Anyone who's had their hand on the pulse of culture and entertainment in the Tampa Bay area for the past fews knows that the Channelside area wasn't always what it is today.

In fact, the residential and retail hub it is today was once a barren expanse of abandoned factories, rugged industrialism, and general unsightliness just a few short years ago.

Residential and commercial development began to boom in the mid to late 2000's with the development of Channelside Bay Plaza and high rise condo living in complexes like The Grand Central at Kennedy and The Towers at Channelside.

Now, Channelside is reaching a vibrant, developmental apex with six new local businesses setting up shop in this small corner of Downtown Tampa within the past year.  A seventh business, BoConcept is also set to open in Channelside within the next two months.

The majority of these businesses, four to be precise, are located in the retail courtyard of the Grand Central at Kennedy condominiums.  These include Sea Dog Cantina, The Salon 1.0, Cafe Bistro, and Ragin' Grill.

The Sea Dog Cantina, which we wrote about earlier today, has already seen its business triple since opening on December 19 last year.

The other two new Channelside businesses are Victory Coffee & Tea located at 101 N. 12th St. and Twelfth Street Studio located at 101 S. 12th St.

For students and young professionals in Tampa, Channelside and its burgeoning abundance of forward-thinking, modern businesses is becoming an ideal location for those looking to live, grow, and prosper in the Tampa Bay area.

Take a trip out to Channelside soon and see for yourself!