Velvet Mat Underground: Coffee, History, and a Basement That Shouldn’t Exist

If you’re reading this with a cup of coffee in your hand… perfect.

That’s exactly how this story should be enjoyed.

Because today we’re talking about a piece of St. Pete history and the very unexpected place The Velvet Mat is about to call home.

Right in the heart of downtown. Underground. Literally.

Kress Building

Welcome to 475 Central Ave, inside the historic S. H. Kress and Co. Building.

And yes… there’s a basement in Florida.

Which, if you know anything about Florida, is basically like discovering a unicorn wearing flip-flops! And in my world, unicorns do exist.

A Building That’s Been Watching St. Pete for Almost a Century

Long before rooftop yoga, craft breweries, and Central Avenue art walks, the Kress Building was already part of the pulse of downtown.

It was built in 1927, during a time when St. Petersburg was growing fast and Central Avenue was becoming the main commercial strip of the city. The building housed a Kress “five-and-dime” store, a national retail chain that was the original version of what we might think of today as a dollar store.

But back then, it was more than just a place to shop.

It was where people wandered through aisles of housewares and cosmetics, where kids spent their allowance on toys, and where neighbors ran into each other while grabbing something small they didn’t know they needed.

Many Kress stores were known for their soda fountains and lunch counters, which meant the building wasn’t just retail it was a place people gathered. A little social hub in the middle of town ( sounds like something we like to do!)

For decades, the Kress Building sat right on Central Avenue watching St. Pete grow around it, through boom years, quieter decades, and eventually the cultural revival that downtown is now known for today.

The store stayed open until the early 1980s, when many downtown retail chains closed as shopping malls began taking over... remember those? Almost extinct but a few are still hanging in there! As the shopping malls began taking over, the building itself never lost its presence.

It remained one of those downtown landmarks that quietly holds a lot of stories.

So much so that it was later added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its importance in the city’s architectural and cultural history.

Now Let’s Talk About the Basement…

Here’s the part that makes this story even better, Florida doesn’t really do basements.

Between the water table, the sandy soil, and the occasional hurricane mood swings, most buildings here stay firmly above ground.

So when you discover a historic building with an actual basement?

That’s rare!

When that basement sits underneath Central Avenue in the heart of downtown?

That’s where things start to feel a little magical.

The first time I walked into the space beneath the Kress building, it had that feeling... the kind where you immediately know a place has potential before anything is even built out.

Dim lights. Bricks. History in the walls.

The kind of place that doesn’t want to be polished into something predictable.

It wants to be something different.

The Velvet Mat Goes Underground!

For years, The Velvet Mat has been a bit of a traveling circus of yoga.

Rooftops. Breweries. Beaches. Plant shops. Puppy yoga. Kitty yoga. Rage yoga.

Basically wherever the vibe felt right.

It’s been beautiful and chaotic and community-driven in the best way possible.

But when this basement appeared (like magic), hidden underneath one of the most historic buildings in St. Pete, it felt like the next chapter wrote itself. Where do I sign?!

Because The Velvet Mat was never meant to be a quiet, minimalist yoga studio with white walls and whisper voices.

It was always meant to be a little rebellious.

A little witchy.

A little rock-and-roll.

So naturally…

We went underground.

And a fun little personal fact while we’re talking about going underground…

One of my favorite movies of all time, since I was a tiny ankle-biter, is Labyrinth. Yes, the David Bowie masterpiece. The theme song has always stuck with me, especially the part that says:

“But down in the underground you’ll find someone true…down in the underground…a land serene…a crystal moon.”

So maybe this whole Velvet Mat Underground thing was written in the stars long before I even knew it.

What This Space Is Becoming

Right now, this nearly 100 year old building and basement is still in its transformation era, and she's vibing!

There’s building happening.

Lights going up.

Local artists and creative friends making their marks...

But very soon this historic basement will become The Velvet Mat Underground... a place for yoga, dance (hint hint), workshops, music, community gatherings, teacher trainings, and whatever other magic decides to show up.

Think less “traditional yoga studio.”

More speakeasy-style movement space hidden beneath Central Avenue.

A place where the history of St. Pete meets the future of our community.

Stay Tuned…

The official grand opening date is coming soon!

And trust me… you’re going to want to say you were here from the beginning.

More behind-the-scenes stories, build-out updates, and history of the space and St. Pete are coming soon!

Until then, next time you walk down Central Avenue, take a second to look at the Kress building.

Because beneath it…

Something new is waking up.

And it’s going to be pretty magical.

Come for the movement. Stay for the magic.

Crystal Kage & The Velvet Mat

P.S. If you'd like to read more on the history of this building and see old floor plans... check out this article.

Old Kress Building basement floor plan