As part of the 4R’s framework, in concert with the Florida Chamber of Commerce (Relieve, Reopen, Recover, and Reimagine), the Chamber is leading efforts to strengthen businesses, their employees, and their families by providing immediate relief needs and preparing for a safe reopening.
For the latest news, public health and business resources, as well as financial and business relief programs stay up to date with our Resource Guide for COVID-19 at stpete.com/prepare.
The Florida Scorecard – Pinellas County Metrics
Keep track of Florida’s key economic metrics and COVID-19 data with The Florida Scorecard™. Updated regularly.
Reopen the St. Pete Way: Resources & Updates
UPDATE: September 25th
Governor DeSantis announced the move to Stage 3 of his plan to reopen Florida businesses. Click HERE to view the Executive Order.
Here are the main updates:
- Businesses may operate at 100% capacity effective immediately
- Bars and Restaurants may be limited by local jurisdictions to no less than 50% capacity under certain conditions
- Local ordinances regarding social distancing, mask requirements, and mandatory seated service may remain in effect
UPDATE: September 11th
Florida will allow bars to reopen at 50% capacity starting Monday, September 14th.
- Bars, including Breweries and other establishments closed by Executive Order 20-09 may open at 50% capacity beginning Monday, September 14th.
- Bars may only serve patrons while seated.
- Local regulations regarding masks while not seated still apply.
View full Emergency Order 2020-10 allowing bars to reopen on Monday, Sept. 14th.
Local Updates: Pinellas County
Pinellas County Ordinance 20-14 has a half-dozen additional restrictions:
•Employees must wear a face covering whether directly or indirectly preparing food or drinks, whether having customer contact or not, and whether indoors or outdoors.
•Patrons must wear a face covering except when seated and consuming food or a drink and distanced six feet from other parties
•Standing at a bar is prohibited. The state’s reopening plan and the County ordinance require that patrons be seated to be served drinks for on-site consumption.
•Tables/bar stools must be spaced so that individuals and their companion(s) are separated six feet from others. Tables are limited to 10 guests.
•Standing areas are not allowed. Patrons waiting to be seated must remain distanced in groups of no more than 10 people.
•Bars and restaurants must establish rules that encourage social distancing, hand-washing and other protective measures based on CDC guidance.
UPDATE: July 2nd:
DBPR Amended Emergency Order 2020-09 amends the provisions of DBPR Emergency Order 2020-09, as issued on Friday June 26, 2020, to effectively order suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.
- DBPR provided clarification on the previous order: bar counters, if a restaurant or hotel has a bar inside of their establishment that sells food. They can serve from the bar, stools six feet apart or max of 2 together.
- This does not mean bars can open and start serving food. You must have the proper DBPR food service license. If you were closed as a bar – remain closed.
UPDATE: Friday, June 26th
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.
UPDATE: Wednesday, June 3rd
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that the majority of the state would take another step in his reopening plan and move to phase two.
View Governor’s Presentation | Executive Order
Under Phase 2, effective Friday, June 5th:
- Bars and pubs may operate at 50% capacity inside and full capacity out side for dine-in service
- Restaurants can offer bar-top seating with appropriate social distancing
- Movie theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys and arcades can operate at 50 percent of building capacity
- Retail establishments can operate at full capacity with social distancing and sanitization protocols
- Gyms can operate at full capacity with social distancing and sanitization protocols
- Personal services, including tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture, tanning and
massage, to operate with appropriate safety guidelines as outlined by the Department
of Health - Pari-mutuel facilities to operate with a written request from the County Mayor or the
County Administrator and after approval from DBPR - Floridians are encouraged to avoid congregating in groups larger than 50, an increase from Phase One
As the State of Florida moves into Stage 2 beginning on Friday, June 5th, local Pinellas County and City of St. Petersburg officials have decided to align with the state and not impose any additional restrictions.
Additionally, Mayor Kriseman has lifted the order requiring alcohol sales to end at midnight. Last call is now 3 AM beginning today, Thursday June 4th.
NOTE: Please check the City of St. Petersburg Mayor’s Restart page regularly to ensure all local businesses and residents receive the proper information on how to operate your business legally and safely.
Need More Help?
Our Business Resiliency Team will be ready to assist once they receive the county/city orders – we can be reached at www.growsmarter.com/brt if you have any questions on how this will affect your business.
Pinellas County: Resolution 20-83, Order Extending State of Local Emergency through Friday September 18th.
- Share Informational Materials with everyone you know from the CARES Toolkit.
- Educate Your Community about how these programs can help.
- Sign-up to participate in Virtual Meetings to discuss getting information and help to more people, please register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/biznav
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here: www.pced.org/caresfaq
Pinellas CARES Business Program Expands
- Sliding Scale Grants: $2,500 to $10,000 grants for businesses making between $17,000 and $3 million in gross annual revenue.
- Health & Safety Matching Grants: up to $10,000 to assist Target Industry businesses in implementing COVID-19-related upgrades and safety precautions.
- Business Diversity and Arts Micro-Grants: business owners with barriers to participation in other grant programs may be eligible for direct financial assistance and professional services, including business planning and document prep for grant applications.
- Email proof of U.S. and Pinellas County residency + overdue bills.
- Sign a form attesting to lost job or income due to COVID-19 and less than $10,000 in the bank.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Sept. 29th
- The City will accept requests for events on City property and start to reopen City facilities.
- Recreation center room rentals will become available and gymnasiums and fitness centers will resume operations.
- St. Pete Libraries will reopen with limited hours. Services offered and hours will differ among library locations.
- All other public-facing City facilities will return to normal operating hours.
UPDATE: Tuesday, June 23rd
- Fighting Chance Fund: The new application period with program changes is now available, as Tuesday, June 23rd, at 8:00 AM.
If you previously applied and your application was declined, you are eligible to reapply if you meet new criteria. A new application must be submitted.View Fighting Chance Fund Round 3 Guidelines Summary -
New Executive Order: Mayor Rick Kriseman signed a mandatory mask order on Monday, requiring all patrons to wear a mask inside enclosed businesses.
The order will go into effect at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Kriseman signed the order the day before the Pinellas County Commission is set to consider three mask order variations. If the Commission passes a countywide order, Kriseman’s order will be moot.
According to St. Petersburg’s order, the public is required to wear a face mask or face covering over nose and mouth in any public place of assemblage, which is defined as “any room, space, common area, or other location within a building or other structure that is located within the City that is open to the public or made available for use by the public.”
The order DOES NOT apply to:
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Outdoor or partially enclosed area
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Residences, or dwelling or sleeping areas of hotels, apartment buildings, and dormitories
- Daycares, educational facilities, health and ambulatory care facilities, and detention/correctional facilities such as jails or prisons
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Further exemptions to the order include:
- Cases in which there are less than 10 people and all maintain six feet of social distancing
- While eating or drinking
- While exercising or using exercise equipment
- While singing, public speaking or playing certain musical instruments
- While receiving personal services that involve the mouth, nose, skin
- While communicating with someone who is hearing impaired
- If having trouble breathing, unconscious or unable to remove the face mask without assistance; or in any case in which wearing a mask could be detrimental to someone’s health or safety
Violations of the mask ordinance will be treated as code violations and be subject to fines.
NOTE: Report violations to the St. Petersburg Police Department’s non-emergency phone number: (727) 893-7780.
View Executive Order 2020-26
UPDATE: Thursday June 18th
Mayor Rick Kriseman announced that as of 5 :00 PM on Friday, June 19th, all St. Petersburg businesses “will be required to have their employees wear a face mask or covering while in areas of the business open to the public.”
The order is intended for all businesses, including restaurants, bars, gyms, retail establishments, salons and barbershops.
Alongside enforced capacity limits and social distancing requirements, businesses will be required to create and post a specific COVID-19 mitigation plan, which identifies contact points for possible exposure and spread and how those risks are being addressed.
UPDATE: Monday, May 18
Open to the Public May 18
– Computer access by appointment at Johnson, North and South Community Libraries
– Book returns at Main and Mirror Lake Libraries
Starting June 1
– Curbside delivery by appointment on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 AM – 5 PM at Main and Mirror Lake Community Libraries
Contact participating libraries to schedule an appointment. CDC guidelines are still in effect: Keep a physical distance of 6 ft. or more from others. Click here to see more details in the Orders and Policies section.
UPDATE: Tuesday, May 13th
Restart St. Pete – Temporary Retail/Restaurant Outdoor Expansion Program
UPDATE: Monday, May 4th
BEACHES WILL OPEN EFFECTIVE MONDAY, MAY 4th: By the order of Pinellas County, St. Petersburg’s beaches will reopen on Monday, May 4. This includes Lassing Beach, Maximo Beach, North Shore Beach, and the St. Petersburg Municipal Beach at Treasure Island.
Please be aware that swimming is not permitted at Lassing Beach.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines are still in effect. Please continue to practice physical distancing of 6 ft. or more and large gatherings are prohibited.
CITY POOLS WILL OPEN EFFECTIVE MONDAY, MAY 4th: The St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation Department will be opening North Shore Aquatic Complex and Walter Fuller Pool.
Learn more about City pool hours and operations.
UPDATE: Thursday, April 30th
Statement from Mayor Rick Kriseman related to April 29, 2020 State of Florida Order:
“Related to restaurants in St. Petersburg, they may prepare to follow the state’s order permitting them to open at 25 percent occupancy indoors and with six foot spacing between tables outdoors beginning on May 4th, 2020. I want to be clear that the state’s order does not require restaurants and retail establishments to open on Monday, it simply permits them to do so if they choose to do so. Retail establishments that were previously closed may also reopen on Monday at 25 percent occupancy. Our current reading of the recent order is that localities cannot expand the governor’s restrictions, only further restrict them, and I will not do that in this instance.
I can assure all restaurateurs and business owners in St. Petersburg that they will have time to prepare if I were to further restrict a state order. It is important that our restaurants and retail establishments have clarity as soon as possible and that there is uniformity whenever possible.”
More City of St. Petersburg info at stpete.org/emergency.
Chamber “Reopen the St. Pete Way” Support
While we practice social distancing, our Chamber and community partners are still working to bring you opportunities to get connected and stay informed as we navigate our current circumstances. We invite you to stay engaged virtually while we are unable to convene in person.
To view our upcoming events or watch recordings of past events, click here.
Additional Documents & Resources from our Events:
- Restaurant and Retail Affinity Group Suggestions and Takeaways
- Personal Services Affinity Group Suggestions and Takeaways
- May 1st: Town Hall: Reopen the St. Pete Way presentation slides
- May 6th: Town Hall: A Risk Analysis for Reopening St. Pete provided by W3 Insurance – presentation slides (W3 Insurance)
Let the people of St. Pete know that your restaurant or retail business is “Open the St. Pete Way” with the St. Pete Chamber’s Pelican poster.
Open the St. Pete Way means you have created unique COVID 19 returning guidelines for keeping your customers and employees safe.
We’ll deliver your poster and promote throughout our media channels if you simply send the following info to Montana deKuyper, Membership Services Coordinator, at mdekuyper@stpete.com:
- Contact name
- Business name
- Address
- Website address
- A PDF of your Open the St. Pete Way Safety Plan or a link to where it appears on your website.
- Your email and phone number so we can coordinate delivery
We will post your plan on our website (below), so please keep it customer–friendly. Key items to include are topics like your facility cleaning procedures, the expectations of customer interactions and employee safety, assurance of understanding social distancing requirements, etc.
PLEASE NOTE: The St. Pete Chamber is providing this information as a service to our members and the community to highlight businesses with COVID-19 safety guidelines. While we reserve the right to reclaim the poster if a business is not operating in the “St. Pete Way,” we are not responsible for enforcing these their guidelines. Patronizing one of these businesses is an individual decision made at the customer’s sole discretion. We care about your health and theirs. Stay safe
The Business Resiliency Team program is a partnership between Grow Smarter St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Greenhouse, the Greater St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation, and St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. Our Business Resiliency Navigators will:
- Establish relationships with you to understand your business needs.
- Connect you with information, resources, and volunteer professionals to help your business survive and thrive.
- Follow up and provide guidance along the way.
You can get in touch with our team by calling (727) 351-3249 or emailing BRT@growsmarterstpete.com.
More Business Resiliency Team Info:
- St. Pete Chamber access: stpete.com/brt
- Grow Smarter St. Pete access: growsmarterstpete.com/brt
Give Us 5: Business Resiliency Volunteers
We are looking for Bus
iness Resiliency Volunteers; attorneys, accountants, bankers, business consultants, marketers, tech experts, etc. who are willing to provide their time, free of charge, to our business community. If you would like to donate your time, skills, and resources please reach out to brt@growsmarterstpete.com.
Pinellas County Emergency Management has provided a vendor list for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) vendors. This list will be updated as the information is received.
As of April 23, 2020: Pinellas County PPE Vendor List
Employer Guides to Reopening
Industry Reopening Resources
- Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association: Critical COVID-19 Guidance Standards for Hospitality Reopening
- Florida Food Safety Systems: Pandemic Recovery Guide for the Hospitality Industry – COVID Reopening Checklist for the Hospitality Industry
- National Restaurant Association: Resources for Restaurant Operators
- Gordon Food Service: Prepare Your Restaurant for What’s Ahead
- City of St. Petersburg: Restart St. Pete – Temporary Retail/Restaurant Expansion Program
- Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC): Guidelines for Restaurants and Bars
- National Retail Federation: Operation Open Doors – Guidance for Retailers on Reopening Stores
- St. Pete Chamber: Restaurant and Retail Affinity Group Suggestions and Takeaways
- City of St. Petersburg: Restart St. Pete: Temporary Retail/Restaurant Expansion Program
- Cushman & Wakefield: Retail Readiness Checklist (scroll down to download)
- Summit Salon Business Center: Get Prepared for Reopening
- Professional Beauty Association: Going Back to Work
- St. Pete Chamber: Personal Services Affinity Group Suggestions and Takeaways
- American Hotel & Lodging Association: Industry-Wide Hotel Cleaning Through “Safe Stay” Initiative
- Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association: Critical COVID-19 Guidance Standards for Hospitality Reopening
- U.S Travel Association: Industry Guidelines for Health & Safety of all Travelers
- Pinellas County: Short-Term Rentals Reopening Plan
- Biotechnology Innovation Organization: General Info
- BIO: Manufacturing Capacity & Distribution BIO Coronavirus Hub
- Lear Corporation: Safe Work Playbook
- Bay Area Manufacturers Association: Supply Chain Planning
- FloridaMakes: Recovery and Readiness
- Bay Area Manufacturers Association: COVID-19 News and Resources
- Biotechnology Innovation Organization: Manufacturing Capacity & Distribution BIO Coronavirus Hub
- American Bankers Association: The Industry Responds to the Coronavirus
- Credit Union National Association: COVID-19 Response Center
- CSB Correspondent: 20 Point Bank Checklist for Returning to Work
- Ongoing Operations: How to Reopen Credit Union Branches
Digital Analytics Association: COVID-19 Resources
- American Alliance of Museums: How to Get Ready to Open the Doors
- American Alliance of Museums: Three New Scenarios for Financial Survival in 2020
- Performing Arts Alliance: Member Organization Resource Pages
- tcg circle: Communications and Marketing During COVID-19
- Know Your Own Bone: How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Influencing Perceptions and Intentions to Visit Cultural Entities
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Cushman & Wakefield: Recovery Readiness – A Guide to Reopening Your Workplace
