St. Petersburg
     There’s just something about the traditional, old Florida style that has always captivated Jamie Farquharson. The tavern owner wanted to capture that familiar style but with a twist. The result is Beak’s Old Florida, a tavern with a beach-bar feel in an upscale setting.
      “We wanted a diverse and compatible neighborhood since we are extremely socially liberal,” Farquharson said. “The Grand Central district surrounds us with like-minded people and makes it easier for us to have an inviting environment.”
     Farquharson owns the tavern with his fiancé Evelyn Powell, and the couple live in the gay-friendly Kenwood neighborhood, less than a mile from their new business at 2451 Central Ave. Beak’s employs nine people—gay and straight—and has a clientele as diverse as the menu.
     “We want everyone to be comfortable and to feel welcome here,” Farquharson said. “Gay, straight—whatever. All we ask is that you are over 21.”
     Powell admits, however, that the target demographic for Beak’s Old Florida is the 30-and-older crowd who may want to make an evening out more of an event than just another evening of food and drinks.
     Once you enter the 2,200-square-foot building, you realize that you are not in your typical neighborhood bar and grill. The walls are crowded with knick-knacks ranging from wooden parrots and palm trees to a full-size pirate mannequin and his wench, who both sit above the bar to keep an eye on patrons.
     “We have a lot of conversation pieces—some are our own, and others are items we found on eBay,” Powell said. “I spent a whole lot of time on eBay.”
     The music at Beak’s is an eclectic mix of songs from the 1930s through the 1970s. All the music is from Farquharson’s personal collection. 
     “Its 40 hours worth of music with R&B, blues, rock—you name it,” he said. “But the key here is the food and the alcohol. We put our own twist on things here.”
     That’s where the talents of bar manager Jeff Klein and kitchen manager Todd Jerden come in. Klein, a former bartender at Georgie’s Alibi, says he has taken his experience and infused it into making the drink selection at Beak’s a cut above the rest. He has also helped amass Beak’s extensive collection of rare wines.
     “I like to take new kinds of alcohol and introduce it to our customers in specialty drinks, like our tiramisu martini,” Klein said. “I know that tiramisu sells like crazy as a dessert, so why wouldn’t it sell as a drink?”
     Jerden takes the same liberties in the kitchen. The culinary school graduate says he will take a request from Farquharson and make a unique dish for his customers.
     “Everyone has quesadillas,” Jerden said, “but ours have that Beak’s taste you won’t get everywhere.”
     Jerden didn’t reveal on the ingredients of his “wench sauce” but Farquharson guarantees an exquisite flavor in the appetizer.
     Beak’s Old Florida is open from 4 p.m. to midnight every day. Hours will adjust for specific events such as St. Pete Pride, of which the tavern is already a vendor.
     For more information, contact Beak’s Old Florida at 727-321-9100.