Industries

By Amanda Postma, Louis Llovio and Mark Gordon
May 6, 2021

Help wanted crisis has restaurants scrambling

The timing is like burnt toast: just as the economy opens up, restaurants are facing a critical shortage of employees. But solutions are percolating.

Travel-Tourism

By Business Observer Staff
May 5, 2021

Digital marketing firm names new president

Yvonne Bourk joins Albert Arguelles in a leadership role at the firm.

Charlotte–Lee–Collier

By Business Observer Staff
April 29, 2021

Tourism group goes Hollywood, produces 8-episode TV series

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater has helped produce "Life's Rewards," an eight-episode television series that begins airing May 10 on Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services.

Travel-Tourism

By Louis Llovio
April 29, 2021

Despite pandemic slowdowns, hoteliers buy historic St. Pete inn and have no plans to slow down

New Hotel Collection bought a historic hotel at the height of the pandemic. Now it looks to turn it into a destination for locals and tourists alike.

Commercial Real Estate

By Kevin McQuaid
April 29, 2021

Net-Lease Nirvana

Marcus & Millichap's Daniel Hurd is making a career selling Dollar General stores to eager investors, and he believes he's just getting started.

Commercial Real Estate

By Kevin McQuaid
April 29, 2021

Lee & Associates names Bornhorst president

Promotion comes as national brokerage firm plots growth strategy in Southwest Florida

Commercial Real Estate

By Mark Gordon
April 29, 2021

Ambitious startup aims to capture real estate data market share

Resquared uses data to nudge old-school commercial real estate brokers into the digital revolution. ‘We want to be a $1 billion company — not just a mom and pop thing,’ says a co-founder

Commercial Real Estate

By Grier Ferguson
April 28, 2021

Entrepreneurs repurpose former state prison

A group of partners have created a law enforcement, military and civilian training destination at an unlikely site: the old Hendry Correctional Institute.

Commercial Real Estate

By Elizabeth Djinis
April 28, 2021

Economic development official talks about what works— and what doesn’t

While lamenting some deals that got away, one of the region’s elder statesmen of economic development, Mike Meidel, reflects on his decades in the game — and where the state and region can improve.