Tampa Bay may be losing yet another vegan business, but its owners don’t want you to mourn a loss just yet—because they’re hoping that someone will carry the torch.
The Black Radish team took to Instagram earlier this month to announce the sale of the beloved vegan bodega after five years in Tampa.
“Time absolutely soars when you’re having fun…but the magic is in the moments in between. This story didn’t start with me, but the end is my choice,” co-owner Tina Sanchez recently wrote on social media. “Continuing to attempt to prioritize capitalism during its fall has taken a truly unprecedented toll on all of us. Things are not normal and that word holds no weight here.”
Despite stating that Black Radish—located at 2923 N 12th St.—had a profitable last few years at its flagship location in V.M. Ybor, Sanchez says that it’s simply time to pass ownership to someone else.Black Radish’s last day under current management will happen on Monday, Sept. 1, with its retail shop and deli operating everyday until then (with the exception of Monday-Tuesday, Aug. 25-26.)
Its final string of events include a baked goods pop-up from MF Bakes taking place on Friday, Aug. 22 and a brunch event happening on Saturday, August 23 from noon-3 p.m.
And while Black Radish as we know it may be closing its doors soon, its ownership team is hopeful that they can find the right buyer to continue the small business’ community-focused approach to plant-based fare and the vegan lifestyle.
“I truly feel positively about this—which I think can be hard to understand because it feels like I’ve broken up with hundreds of people at this point,” Sanchez told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, with a laugh. “But I really am hopeful that somebody wants to continue the project.”
“And this is not really a conversation about profits because I’m proud to say that the past two years have been great for us…instead this is a conversation about the passing of a guard,” she continues. “Black Radish is so important to us, that if it’s not the right person to carry that torch, we’re probably not going to go in that direction.”
Folks that are interested in purchasing Black Radish can call/text (813) 485-5845 or send an email to bodegaforsale@gmail.com.
Sanchez tells CL that the ownership team decided on two selling options: to sell the business title with its inventory, recipes and Instagram handle, or to purchase the building itself in addition to the business.
The business is listed for $120,000, while the business and parcel is running for $420,000. In the case that someone purchases the Black Radish name but doesn’t purchase the building, parcel owner Bryon Lippincott—who owns Black Radish alongside Sanchez and Mikey Schmidt—is open to renting it out to the new owners or to another business entirely.
Black Radish vegan deli and grocery store made its debut in Tampa’s V.M. Ybor neighborhood in the middle of 2020’s coronavirus pandemic, and later rebranded as a bodega with a specialty coffee program alongside its popular sandwiches, shelf-stable goods and locally-made vegan products.
The plant-based bodega is known for its fundraising efforts, outspoken and transparent social media presence and hearty selection of made-to-order deli fare—boasting the title of the only all-vegan grocer in the state of Florida.
A second, short-lived location opened in St. Pete in late 2021 and closed about two years later—that’s when Sanchez, Lippincott and Schmidt took the opportunity to re-focus their attention on the flagship Tampa store.
While Black Radish is known for its tasty vegan bites, over the past five years the small business has also garnered a reputation for being involved in its local community.
Over the years, Black Radish has hosted massive events like the Indie Flea market, thrown countless fundraisers, and even organized an all-vegan “Friendsgiving” feast at Ybor City’s Lara last year.
The team also fundraises for individuals in need, donates to organizations like Tampa’s Food Not Bombs and most recently, spoke out against the genocide in Gaza and other injustices around the world.
“Compassion is what our business is about to begin with, because of veganism, and so it was easy to talk to people that already care about life in its basic form,” Sanchez tells CL. “Being a vegan business meant that it was OK for me to talk about stuff that normally you can’t talk about. A lot of people would never have talked about genocide on their Instagram—and most people didn’t. We closed a bunch of times for people to go to local protests, too.”
“For me, I think the true end came when I couldn’t post on the internet anymore about people buying stuff. I was just like, ‘I literally can’t.’ I cannot pretend to be joyous in these current times,” she adds.
Other aspects of the business that Sanchez is proud of is the way in which she and her business partners (and best friends) were able to treat their staff, continuously prioritizing their safety through the Covid-19 pandemic and never paying them just the minimum wage.
And while Sanchez is looking forward to her respite away from the restaurant industry, both Lippincott and Schmidt are part-owners of St. Pete vegan restaurant Good Intentions, and will likely spend a bit more time there after the closure of Black Radish.
Head to @blackradishbodega on Instagram for the latest updates on its last few days of service.
With the exception of August 25-26, Black Radish’s retail shop will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and its deli will be slinging sandwiches from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. until its last day of service on Sept. 1.
