STORE AROUND THE CORNER: Aqua Beachwear

If you’ve ever wondered why Aqua Beachwear stores pop up in beachy, resort-style hotspots, the reason is simple: owners Dona and Mary Bauer always choose their favorite vacation destinations.

Newest to the mix of more than one dozen locations throughout Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands is the Siesta Key location at 5131 Ocean Blvd., next to the Village Café.

“Siesta Key is an amazing area,” Don Bauer said. “The outdoor cafes, little town and village area are very quaint and people can just stroll up to the store. My wife and I choose to put stores places we like to go — always some place very resort, where swimwear is worn as the uniform of the day.”

Aqua Beachwear offers designer swimwear brands such as Gottex, Juicy Couture, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Betsey Johnson and Miraclesuit, along with matching cover-ups. Beach bags, goggles, hats and sandles are available, but the main focus is on swimwear.

“We’ve got it as fast as it comes out and on average have about 5,000 suits in stock,” Bauer said. “Juicy Couture 20111 is already in all of our stores. We’re usually six months ahead.”

Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].

BASICS
Aqua Beachwear
Owners: Don and Mary Bauer
Location: 5131 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key
Phone: 346-0702
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday
Employees: Four
Line of business: Swimwear
Year established: 2010
What makes the business unique: Aqua Beachwear stores usually get designer lines six months ahead of other swimwear stores.
Website: www.aquabeachwear.com