Developers Destroying Old Florida, One Seafood Shack At A Time — Maximo Seafood Shack's St. Pete Story PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT NEFF
The original concept was to create a film short to document Maximo Seafood Shack's Sunset Social with the theme Saving Old Florida One Seafood Shack at a Time. Recent events change that!
The outside-of-state investment group, Bixby Bridge Capital, had told Margaret the owner, she had two years before the dock was to be renovated. However, on April Fools Day, the NYC based marina management company, IGY Marinas, gave Margaret a verbal termination notice to vacate by 1 August. Suddenly the theme changed to "Developers Destroying Old Florida, One Seafood Shack At A Time — Maximo Seafood Shack's St. Pete Story."
The Change.org petition was launched on 2 April.
The petition went viral. That weekend on Saturday morning, 2000 supporters quickly climbed to over 5,000 supports and almost 1000 comments.
On Sunday, April 4, the petition went SUPER viral with over 19,000 supporters!
The videographer and editor — Jason Bradford from tallshortthinfatguy.
Lisa reading the Change.org Petition.
She has an audience.
Jim reading the petition.
This was his first visit to the Shack. Will be back!
He just retired and moved from Ohio.
He had strong words.
Shack fans from England. They bring their visiting friends to the Shack. Now England knows what the owners are doing!
The character...
Jane, the red-headed Irish waitress, has fiery words knowing this was her last day!
Saturday closing time...
Patrons know the routine. Step outside so the wait staff can close. Great excuse to watch the sunset!
What's the seafood like?
Sunsets are spectacular from Maximo Seafood Shack. This afternoon told a boater out-of-state owners were closing the Shack. He said, I will not be bringing my boat here anymore and will get food and fuel elsewhere!
I spoke with an older boater who had read the Tampa Bay Times article. He stopped in to support the Change.org petition. He said, "I met the owners from Chicago. They wore suits and they don't know water. They looked lost and out-of-place here!"
A boater who pulled up to fuel and grab a bite said, "After a combination of both speaking to current marina tenants about the ever deteriorating condition of the docks and bathrooms and the news of The Shack closing we chose not to move our boat to Maximo this past weekend. We have been visiting the shack by boat since day one and often times filling up with fuel to patronize both businesses. Losing The Shack was reason number one that we decided to keep our boat elsewhere. Mixed messages and vague answers to questions about construction timelines and increasing dock prices put the final nail in the coffin. Way to alienate the locals that have supported this place for decades."
More comments from Shack lovers
"Margaret's Maximo Seafood Shack is a St Petersburg treasure and a great place to eat. The food is wonderful as is the atmosphere. It does not deserve to be cast aside"
"I'm disappointed and sick to my stomach of why good hard-working small business owners are suffering through the hands of faceless big time corporations....."
"Small business owners are very important to our economy. They are the life blood of America."
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman was quoted in the Tampa Bay Times, "While the City encourages and appreciates investments into our community, and especially into the Skyway Marina District, this is ultimately a private matter between the owners of the marina and the seafood shack," the mayor wrote, adding that the city's focus is on "building up small businesses, not tearing them down."
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman can help the big businesses like the Rays but not a small women-owned vet-owned business!
CONTACT MAXIMO MARINA OWNERS
Bixby Bridge Capital is the out-of-state owners from Chicago are David Colburn and Steven Fass,
1. Contact them online and share your thoughts, http://www.bixbybridgecapital.com/contact-us/
2. Call them at 847-313-6454
CONTACT MARINA MANAGEMENT — Island Global Yachting Marinas.
1. Contact IGY Marinas online and share your thoughts via http://www.igymarinas.com/contact/
2. Phone the Global Headquarters in NYC: 212-705-5000
BIO
Robert Neff is an award winning photographer.He specializes in weather, international events, sports (Rugby and Grand Prix), NASA, lifestyle, boats and sailing, nature, wildlife, and travel and tourism. Robert uses photography as a narrative to share his experiences.
Robert has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines. He is also a writer with a published book and articles in newspapers and journals.
ARTIST STATEMENT: Robert Neff’s contemporary art is dynamic and vibrant, and engages the senses. His photography and storytelling are the inspiration and basis for his fine art. Nature and life’s colors, tones, and shapes are transformed into mixed media art work. Design studies are used to explore geometrics, color, and patterns. As your perspective changes, so does the design. His approach changes how your vision interprets everyday experiences.
During his solo show at Art Miami’s Spectrum Miami, art lovers were drawn into his fine art work. His style drew comparisons to Vasarely and the Op Art movement. One collector from Uruguay compared his style to "Constructivism" and the great Uruguay artist, Garcia.
Copyright ©2016 Robert Neff. All Rights Reserved.