According to recent reporting, a local chef will soon be spearheading a new venture.
Chef Peter Kenney and his fiancee Kristen White are the new owners of the site that housed Gypsy Cab Co. for four decades in St. Augustine.
The 828 Anastasia Blvd property will be the new home for Purple Olive, which Kenney himself founded in 2004.
Notably, Kenney worked at Gypsy for about five years before starting his own brand.
“The thought of coming back to this never crossed my mind … up until (recently),” Kenney told the Business Journal.
The duo acquires the property for $1.5 million, motivated by its potential be a great place to grow his restaurant and to have more control as a property owner.
“I calculated the rent that I’ve paid in over 20 years, and then I was like, ‘Why do we not own something?'” Kenney said.
Since closing on the transaction, Kenney and White have been focused on fixing up the building and changing it to match what they want Purple Olive to be.
And they’re moving quickly. Kenney said he hopes to have the new location open by Oct. 1. Meanwhile, the current Purple Olive remains open at 4255 A1A S., which keeps revenue flowing during the renovation and keeps the couple busy.
The plan for the new restaurant is something different from both Gypsy and the old Purple Olive.
Kenney said he plans to make the new restaurant something comfortable with price points that make it an option for any day.
“The way that Gypsy was, it fit that niche, and we’re just coming in to carry that feel on,” Kenney said. “Except with some freshened up food ideas and modernized, keeping it up to date.”
The restaurant should be open next month.
“That really is going to be the focus of our business, so we’re going for the local people,” he said.
