By Jim Carchidi
Walter’s Tavern will soon be up and running at the Great Southern Box Company Food Hall in Orlando’s Packing District. Its soft opening, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15, and Sunday, Nov. 16, will mark the latest addition to a long list of venues run by Pine Street Hospitality.
Raising the bar
Walter's Tavern boasts 3,800 square feet of space inside the Great Southern Box Company Food Hall. Photos by Jim Carchidi
Booths, bar seating, and plenty of natural light create an inviting, casual atmosphere.
Pine Street Hospitality was chosen to lead Walter’s Tavern in October after a previous management agreement fell through. “The concept was already in place when we were contacted,” said Walter’s Tavern general manager Zack Zeisloft. “We brought a few of our own ideas to elevate the space."
Zack Zeisloft is general manager of Walter's Tavern and part of the Pine Street Hospitality team.
The 3,800 square-foot sports bar-style venue is named after Walter Simmons Phillips, the youngest son of citrus pioneer Dr. P. Phillips, whose love of aviation and the outdoors is documented in photographs around the space. Table, booth, and bar seating are set in a wide-open floor plan, designed as a gathering place for community and families. And sports fans will appreciate the 15 TV’s that include a 130-inch screen. A Miami Dolphins watch party, held as a pre-opening event on Sunday, Nov. 9, could signal a regular fan presence, but Zeisloft defers to local fan clubs to make that decision.
Beer, wine, and liquor service will be offered along with a craft cocktail menu featuring nine varieties with alcohol and four without. Guests can place orders from the 11 neighboring food hall vendors that can be brought in.
Eyes on the future
Walter’s Tavern is the latest step in the redevelopment of the former citrus industry hub known as the Packing District. Backed by Dr. Phillips Charities, the effort spans 202 acres, located west of College Park and northwest of downtown Orlando. The plan includes 97 acres of industrial/commercial property that have been converted to residential mixed-use, and 105 acres dedicated to parks. The project also includes 3,500 residential units with close to one million square feet of retail and office space.
The Great Southern Box Company dates back to the 1930’s and once housed orange crate production. Its preservation and reuse is central the Packing District mission of revitalization.
The Walter's Tavern management team is also no stranger to revitalization efforts. Matteo Terrasi (aka Matty Bullitt) and Scott Kotroba lead Pine Street Hospitality. They own and manage several downtown Orlando businesses including Bullitt Bar, McQueen's, Sessions, The Basement, The Attic, and Papi Smash’d Burger. Terrasi has advocated for change in the central business district amid rising vacancies, diminished foot traffic, and ordinances that he and other bar and nightclub owners consider stifling and bad for business. While Walter’s Tavern differs from the style and locations that Pine Street Hospitality is known for, they share the Packing District mission of supporting small business and boosting economic development.
“We obviously support what's happening here, but we also have more than 20 years invested in downtown Orlando,” Zeisloft said. “Walter’s Tavern is a different kind of place with its own appeal, but Pine Street remains very committed to the downtown redevelopment efforts as well.
Pine Street Hospitality is planning a grand opening event for Walter’s Tavern in December. Regular hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight, Thursday through Monday, and will begin soon after the soft opening weekend.
Check Walter's Tavern social media accounts for more information and click here to watch Matty Bullitt's interview with The Orlando Real's Ken Pozek.
The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Orlando, reach out and we would love to help!
Posted by The Orlando Real on
Leave A Comment