Pasadena Liquors and Fine Wines has begun a storewide sale as the business prepares to close its retail doors. The store is now 25% off everything, and there is still a wide range of bottles available across wine, spirits, and specialty selections.
Valenty’s Lounge remains open, and customers have been stopping by to share memories and spend time in a space that meant so much to Jim and to the neighborhood.
Honoring Jim Valenty
For more than fifty years, Jim Valenty worked beside his brother Bob and carried forward a family business that began with their father, John and mother, Josephine, known as “Momma V” to many. Pasadena Liquors became a fixture in South Pasadena because of the way Jim treated people. He built a place where customers felt known, where staff felt like family, and where the door offered more than a transaction. It offered connection.
His daughters shared that the store became a second home for him. His generosity shaped every corner of the business. He regularly donated bottles to local fundraisers, gave freely to silent auctions, and supported a multitude of causes, with an emphasis on charities benefiting foster children, pediatric cancer, and youth throughout the community.
A Local Legacy
Pasadena Liquor holds decades of stories. Customers sought out the wine room for the selection, but even more for the people behind it. Wine expert Peter Celli has spent twenty years guiding customers through bottles and vintages and is one of the most familiar faces in St. Pete’s wine community. Mike DeSalvia has shaped the wine offerings with the same care, and he plans to open a new wine bar with retail in the same plaza. More information will be shared as that project develops.
Last year’s hurricanes, Milton and Helene, caused unexpected damage to the shop, but the response from the community showed how deeply Pasadena Liquor is woven into the fabric of St. Pete. Neighbors, friends, and longtime customers rallied to support the staff and family as the store rebuilt. It reopened because people wanted it back. It meant something to them.
Valenty’s Lounge
Valenty’s Lounge has always been an essential part of the story. Since 1989 it has served as a neighborhood living room, the kind of space where people settle in, greet one another by name, and stay longer than they planned. Many describe it as St. Pete’s real life version of Cheers. The friendships formed here, and the comfort the space provided, are central to Jim’s legacy.
Although the retail shop is closing, the lounge will remain open for now and continues to welcome anyone who wants to stop in and remember Jim.
Storewide Sale Details
The storewide sale is currently 25% off everything. Inventory is moving, so anyone who wants to visit the shop or support the family during this transition may want to stop by soon.
The retail shop will close once this process is complete. Valenty’s Lounge will continue operating for now, offering a familiar place for the community during this time of change.
Continuing the Story
Pasadena Liquor reflects the work and heart of three generations. It holds the values Jim lived by and the relationships he nurtured across five decades. The Valenty family welcomes anyone who would like to visit, support the sale, or spend time at the lounge as the community remembers a man who gave so much to St. Pete.
St. Pete Wine Scene will share updates on Mike’s upcoming wine project as more information becomes available.
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