Doc Ford’s Jungle Terrace, located at 8790 Bay Pines Blvd in St. Petersburg, will close on Sunday and reopen in about a week as Boca Ciega Waterfront Bar & Grill. The Doc Ford’s location on the St. Pete Pier will remain open.
Background
Doc Ford is a character in over 30 novels by bestselling Florida author Randy Wayne White, who licensed the name and related concepts to Island House Restaurants in 2003. HM Restaurant Group took over the contract in 2015.
In the summer of 2025, White sued HM Restaurant Group, alleging that the company had not paid all royalties due to him and had breached the terms of their licensing agreement. HM Restaurant Group denied the allegations.
It is not yet known how the removal of the Doc Ford’s name from the Bay Pines location is directly related to the lawsuit. However, in an interview with the Catalyst, White stated that HM Restaurant Group had also used the Doc Ford’s name to promote its other restaurants, which he claimed was a violation of their licensing agreement.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
