Courigan’s Irish Pub, a St. Pete institution since 2005, to become high

Oct 27, 2023

Courigan's Irish Pub has been a fixture in downtown St. Pete for nearly two decades. This Thursday, the pub will pour its last pint of Guinness.

In yet another sign that the times they are a-changin’ in downtown St. Petersburg, Courigan's Irish Pub, a fixture for nearly two decades at 1 Beach Drive SE, has been sold and will reopen as a high-end sports bar.

In a Facebook post, Pete Boland, the establishment's former general manager and owner of The Galley and Mary Margaret's Olde Irish Tavern, writes that "big changes" are coming to Courigan's, which is located across the street from Al Lang Stadium and has been a popular gathering spot for Tampa Bay Rowdies supporters and soccer fans in general.

The buyer is local restauranteur Piotr Czajkowski, owner of Localz Sports Bar and Grill in Largo and Jamminz Beach Bar on Clearwater Beach. According to an LLC recently filed with the Florida Division of Corporations, Czajkowski is planning to open another Localz in the former Courigan's in downtown St. Pete.

Similar to their Largo outpost, the Localz in downtown St. Pete will offer a drink selection comprised of cocktails, beer on draft and in cans, ciders, seltzers, and more. The food menu will offer traditional sports bar fare, with appetizers such as Mozz Stickz, Crispy Potato Skinz, Boom Boom Shrimp, Wingz along with a selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and sides.

Largo-based Localz Sports bar and Grill will open a second location in downtown St. Pete

"The last day of it as the Old Courigan's is this Thursday, February 9th," Boland writes. "We’re gathering a whole bunch of locals and regulars to drink from our mugs at 7 p.m."

Courigan's has been owned and operated for 18 years by Sam Martin, a 20-year U.S. military veteran. In his Facebook post, Boland says Martin has decided to retire.

"I’m very happy for him," he writes. "He has worked hard for many years … I was incredibly proud to work for him. He was like a father figure to me as I was a young man without a father."

Courigan's was beloved for its live music, trivia nights, more than a dozen beers on tap, and a robust menu of Irish whiskeys, single-malt scotches, and bourbons.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich from Localz Sports Bar and Grill

Regular patrons could join Courigan's mug club for $50 and receive a personalized ceramic beer stein that hung above the bar or was stored in a glass case. Members received more generous pours, as well as discounts on both beer and food.

In recent years, Courigan's had expanded into adjacent space on the ground floor of 1 Beach Drive SE, knocking down an interior wall to create a second bar, additional seating, and an area that could accommodate private events.

Courigan's food menu was extensive for a traditional Irish pub, offering everything from standard fare such as fish and chips and bangers and mash to freshly made pizzas, wraps, a wide range of burgers, poutine, chili, wings, salads, and desserts.

Be sure to visit Courigan's Thursday February 9th to say goodbye to the "pot o’ gold tucked away on Beach Drive."