Tag Archives: retail

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Sarasota area reels in Bass Pro Shop, sources say

basspeo

By Justine Griffin for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

In a deal that’s been rumored for years, sources confirmed Tuesday that Southwest Florida has reeled in another big retail fish: Bass Pro Shops plans to open a store in this market.

The likely location of the megastore — which sell fishing, camping, hunting, boating and other gear — is at University Parkway and Interstate 75, near the under-construction Mall at University Town Center, sources said.

The Springfield, Missouri-based chain — with a store in Fort Myers and another being built in Brandon — has been aggressively expanding into Florida.

It is unclear when the local store is to open or when construction might begin. Representatives of the chain did not return a call for comment on Tuesday.

Bass Pro Shops stores vary in size, but the company’s traditional model, called “Outdoor World,” can be up to 300,000 square feet and is usually situated at a major thoroughfare, near other strong retail plazas or malls.

In recent years, smaller-format stores — 60,000 square feet — have opened to “in fill” areas in between their larger stores.

The Sarasota-Bradenton store will likely be one of those smaller-store formats, common among expanding companies these days, said Phoenix-based retail analyst Jeff Green, who is familiar with the Southwest Florida market.

Read more here.

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Malls’ brighter future is apparent in Vegas

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

Real estate developers and retail chain executives are cautiously optimistic that 2014 is the year for chain stores to expand into new markets and for overall industry growth.

With retail sales up in April more than 4.1 percent compared with a year ago, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers trade group, analysts are hopeful that more new business is on the horizon.

That could mean more new brands coming to Southwest Florida in the near future.

The optimism can be seen in the record number of people in Las Vegas this week at the council’s annual ICSC RECON convention — the largest retail real estate gathering in the world. Industry officials hope to sign more new deals and build momentum to pre-recession levels.

“We’re coming off a strong ICSC conference in New York last December, and now there are more people going to ICSC in Vegas than the last five years,” said Faith Hope Consolo, chairwoman of the retail team for New York City-based Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

“Florida is such an important market that’s seen a lot of growth and change — a lot of great survivors down there, reinventing the wheel,” she said.

Read more here.

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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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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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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.