Author Archives: Justine88

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Total Wine & More to open Sarasota store

 

total wine

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune.

Total Wine & More will open its second store in Southwest Florida on U.S. 41 in the recently renovated Pelican Plaza.

The wine, liquor and beer retailer — known for its affordable prices and expansive selection of alcoholic beverages — will open a 20,000-square-foot store next to Sports Authority, which the Herald-Tribune reported in February would arrive at Pelican Plaza.

Total Wine operates another store in the Shoppes at University Town Center (next to Nordstrom Rack,) that has been very successful.

The new Total Wine will compete with Costco Wholesale, next door inside Westfield Group’s Sarasota Square Mall.

Read more here.

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Drivers, don’t fret — Gas prices should ease further

blaserPhoto by Mike Lang, Herald-Tribune staff

Story by Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune.

John Blaser cringes every time he pulls into a gas station.

As the owner of a Sarasota-based landscaping company, he is on the road a lot, moving from one job to the next.

But lately, he has been feeling the pinch at the pump, as gas prices peaked last week at an average of $3.78 per gallon.

“I just don’t want to see it at $4.10 a gallon by the end of summer,” said Blaser, who owns Native Son Landscaping, which services Sarasota and Manatee counties. “The gas market is volatile. I know prices will fluctuate and eventually go down again, but I doubt it will go down that much.”

Drivers, rest assured: Prices will likely drop some and stabilize for the summer, analysts say, as oil refineries switch from a winter blend to a summer blend of gas. The Sarasota-Venice-Bradenton market felt some relief this week — prices hovered in the $3.73 range — but retail prices are still 30 cents more than they were a year ago, AAA data shows.

Read more here.

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Former administrator sues Sarasota airport authority

Story by Justine Griffin & Gabrielle Russon for the Herald-Tribune.

Former Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport administrator Michael Walley is suing the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority and the airport’s chief executive, claiming they interfered with his business relationships, concealed the capabilities of a computer program on shared electronic devices, caused him emotional distress and defamed him.

Walley — who worked as the airport’s director of development and community relations for 10 years and reported to CEO Frederick “Rick” Piccolo — left his position in January 2013.

In a lawsuit filed in Sarasota County circuit court earlier this month, Walley details allegations that he says ultimately led to his resignation.

The former airport executive is suing for defamation after Piccolo told the Herald-Tribune Walley left his post because he made a “grave mistake.” At the time, Piccolo would not elaborate for the April 15, 2013, story.

As the director of development — earning $113,119 per year — Walley spent a decade and nearly $1 million to help land foreign flights and bring new air carriers to airport, which aside from a few seasonal Canadian flights, is international in name only.

Read more here.

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Young Professional Start Up

YPG

Photo by Rachel O’Hara, Herald-Tribune staff

I am leading a new project at the Herald-Tribune Media Group that is geared toward attracting more young professionals to our publications. I am currently a part of a team that is designing a new publication – which is neither print or solely online – that milllennials find hopefully engaging and interesting.

We’re still in the research and development stage, but so far the project has been a lot of fun. I’ve lead small brainstorming discussions in art galleries with young people in our community and with other reporters in our newsroom. This week I’m leading a young professional panel discussion at a jobs conference in Sarasota.

Stay tuned for more to come.

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Saks Fifth Avenue will have its own upscale place to dine

Photo courtesy of Fifth Dining LLC

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune.

When the new Saks Fifth Avenue department store opens at the Mall at University Town Center, shoppers can expect more than just expanded departments and two floors of merchandise. The 80,000-square-foot Saks space — one of the key anchors for the $315 million mall in Sarasota County — also will boast its own restaurant, and be one of the first in the chain to do so.

 

When Saks opens, so will “Sophie’s,” a new restaurant concept by Fifth Dining LLC, a new restaurant effort within the Saks brand. The elegant, gourmet restaurant will complement the department store’s look and feel but will offer a completely separate lunch and dinner dining experience for Saks shoppers.

…Saks Fifth Avenue is the latest upscale retailer to venture into the dining sector in recent years.

Nordstrom’s department stores, including the one in Tampa’s International Plaza, have their own line of in-store cafes, which serve lighter fare, coffee and cocktails.

The concept has helped make Nordstrom more of a destination for shoppers, said Darren Tristano, executive vice president with Chicago-based Technomic, a food consulting firm.

Read more here.