SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — A Safety Harbor staple on Main Street is making plans to close its doors and move out due to a spike in rent.
Bassano Cheesecake Cafe said its rent is expected to go up by thousands of dollars after their lease is up.
In 2020, Bassano Cheesecake began serving up recipes Tom Bassano said date back generations.
“My aunt Clara would've been the one who cooked for everybody,” Bassano said. “If we lose our café, we lose we're going to lose almost all our friends.”
He said they've faced many challenges starting with the pandemic and now rent increases they can't afford.
“Florida used to be the place to move to because it was the cheapest place to live, but I think we're trying to keep up with California,” Bassano said.
The mayor of Safety Harbor, Joe Ayoub, said 10 years ago downtown looked completely different. There were a lot of empty store fronts, but today it's a different story.
“Main street over the last couple of several years has gotten more businesses, more attention from people residents and out of towners,” Ayoub said.
Ayoub said growth and development aren't necessarily why rental rates are going up.
“They're insurance could be going up depending on what kind of mortgage or loan they have on their building. They may have other factors contributing to them having to pass that cost on to their tenant,” Ayoub said.
Bassano plans to close after the holidays. for now, they're choosing to celebrate the time they have left.
“Like Elvis said why can't everyday be like Christmas,” Bassano said.
Bassano Cheesecake's lease ends in June of 2025. They said customers have volunteered to help them decide what they will do next.
The owner says he would like to find a new location in Safety Harbor.