Sweeping up Sweetbay

Nearly two years after Sweetbay Supermarkets closed statewide, area commercial real estate brokerage firms are working through the slog to lease them to new tenants.

Progress has been slow, but steady, as former Sweetbay stores have been absorbed by grocers such as Walmart and converted to non-traditional retail uses. In one instance, an antique car dealer opened a showroom in Charlotte County where Sweetbay had previously sold produce, meats and other goods.

Of the 40 Sweetbay stores that were shuttered in Florida, roughly half remain uncommitted, including centers in Plant City, Tampa, Largo, Sarasota and Punta Gorda, according to a list from research firm CoStar.