City Launches Legacy Business Program to Honor Community Cornerstone Businesses

City of St. Petersburg Launches Legacy Business Program to Honor Community Cornerstone Businesses

Jan. 29, 2026 - The City of St. Petersburg is proud to announce the launch of the Legacy Business Program, a new initiative designed to celebrate the small businesses that have been integral to the community's character and culture for more than two decades.

The program will designate eight long-standing businesses, one from each City Council district, as official St. Pete Legacy Businesses in recognition of their enduring commitment, resilience, and impact on the city.

"This program is the beginning of something special we want to establish for longstanding businesses in St. Pete", said Tracey Smith, Small Business Liaison Manager for The Greenhouse. "We want to recognize community anchors, stores, and services that are a part of the city's identity. When you think of St. Pete, you think of the experiences these places have created, the true legacy businesses of our community."

Program Benefits

Selected Legacy Businesses will receive public recognition and promotional support from the City, including:

• Official Legacy Business seal to display at their location
• A small ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring their history and community impact
• A feature in BurgBiz: Legacy Edition, shared on the City's social media channels

In further support to the businesses, the City of St. Petersburg will host a series of events, trainings, and panel discussions designed to address longstanding business needs. These sessions will cover essential topics including retirement and succession planning, effective social media marketing and storytelling, access to legal consultation, and support for navigating lease negotiations.

Eligibility

To qualify, businesses must:

• Have operated within St. Pete city limits for 20 or more years
• Be independently owned and operated
• Maintain good standing with all federal, state, and local laws
• Hold active Florida business registration and City business tax receipts

Complete eligibility criteria are available at https://www.stpete.org/legacybusiness.

The one-month nomination period for the first round of submissions will be Monday, Feb. 2 through Monday, March 2. All entries will be reviewed, and the selection announcement will be made on Friday, April 17.

How to Nominate

To learn more and nominate your business, please visit https://www.stpete.org/legacybusiness.