- April 25, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
“It's all the things we said would make our city more vibrant and bring in the economic development we want.” — Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie on the potential rezone of the Ringling Shopping Center. See pages 6-7 for more info.
Although the major overhaul of Siesta Key public beach includes an esplanade, a new restaurant aims to bring the boardwalk feel to another part of the island.
Boardwalk Eats & Sweets opened Monday in the space formerly occupied by Beach Bites in Siesta Key Village. Co-owner Theresa Radovich said she and her parents, Robert and Charlotte Akers, spent more than $40,000 to open at 217 Avenida Madera next to Solorzano Bros. Pizza.
“We wanted to be where the action is,” Radovich said. “We didn’t want to open anywhere else.”
The family has have been serving up funnel cakes and other fried fare for more than 20 years under the name A & R Concessions out of a stand at the Sarasota County Fair, festivals at Hunsader Farms and other major local events. The menu at Boardwalk Eats & Sweets includes burgers, Nathan’s Famous hotdogs and deep-fried Twinkies, Oreos and candy bars.
“It’s high-quality food at a fast food pace,” Radovich said. She hopes to fill the “walkable food” niche in the Village, which is mostly populated by sit-down restaurants.
Though the family hasn’t ratcheted up advertising yet, employees have been giving out free samples. Radovich said staff of other Village businesses have been excited about the eatery opening.
“Everybody says they wish they could get funnel cake year-round,” said Kitchen Manager Nick Radovich, who shares duties with his brother-in-law, Jason Akers. “Now they can.”
City of Sarasota: Meet Wawa.
Tampa-based Brightwork Real Estate is planning another Gulf Coast location of the wildly popular convenience store and gas station for an intersection near downtown Sarasota. If approved by the city, it will become the second Wawa in the county.
City staff will host a community workshop next week to consider plans for a 5,650-square-foot store on Fruitville Road between North East Avenue and Audubon Place. The Wawa would replace two duplexes and three single-family homes on roughly two acres with 16 fuel stations and more than 40 parking spaces, according to the workshop agenda.
The city’s planning board will have to approve a conditional use and several adjustments for the parcel, which is located within the Downtown Edge zoning district.
Brightwork bought two parcels at the corner of Myrtle Street and U.S. 301 this month for more than $1.6 million, with plans to develop a 6,119-square-foot Wawa.
Wawa plans to build 300 stores in Florida, including at least 80 on the Gulf Coast. Each store costs $6 million to build and employs about 40 people.
With Wawa stores slated for at least two locations in Sarasota County, we reached out to readers to ask where they think the next frontier should be for the iconic gas station.
