Tampa International Airport (TPA) announced it is slowly reopening the shops and restaurants in its terminal, beginning with the iconic, pirate-themed Gasparilla Bar on Airside F.
The reopening comes after the restaurant was closed for two months due to significantly reduced passenger numbers as a result of COVID-19. It was reopened due to a steady increase in passenger volume since that time. Monthly passenger numbers at TPA have increased from 85,998 to 229,851 – a nearly 170 percent jump.
“We’re excited to welcome smiling faces back to the Airport and to start bringing back some of their favorite food and beverage options for traveling,” said Laurie Noyes, TPA vice president of concessions and commercial parking. “We know cleanliness is top of mind and we want travelers to feel comfortable that all the necessary precautions are being taken. We’re doing everything we can to deliver on that promise.”
Espressamente, which serves hot coffee and both sweet and savory eats, has also reopened, and RumFish Grill and Cigar City Brewing are slated for reopening later this week.
Shops and restaurants have installed acrylic shields at the registers along with social distancing floor markings. They have also upped disinfecting measures, and all employees are required to wear face masks while working. Many locations have additional features, including touchless options like Apple Pay and self-checkout.
TPA officials expect to reopen additional concepts as passenger numbers continue to grow, with most shops and restaurants coming online later this year.
