never Too Old to Play”. In honor of Older Americans Month the Chamber would like to ask businesses to provide special discounts during the week of May 21-25 for seniors 50 and over.  The Chamber office will compile a list of specials businesses are willing to offer and advertise in flyers, e-mail blasts, The Gabber, Gulfport Patch and the Senior Center website among other places. If you wish to be included in this list you must respond to the Chamber no later than Friday, April 27th.  You may either call the Chamber office at 344-3711 or email info@gulfportchamberofcommerce.com.

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Cash Mob Invades Gulfport Business

With cash in their hands, more than a dozen shoppers braved the heavy rain and invaded Kozy Kazual Wears during Gulfport's first Cash Mob.

Cha-ching! That was the sound of the cash register at Kozy Kazual Wears during the Cash Mob on Saturday. One by one, people marched into the shop, just off Beach Boulevard, and picked out t-shirts, flip flops, accessories and more at the newly opened local business. "I feel very honored. This is terrific. I hope people embrace their businesses more," Shop Owner Jeff Moore said. Moore opened the casual clothing store on March 31 at 3007 1/2 Beach Blvd. Moore sells and personalizes casual clothing and is the distributor for Peace Frog merchandise in the Tampa Bay region. Until now, Moore was an online retailer. He says it's taken him 10 years to get to this point. "It lifts the spirit of the business owner, it really does," Jeff Moore said. …

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Ester Venouziou

12:25 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012

Thanks to everyone who came out to show their support for local businesses. Every dollar you spend makes a difference.   more ›

Video: How to Manage Your Free Business Listing on Patch

Attention local businesses, you have a home in our "Patch Places." Claim your free listing, hop online and add photos, menus, promotions, reach out to your customers and respond to ratings and reviews today!

Ridiculously Easy! We want local businesses to join Patch because after all, we want to make life ridiculously easy for you and your neighbors. Simply log in, find your business under  and claim your free business listing by clicking "Do you own or manage this location? Claim it!" on the right side of your listing. Why? Well, there are several free tools at your fingertips once you join the Patch family! Once You're In! Once you are approved, start by clicking the "Manage Your Listing" button on the left side of your listing to access your dashboard. The dashboard will show you several tools: Your Stats: See who rated and reviewed your business. And who's following your listing. You can e-mail your customers to seek out more reviews, and …

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