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New shops set to open at resort
Naples Bay Resort
1500 Fifth Avenue, Naples, Fl
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One of the first retailers to sign on at Naples Bay Resort, Bayside Optical, is expected to open at the Naples waterfront property on Friday.
The 510-square-foot shop will focus on designer sunwear sales, but will include full optician services.
“Now, it’s a scary climate for retailers, but I feel this place is new and exciting,” Bayside Optical owner Bob Jack said.
“It may take six months to get going, but without a doubt, you couldn’t bust me out of here. I feel lucky to be one of the first,” he said.
Jack owned the Pearle Vision store at Coastland Center mall in Naples for more than 20 years before choosing to open a shop at the resort.
Although he is confident in his decision, Jack still doesn’t know who his neighbors at the Shoppes will be, come next season.
To date, only 62 percent of the 29,602 square feet of retail space at the Antaramian Development Group project is leased.
Bookending the Shoppes are restaurants Olio and Bonefish Grill, which opened in February and May of this year, respectively.
The Naples Bay Yacht Club and the Naples Bay Marina dockmaster also have spaces there, as does Benchmark Hospitality, which runs the hotel at the resort located on the south side of U.S. 41 East just past the Gordon River.
Prudential Realty’s Pam Watson, the leasing agent for the Shoppes, said she is making headway on finding tenants for the remaining storefronts that are adjacent to an 85-room hotel, 30 larger residences, and a 97-slip marina.
“There are good concepts we are trying to secure before October of this year. Our hope from leasing (is to find) tenants that complement the resort,” Watson said.
Possibilities include a gift shop, a beauty salon, a café and a grab-and-go eatery that would cater to boaters using the marina facilities.
Bayside Optical will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday hours aren’t set yet.
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I went by this area not expecting anything, I was really impressed, The Bonefish Grill was excellent the atmosphere of the small bay area was quite nice and I prefer it over the Bayfront. They did a nice job and parking was abundant and convemient. A nice small coffee shop would be wonderful as it might be one of the more charming places to sit and sip a cup of coffee.
#1 Posted by kneejerk on July 17, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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