La La's Sangria Bar poured its final round in Tampa's Channel District over the weekend, closing its doors on September 13 after more than six years in business at 203 N. Meridian Ave. The specialty sangria spot, along with its sister concept La La's Sports Lounge, shut down at the same location.
The closure was announced through a social media post from the bar, according to Creative Loafing Tampa, which reported that co-owners John and Lauren English invited customers to a final-night party before shutting things down. The outlet's report did not specify a reason for the closure beyond noting the timing, though the couple hinted the concepts could resurface at a new location down the road.
La La's opened in fall 2019 as a specialty bar built around house-made sangrias crafted with all-natural ingredients and no added sugar, per the same account. Over time, the owners expanded well beyond the original sangria-focused concept, adding La La's Sports Lounge with multi-game TV broadcasts, pool tables, cigars, hookah, and a late-night kitchen that stayed open until 2:30 a.m., according to Atly.
Bankruptcy Filing Preceded the Final Closure
The bar's end came after a rocky stretch that began in 2024, when La La's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to reorganize more than $1 million in debt, citing inflation and rising supply costs as driving factors, per the same reporting. The closure came amid other local restaurant and bar closures, according to industry reporting cited by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
Before the financial troubles mounted, the venue had built a track record as a neighborhood fixture. During Super Bowl LVII in February 2023, La La's hosted a Super Bowl watch party, and in April 2022 the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division held a happy hour.
La La's Channel District Location
La La's operated at 203 N. Meridian Ave. in Tampa's Channel District, according to Zillow. La La's opened in fall 2019, giving the area a street-level bar.
The closure comes just as the surrounding blocks are undergoing dramatic change. Developer Strategic Property Partners entered city review in May 2026 for a new entertainment district along Channelside Drive featuring a 3,500-capacity live music venue and a 250-room hotel, according to Tampa Bay Developer. The N. Meridian Avenue corridor itself remains a hub for major events, having hosted the relaunch of the Gasparilla Music Festival's return at the nearby 11.5-acre Meridian Fields in April 2026.
Part of a Broader Wave of Turnover
La La's isn't the only long-standing Tampa Bay hospitality name to change hands amid the area's redevelopment boom. Ybor City's The Bricks sold for $3.14 million in January 2026 to developers tied to the Gasworx project connecting Ybor to Channelside, a deal Hoodline covered in its piece on the developer behind The Bricks sale. The deals reflect ongoing redevelopment in the surrounding blocks.
The area's accessibility and transportation remain part of broader downtown discussions. For now, though, the closure leaves Meridian Avenue without one of its longtime late-night anchors, while the owners have hinted the concepts could resurface at a new location.
