A Clearwater-born açaí and poke bowl chain is setting up shop on Treasure Island, with plans to open a 1,300-square-foot café at 111 107th Avenue, Unit A, in October. The new spot will mark Kaia Bowls' seventh Tampa Bay location and its first with a dedicated coffee program.
According to stpeterising.com, the Treasure Island café will take over a space previously occupied by Vine and Grind, which relocated to 7230 Central Avenue and rebranded as Brick Road Olive Oil Company. The new Kaia Bowls will serve the brand's familiar lineup of poke bowls, açaí bowls, avocado toast, juices and smoothies, but it will also be the franchise's first location to feature an espresso machine and dedicated coffee program, the outlet reports.
Once open, the Treasure Island café is expected to operate daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., per the same report. That schedule would give beachgoers and locals an early option for a smoothie or coffee before a day on the sand, rounding out a menu that has become a staple across several Tampa Bay communities.
From Clearwater Roots to a Growing Regional Footprint
Kaia Bowls got its current direction when Clearwater residents Marc and Cristinela Ancuta took over the brand in 2022 and began offering franchise opportunities in 2024, the site's report notes. The chain has since expanded well beyond its original Clearwater base, with locations also opening in Ybor City and Lutz last year.
The brand has been described elsewhere as a healthy fast-casual concept with locations in Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete and Safety Harbor, according to whatnow.com. That same report identified at least three additional locations in development at the time, in Lisle, Illinois, Gainesville and Ybor City, with the Ybor City café planned for 1208 E Seventh Ave., Suite A.
St. Pete and Lutz Mark Earlier Milestones
Kaia Bowls' growth beyond Clearwater can be traced back to 2023, when the chain opened a 953-square-foot location at 30 Beach Drive Northeast in downtown St. Petersburg, a report from the same outlet states. That spot, in the former Naples Soap Company space, became the brand's third location at the time.
The Lutz expansion followed a similar pattern of growth. Paperwork submitted by Brook & Grace Enterprise, LLC showed a new Kaia Bowls planned for 1946 Collier Parkway in Lutz, according to a separate report from the outlet, which also noted the franchise had grown to five Tampa Bay locations under the Ancutas' ownership.
With the Treasure Island café now in the pipeline, Kaia Bowls continues its steady march across the region, pairing its signature bowls with a new venture into coffee for beachside regulars looking for their morning fix.
