Stella’s fun and kitschy appeal spills over into a cute new boutique in the town’s Art Village
Stella’s proprietor Barbara Banno left the New York finance world 11 years ago to open a kitschy, colorful cafe in the bohemian bedroom community of Gulfport, and she hasn’t looked back.
Banno’s hotspot, Stella’s, has won awards for its homestyle-meets-fusion breakfasts and has become a favorite of residents, who in pre-COVID-19 days would crowd elbow-to-elbow a few hundred steps away from the waterfront and Gulfport Casino, a mint-green dancehall landmark built in the 1940s.
Named after Banno’s great-aunt — a nun who served her family big Sunday dinners — Stella’s relocated a year ago last August to the downtown Gulfport Arts Village. The festive courtyard features a taphouse and kava bar.
“It’s really just a great energy down there,” Banno said. “I think I’ve taken it just to a different level and have been very, very lucky with the move.”
Before the relocation, Stella’s became identifiable by T-shirts and other merch with nun iconography. Love for Great-Aunt Stella’s generosity and humor spill over to Banno’s new shop, Stella’s Sundries — a hundred feet away from the restaurant — where you can find a variety of quirky household gadgets, kitchenware, giftables, greeting cards and souvenirs.
There’s even a nun stamper for toast that brands breakfast bread with a habit-smocked sister.
“It all started for me just creating these fun T-shirts for people,” Banno said, referencing the nun swag, “and when the space came available less than a hundred feet from my restaurant, I thought, ‘How can I expand my brand, but also bring something new and fun to Gulfport?’”
At Stella’s Sundries, you can lose a good hour browsing quirky and inventive products. Among your options: a whale-shaped pasta strainer and Banno’s signature green tomatoes and jams, including Banno’s spicy bacon jam.
A Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 5 to 9 p.m., will include complimentary appetizers, featuring some of Stella’s favorites, beverages, and raffles. The event will coincide with Gulfport’s monthly third Saturday Indie Market, featuring artists and crafters displaying and selling their work along the sidewalks of Beach Boulevard.
For more information, call 727-303-0976 or stellasundries@gmail.com.