St. Matthew’s Tavern 1300 N Mills Ave., Orlando St. Matthew’s name is only semi-ironic. The gathering space for all kinds of folks started its life as both a bar and a meeting space for a local Catholic group on Sunday morning. That group’s mass has moved on The Center but the “anyone’s welcome” vibe has remained. Credit: Photo courtesy St. Matthew's/Facebook

Team Market Group closed out 2022 with a bit more of the ol’ aggressive expansion, purchasing Orlando dive bar St. Matthew’s Tavern on Mills Avenue.

As reported by Orlando Business Journal in the finals days of 2022, nightlife movers TMG added St. Matthew’s to their extensive portfolio of properties that currently includes (deep breath) Mathers Social Gathering, Ann Teague’s, The Robinson Room, Taco Kat, Plantee’s and The Wellborn.

St. Matthew’s has been pouring ’em (incredibly) strong in their current incarnation for nearly 10 years. Before that the building went under the names Orlando Nights and Paradise. It’s always been a freewheeling spot, and a recent visit there found the dance floor packed with tipsy two-steppers and the bar buzzing with activity.

TMG partner Romi Mawardi characterized the purchase as an “investment” and told OBJ that the current plan was to keep the old divey charm intact, maybe. For now at least: “It’s going to stay the same for now, but we will clean it up and may have more plans for it in the future.”

TMG also purchased events venue The Acre in December, and are in the final stages of their renovation of Orlando bowling institution Colonial Lanes.

Coming soon: Orlando Weekly Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting Orlando stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

This article appears in Dec 28, 2022 – Jan 3, 2023.