Liquor store on tap for Whitney Beach Plaza

The co-owner of Whitney Beach Plaza hopes to open a liquor store in the shopping center within the next 60 to 90 days.

Bradenton real estate and banking attorney Ryan Snyder, who co-owns the north-end Whitney Beach Plaza with Rich Juliani, principal of Boston-based JKI Investment Capital LLC, said he plans to open a liquor store in the building where Longboat Key Liquors originally operated next to Tiny’s of Longboat.

Contractors began renovating the interior of the space last week after the town issued building permits. Now, a sign in the building windows advertises that LBK Liquors is coming soon. Attorneys are in the process of activating the liquor license for the property that’s been in escrow since 2010. Manatee County Realtor Glen Schloneger will operate the liquor store that Snyder is temporarily calling LBK Liquors — although he is open to suggestions.

“It should be good for the plaza and hopefully good for Longboat,” Snyder said, noting that the closest liquor stores to the north end are Publix Liquors, located mid-Key, and Hurricane Liquors on Holmes Beach.

“There’s about a 10-mile void there without any liquor store.”

For more information, pick up a Feb. 13 copy of the Longboat Observer.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].