ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A popular restaurant in St. Petersburg closed its doors suddenly last month after its owner decided to move on from the business.

What You Need To Know

  • Elihu Brayboy, who goes by Mr. B, decided to close down his restaurant, Chief's Creole Cafe, after being open for 10 years

  • Brayboy decided to close Chief's to focus his attention on renovating the neighborhood of 22nd Street South in St. Pete

  • His goal for the neighborhood, historically known as the Deuces, is to bring in businesses and affordable housing

There are few people who are as loved and appreciated as Elihu Brayboy, or as most people call him along 22nd Street South in St. Pete, Mr. B.

It’s love that’s shared between the folks who live there and Mr. B, along with his wife Carolyn, who, for the last 10 years, have run Chief’s Creole Café.

It’s a name that means a lot to Mr. B.

“Some people knew her as nurse Brayboy but I knew her and all of my friends referred to my mom as Chief,” Mr. B said.

And Mr. B says Chief could cook.

“She did a lot of cooking, my mom loved to cook,” he said.

So much so that when Mr. And Mrs. B bought this 35-year-old abandoned building and couldn’t get a single restauranteur to lease, it they decided to showcase Chief with some delicious Louisiana-style food themselves.

“Everything we did was based on the heritage of New Orleans cooking,” Mr. B said.

And for 10 years, it became a staple that highlights delicious food and the rich history of his family and the people who made 22nd Street South.

But Mr. B is now 74 years old and said he never meant to become a restaurant owner, let alone a restaurant owner for a decade.

There was no fanfare to the closing, just a simple sign outside, and Mr. B says the community responded positively to the news.

“They say they’re sad to hear that we’re closing but they’re glad to hear that we’re going on to the next chapter in our lives,” Mr. B said.

Because that next chapter involves not only the building that houses Chief’s, but a lot of 22nd Street South that’s historically been called “the Deuces.”

“This is where we believe we can talk to the city about developing affordable housing,” Mr. B said.

His goal, along with the rest of the folks who make up the Deuces, is to bring this place back to a commercial and residential haven.

The goal is new restaurants and adding affordable housing, too.

Mr. B says that’s why he closed Chief’s Creole Café, because he couldn’t put 100 percent of his effort into that anymore. His eyes are fixed on an even bigger prize revitalizing the Deuces into something that’s special once again.

And when that happens, people who are driving by that see Elihu Brayboy will be showering him with praise for more than just his gumbo.

They’ll be praising his efforts in restoring this part of St. Pete.

Mr. B is hoping to speak with the city about adjusting density codes for buildings in the area so they might be able to add even more affordable housing to the area.

He says that even though they received no offers to lease the building when he first bought the place in 2013, they’ve now received over 10 from restauranteurs looking to fill the void Chief’s Creole Café has left on 22nd Street.