Business Observer

+ Whitney Beach Deli re-opens bar, restaurant
The Whitney Beach Deli & Wines restaurant re-opened Saturday, June 26, and now serves a limited menu of coffee, doughnuts, muffins and Danish pastry for breakfast, and hot dogs, cold sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner.

The restaurant and bar closed Sunday, June 20, for the summer, but owner Andrew Hlywa decided that operating in a limited capacity will allow the restaurant to save money during the summer, while serving customers.

The bar also re-opened with $1 drafts and other drink specials.

Hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The liquor store, which has remained opened, will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The restaurant and bar will resume full operations in October.

+ CVB Director White steps down from tourism board
Larry White, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), stepped down last week from his position on the Visit Florida Board of Directors, the official tourism marketing corporation for the state of Florida.

White began his tourism career in 1979, when he became the first executive director of the Panama City Beach CVB. For more than 16 years, he has served as executive director of the Bradenton area CVB, which promotes tourism to Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch.

White was appointed 25 years ago to the then-Florida Tourism Advisory Council by Bob Graham, who was governor at the time. White has served as a member of the board, which consists of 48 tourism-industry experts and Visit Florida partners from the private sector, under five Florida governors.

“It is time for me to step down from the board and let a new generation of tourism experts lead the way, but I will remain very involved in promoting Florida’s tourism,” said White, in a press release. “This change will allow me to focus my efforts on growing the Bradenton area’s tourism product, which will continue to include participation in Visit Florida’s numerous programs and advertising, marketing and public relations opportunities.”