Tag Archives: business journalism

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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.

 

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Sarasota airport eyes international market

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

Renovations to expand the U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport are set to begin next month in what officials hope will be the next step of several to attract international air carriers to Southwest Florida.

As sports venues like Nathan Benderson Park and the IMG Academy in Bradenton continue to attract more international sporting events to the region, airport officials are attempting to keep up with the expected influx of visitors from overseas by updating airport facilities to accommodate international planes and passengers.

“We want to be in sync with venues like Benderson Park and IMG as they grow over the years,” said Fredrick “Rick” Piccolo, Sarasota-Bradenton’s chief executive. “There’s no guarantee that if we make these improvements that an international carrier will come, but if we don’t do it, they definitely will not come.”

In 2001, the airport spent roughly $15 million, much of it federal money, to extend the airport’s main runway to accommodate larger, internationally based aircraft. Expanding the customs operation is the next step in solidifying preparations for international traffic.

Read more here.

Related:  SRQ hopes to add direct flight from  Baltimore

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport officials are hoping they can provide enough incentives to persuade air carriers to offer flight service to and from the Baltimore area for the spring training season next year.

 

They spoke about incentive packages, which could include up to $500,000 for advertising new flight routes and waiving landing fees for a carrier, at a Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority meeting on Monday.

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A year of change at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

Jack Dusty Anniversary Party

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

It has been a good year for Jack Dusty, the nautical-themed restaurant that has helped transform the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.

The upscale resort property has made significant moves recently to redefine luxury in Southwest Florida.

The Ritz has been the standard of high-end resort and condominium living and dining in Sarasota, but in the last year the has property shifted away from the idea that a grander lifestyle must be exclusive and pretentious.

The hotel has instead taken on a more modern, hip and casual approach.

Read more here.