Barkett Realty to Commingle with Sea Grapes Wine Lounge & Light Fare

Residents and visitors will soon have an innovative way to shop for a home along the Gulf Beaches via a new Barkett Realty location, all while enjoying a relaxing glass of wine and sampling authentic charcuterie at Sea Grapes Wine Lounge & Light Fare. Experiential retail, the concept of offering an experience beyond the traditional expectations, is new to this area, but one that John Barkett and his partner, Julie Featherston, know well.

The couple was inspired by a similar concept while vacationing in the Florida Keys a few years ago. Combining their love of wine, their beach-living lifestyle as St. Pete Beach residents and Barkett’s extensive career in real estate, they are creating a comfortable and inviting environment for both locals and tourists. 

Sea Grapes will offer a variety of wines by the glass or bottle onsite with a wider selection of bottles to-go. The light fare will include a gourmet selection of charcuterie, as well as grab-and-go options. The location at 6390 Gulf Boulevard has easy access to the beach being on the west side of Gulf Boulevard and in walking distance of all major beachfront hotels—making it the perfect spot to assemble provisions for a sunset picnic. 

This is a second location for Barkett’s boutique real estate firm, expanding the footprint from its downtown St. Petersburg headquarters. “We knew that St. Pete Beach didn’t need just another real estate office,” said Barkett, a real estate professional with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. He added, “In addition to the expert knowledge we offer to both buyers and sellers on the beach, we have also created a beautiful space for people to gather and really enjoy the lifestyle that has emerged in this area.” 

Another impetus to develop this space is to have a venue to promote their Clients’ luxury developments along the beach, including The Coastal Collection: Treasure Island. The brokerage space will include a dedicated showroom for those buyers to make their designer-grade selections, while taking advantage of the Sea Grapes offerings and ambiance.. 

“This hybrid-concept is especially attractive to beach residents looking to sell their homes, as our location will have a strong flow of vacationers. Not everyone on vacation at the #1 beach in the United States wishes to purposefully research potential real estate options. That being said, vacationers are more than happy to drink an amazing glass of wine (or more) paired with gourmet cheese and charcuterie while listening to chill music, and if they happen to view well-marketed beach real estate, that’s ok too.  As an informed homeowner on the beaches, there isn’t a better place to list your property than with an office and broker that has designed and built an experiential concept for you as a fellow beach resident” said Barkett. 

Construction is currently being finalized with a grand opening expected in December. 

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