Whitney Beach Plaza gains first new tenants

Move-in dates have been approximately three years in the waiting at Whitney Beach Plaza.

But in the next two weeks, the shopping center will get its first two tenants in more than three years.

Linen Locker, a 24/7 laundry and drycleaning kiosk, will open its first location at 6826 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Customers can create online accounts at thelinenlocker.com, then enter the kiosk by swiping a valid debit or credit card and placing their items in a locker, which operates like a safe. Items will be taken to parent company All Star Laundry’s locations on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota or Lakewood Ranch and returned within approximately 48 hours.

According to Dave Walstad, who co-owns All Star Laundry with his wife, Cheryl, the concept was developed in San Francisco, and his company purchased rights to the concept in Florida.

The company plans to eventually have 1,000 kiosks in Florida, including 50 to 70 in the Sarasota area, and possibly additional kiosks at Longboat Key condos and hotels.

“We’ve been doing quite a bit of work on Longboat Key with All Star Laundry,” Walstad said. “We decided we really need to have a Longboat Key location. Whitney Plaza is situated so that Anna Maria isn’t that far.”

Engel & Völkers Florida also plans to open a second Longboat Key real-estate office at the plaza.

Both companies will likely open in the next couple of weeks, after new signage is up at the shopping center.

Debbie Anglin, who is listing the property with fellow Ian Black Real Estate agent Nick DeVito II, said that leases have been signed for a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant and an attorney’s office, although she couldn’t yet disclose names of the tenants.

A retailer has signed a letter of intent but hasn’t yet signed a lease, according to Rich Juliani, a principal in the company that owns the shopping center, Whitney Plaza LLC.

Bar? None.
Is a bar coming to the old Longbeach Chevron station?

That’s the latest rumor flowing through the Key — and there’s no truth to it, according to Richard and Alison Estrin, whose company, Longview Realty, is listing the old station.

Estrin said he’s spoken to parties who are interested in opening everything from a gas station/convenience store to retail to office space at the old station, which has been empty since mid-2007.

“Anything you can think of, somebody’s talked about it,” he said.

The property doesn’t have a liquor license, and Estrin doubts the space is big enough for a bar.

“You could do a bar for maybe 10 people,” he said.

The property is listed for $850,000.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]