Laurie K. BlandfordTreasure Coast Newspapers
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A local couple hopes to kickstart a new Fort Pierce destination area with their new bakery, bistro and wine bar.
Darryl Bey and his wife, Gina Dean-Bey, plan to open the Bluebird Bakery, Bistro & Wine Bar on Delaware Avenue in the Peaco*ck Arts District.
Since the new restaurant will be less than a quarter-mile away from a similar business, Bey wants to market the area as Uptown Fort Pierce.
“You go downtown,” Bey said, “and then, if you want to have some fun, you come uptown.”
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Bey has been involved in the local entertainment scene for over 25 years. He brought his promotions company, Bluebird Productions, from Ohio and Alabama to Florida, and he was one of the founders of the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society.
Meanwhile, his wife runs Gina’s Bake Shop and primarily sells at the Downtown Fort Pierce Farmers Market on Saturdays.
For the last 15 years, the couple has owned an historic home, originally built in 1920, across from the Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie (CAST), formerly the Fort Pierce Magnet School of the Arts. He's been using the second floor as his office, and she’s been baking at home and at a commissary.
They hope to take everything to the next level by opening a cafe in the house by the beginning of next year.
They’ve had to do a lot of work, fixing termite damage, updating the plumbing and electrical, and building a new deck in the front to seat 48 people.
“It’s a historic house,” Bey said. “We’re modernizing and making it comfortable.”
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The restaurant will serve light breakfast and lunch with soups, salads and sandwiches, plus tea and coffee, with an espresso machine. Evenings will feature small plates with wine and craft beer, as well as live music.
The baked goods will be made from scratch daily and include sugar-free and gluten-free options, including cookies, pastries and pies. Gina also has a line of organic dog treats.
The restaurant will be walking distance from Cool Beans Brew, which Patrick Campion and Dawn Feola opened in December 2019 in a 1925 home with its original Dade County pine floors. The Fort Pierce Art Club meets there weekly, and it’s decorated by over 55 artists.
The couple uses Bill’s Gourmet Coffee from Nelson Family Farms in Fort Pierce. The 100% Colombian beans are roasted by Dan Nelson, son of the late Bill Nelson. They also serve pastries, parfaits, salads and wraps.
Bey said he’s considering using the same coffee at Bluebird Bakery, Bistro & Wine Bar.
“We’re going to sell some similar things,” Bey said. “But I’ve been to business school. And what I’ve learned is competition is always good.”
If Delaware Avenue grew to be home to 10 coffee shops, he said, that would bring 10 times more people to the area, which could benefit everyone. Eventually, the better coffee would beat the others, he said, but for now there’s enough to go around.
“I don’t see competition as being adversarial,” Bey said. “I just see it as an opportunity for everybody to make some money.”
Campion wants the district to grow since Cool Beans Brew championed the change from mostly law offices on Delaware Avenue to more businesses. He said it proved a business doesn’t have to be downtown, on U.S. 1 or in a strip plaza to be successful.
The two eateries appeal to a different customer base, especially since Bluebird will be open after Cool Beans closes at 5 p.m.
“I don’t think it’s going to be too much of a hit for us,” Campion said. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have more businesses on Delaware.”
Bey and his wife have lived in the neighborhood near Delaware Avenue for almost 30 years. It’s a long walk but a short drive to downtown about a mile away.
After the new cafe opens, the couple plans to have live entertainment and close the road for street festivals.
“This neighborhood is very bicycle-friendly and walk-friendly,” Bey said. “This neighborhood is changing to younger people.”
Laurie K. Blandfordis TCPalm'sentertainmentreporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Follow her on Twitter@TCPalmLaurieand Facebook@TCPalmLaurie.Email her atlaurie.blandford@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter atprofile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.
