It seemed like William and Bryan Graveley, owners of Betterway Barbeque, knew most of the people in the dining room Monday night, as 22 South Food Hall in the Historic Manhattan Casino opened its doors for a friends and family preview.
The brothers stopped at many of the tables, catching up with friends and asking how guests were enjoying their food — and getting big smiles, thumbs up and enthusiastic head nods in return.
They also were getting an affirmation for being a part of an initiative to bring new businesses to The Deuces, the 22nd Street South corridor that traditionally has been a hub for Black-owned businesses and families, including the Graveley family.
“It’s kind of like coming back to our roots and helping to revitalize what was taken away,” William Graveley told the St. Pete Catalyst.
Betterway Barbeque is among the initial seven food concepts at 22 South. (See a gallery of photos below).
The food hall, scheduled to open to the public April 30, is one of the key elements in the revamped Historic Manhattan Casino at 642 22nd St. S. The city-owned building, leased by the Callaloo Group, also will feature an incubator for fledgling restaurateurs, a culinary training program run by Metropolitan Ministries, and co-work space run by Rising Tide Innovation Center.
