Popular restaurant chain serves up new catering venue

SARASOTA — Gecko’s Hospitality Group, one of the largest restaurant companies in the Sarasota-Bradenton region, plans to open a catering and event venue in Sarasota later in March.

The new facility, named Signature Events & Catering, has a hint of old, too: it’s in The Landings, the same shopping center south of downtown Sarasota where the original Gecko's Grill & Pub opened in 1992. The company moved that location further south down U.S. 41, to Stickney Point, in 2017. Signature Events & Catering, at 4870 S. Tamiami Trail, is scheduled to open March 15, according to a statement.