WHAT'S HAPPENING: Hip brands, and commission strife

“[The city] draws a map, but nobody ever gets in the car to take the ride. Maybe it’s a good thing because the car would go off of a f#%*ing cliff.” Sarasota County Commissioner Paul Caragiulo on what he characterized as a political move against the county. The city included him in a press release in a way that he believes implied that he supported exploring a mental health taxing district to fund homeless services. Read more At YourObserver.com.

Sarasota attracts ‘hip’ Tampa brands

Sarasota Mayor Willie Shaw served as an honorary barista Wednesday morning, slinging java during Kahwa Coffee’s grand opening. 

It may be the first of several Tampa Bay concepts to open downtown, thanks to a shifting perception of the area, said Kahwa co-owner Raphael Perrier.

“You just look around and see the changes that are going on,” Perrier said. “It reminds me of when we moved to St. Pete 10 years ago.”

Fellow bay area business Cask & Ale will host a community meeting Feb. 18, to discuss plans for an upscale cocktail bar and restaurant at 1548 Main St. Taco Bus, a Tampa original, previously hoped to open in that space.

Just a few blocks south of Kahwa, Boca Kitchen Bar & Grill, a farm-to-table restaurant based in the Hyde Park area of Tampa, has filed plans to open a 2,500-square-foot eatery on North Lemon Avenue next to Brooks Brothers.

Perrier said he thinks there will be a lot more full-time residents moving into the downtown area this year, which could spur more “hip” Tampa Bay brands to look toward Sarasota.

“You can see it — and feel it,” Perrier said.

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

Last week, we asked our readers what types of businesses they would like to see in downtown Sarasota. Here’s what they said:

“Taco Bus and more quick restaurants like it. Bars that are open later.”

“Stores should be open on Saturday night, especially in season. With many nice restaurants downtown, some with long wait times, people want to shop before dinner. This is what makes St. Armands so attractive.”

“A European-style food hall such as Pike Street Market in Seattle. We need to get rid of trashy places such as Smoking Joes and the other cheesy bars on Main Street.”

BY THE NUMBERS

3,524 square feet
The size of the Woman’s Exchange’s proposed addition to its consignment shop, which the Laurel Park Neighborhood Association opposes. 

198
Days passed between the actual opening of the State Street garage (July 22, 2015) and the grand opening celebration
(Feb. 8, 2016).

9 to 90
Age range of runners in Sunday’s Sarasota Music Half Marathon.