Exclusive: Bradley's on 7th owner talks Ybor City crash, safety
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On left, Bradley's owner Bradley Nelson. Photo: Courtesy of Bradley Nelson. On right, the sign for Bradley's on 7th. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios
If you hadn't heard of Bradley's on 7th, you probably have now.
- The Ybor City gay bar was the site of a car crash that killed four people and injured 13 others.
Yes, but: Bar owner Bradley Nelson wants folks to know that it remains the welcoming space that made it so popular in the first place.
Driving the news: Nelson talked with Axios Tampa Bay over email about the crash, the bar and safety in Ybor.
Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How have you and your staff created such a welcoming space, and why is maintaining that environment important to you?
Above the front doors are two signs posted that say "Keeping [the] 'Gay' in 'Gay Bar.'" It was an important designation to me, that we are a gay bar first, but everyone is welcome.
- Bradley's on 7th is also registered with the Tampa Police Department as a designated safe space.
What was the night of the crash like for you and your staff? Some folks were initially worried it was a targeted attack — did you also have that concern at first?
Being a gay bar, the first thought when something happens is, 'Was this a hate crime?' I think in our political climate today, that is a natural first thought.
- For me personally, I knew within the first five minutes that something didn't add up when I saw that the Florida Highway Patrol was immediately on scene.
- The FHP does not patrol anywhere near Ybor City. [The Tampa Police Department] was very quick to state that the suspect was being chased.
Now that we're a few weeks out, is there anything you want people to know about the circumstances that led up to the crash? What about the response from the city and FHP?
Bradley's on 7th's only role in this event was being in an unfortunate location.
- Everyone within the City of Tampa government has been nothing but amazing. From the mayor to the Tampa Police Department, their full support was given from the very beginning.
Have you been involved in conversations about what, if anything, should change as a result of the crash (such as closing Seventh Avenue to cars)? What changes, if any, do you want to see?
My opinion on the future of Seventh Avenue unfortunately may not be the popular one. I fully support Mayor Jane Castor's narrative that Seventh Avenue is safer being open.
- When Seventh Avenue is closed, it allows people that have no intention of visiting the businesses along Seventh Avenue to congregate. This allows a bad element to hang out and possibly cause problems.
- A perfect example of this is downtown Orlando [where city leaders reopened a downtown nightlife district to car traffic after a 2024 shooting that killed two people and injured seven]. It is a large problem, with no easy solution to fix it.
What else do you want your customers and potential customers to know?
I created Bradley's on 7th, but the customers made Bradley's on 7th what it is today. Bradley's is a large group of close-knit customers where everyone is like family. Nothing has changed.
- As a family does, it helps one another survive, prosper and grow. Bradley's on 7th will continue to lead our family and community, as we always have.