Venture out with Mellow Ventures

Venture out with Mellow Ventures - A group of people in a boat on a body of water - Coast

One-stop shop leads tours, sells goods and food

Mellow Ventures is Key West’s newest hybrid business. It’s a sporting goods shop, restaurant, and charter headquarters — leading guests on environmental tours of local waters.

It offers paddleboard yoga classes, paddleboard fishing excursions, charter adventures to the Marquesas, Boca Chica and Sugarloaf and also rents skateboards and bikes. The expanding list of activities on the water has only one exception.

“Nothing is motorized,” said Mellow Ventures Owner Rob Oliverio. “I am looking to get a kite surfing instructor here, too.”

The restaurant and bar located inside, death by ˈtäkō, has the same healthy momentum. Some of the menu items are Lemongrass Braised Iowa Beef Short Rib, Pineapple Barbecue Glazed Berkshire Pork Cheeks and Tandoori Spiced Duck Leg Confit and Cracklings.

To go with the homecooked food are craft beers. Chef and kitchen manager Tony Walker said there will not be any Bud Light or Pepsi products, instead patrons indulge in craft drinks in the epicenter of town on North Roosevelt.

After finishing the meal, check out some of the trendy retail merchandise. Lining the store walls and floor space are the latest and greatest sporting equipment from Bote Paddleboards that glide across the water effortlessly to Yeti coolers and sporting equipment. Check out the extremely long skateboards called paddleboard skateboards, propelled with a “street stick” mimicking the same motions.

“This company had their idea on the TV show ‘Shark Tank’ and now it is a big company with great boards. The ride is really smooth,” Alberio said.

Oliverio has been chartering boats in Key West for the past three years, traveling the flats, finding hidden sandbars and dreamy mangrove patches where it is common to see dolphins.

“You put an inflatable paddleboard on your back and rent a bike you are off on your own adventure,” said Oliverio.

Mellow Ventures is located at 1605 N. Roosevelt Blvd. and hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.. Give them a call at 305-745-3874.