Pineapple Square gets ball rolling downtown

Opening of first national retailer to be followed next week by kitchen store's debut
By TONI WHITT
toni.whitt@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA -- Just in time for the holidays, two new retailers and a restaurant are set to open at Pineapple Square.Today's grand opening of tony clothier Brooks Brothers newest store marks the near-completion of the first phase of Pineapple Square and the renovation of the existing stores along Lemon Avenue. The 5,100-square-foot clothing store is at the southeast corner of Main Street and Lemon Avenue.Sur La Table, the Seattle-based kitchen store that competes with retailers like Williams Sonoma, is set to open next week. Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse plans to open next month.The development also has leased two other retail spaces on Main Street, outside Pineapple Square, said John Simon, chief executive and partner for Pineapple Square Properties.To Simon, today's grand opening is special because it brings the first national retailer into Pineapple Square."We're trying to bring new retail life to downtown, and we'll be a catalyst for a lot more," he said.Brooks Brothers is bringing one of five new concept stores to downtown Sarasota with its Brooks Brothers Country Club shop.The concept offers a limited selection of suits and shoes and an expanded line of more casual attire, that fits in more with the Sarasota lifestyle, said Michelle Haast, a district manager for the company. The store is airy and white, with hardwood floors and a casual feel.The other country club stores are in The Hamptons, N.Y., Newport, R.I., Tucson, Ariz., and Sandestin, in the Florida Panhandle.Haas said the company opened the Sarasota store because Sarasotans were already traveling to stores in Naples and Tampa, the two closest retail shops, and because the factory store at Prime Outlets at Ellenton does so well.Sur La Table is scheduled to open Nov. 14 on Lemon Avenue and State Street, across from Whole Foods. It will be the 66th store for the company and one of only three in Florida.The company, which sells high-end and handmade kitchen utensils, looks to put its stores in prosperous communities. It has a shop at Palm Beach Gardens mall and another opening this month in Pembroke Pines."Pineapple Square typifies what Sur La Table was looking for in Florida," said Jack Schwefel, the company's president. Schwefel said the company likes to open in downtown spots with a mix of retail and services.Construction workers were still painting, installing shelves and moving installations at the 4,500-square-foot store Monday.Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, based in Ohio and frequently listed as one of the top steak restaurants in Zagat, is hoping for a December opening, Simon said. The restaurant, in the former Ovo Cafe space at Lemon and State, has not set a definite date because it wants to make sure it has a fully-trained staff before bringing in customers.Pastry Art, a local coffee shop and bakery, was Pineapple Square's first tenant. It has been open for nearly a year on Main and has been in Sarasota since 1997.Simon also is bringing a new wine bar to Main Street, just outside Pineapple Square. Tastings will open next door to Barnacle Bill's Seafood restaurant.Tastings is a regional wine bar that will carry more than 100 wines in stock, available by the taste, by the glass and by the bottle. Every bottle is sold at retail price and can be opened in the store, or taken home to enjoy.Simon also is leasing to Pagliacci, a gift shop and local retailer, which will open at 1429 Main St."Almost all of our retail space in Phase One is leased or occupied," Simon said.He said he is negotiating with six other retailers for space in the second phase of construction and hopes to announce some of the new retailers in January or February. Simon said he hopes to complete the entire Pineapple Square project in 2010.
Last modified: November 06. 2007 4:08AM