Tiny Tap Tavern moved closer to adding liquor service Thursday, advancing a plan the South Tampa bar’s new owner says will help keep one of the city’s oldest neighborhood taverns competitive.
The proposal, approved by the Tampa City Council on first reading, would allow the tavern at 2105 W. Morrison Ave. to serve liquor alongside the beer and wine it has served for decades. City planning staff said the request would not expand the 1,174-square-foot bar or its operations.
Adding liquor service has been part of the plan since the bar’s longtime owner, Casey Powell, sold Tiny Tap late last year after more than 50 years of family ownership. The new owner said at the time the additional license would broaden the tavern’s offerings.
Read the latest Tampa business news and updates
Applicant attorney Colin Rice told council the request was intended to update the tavern’s alcohol license, not reinvent the business. Neighborhood meetings produced little opposition, he said, after the owner agreed to prohibit outdoor amplified sound.
Council member Lynn Hurtak said independent neighborhood bars have become increasingly rare in Tampa. Council members also noted the property’s alcohol permit dates back roughly 75 years.
Council member Guido Maniscalco described Tiny Tap as one of Tampa’s most important cultural destinations and said it is one of the first places he takes visitors looking for an authentic piece of the city.
“Everybody loves it exactly the way it is,” Maniscalco said. “I hope that we can keep it like that.”
The proposal returns to City Council for a final vote July 16.
Read More Tampa Bay Business News
Explore the latest Tampa Bay business news, real estate deals, development projects, executive moves and company updates shaping the region.