Food–Beverage

By Lesley Dwyer
April 29, 2025

Sarasota Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant opens second location

University Town Center is the second location for Florence & the Spice Boys, which started as a food truck.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Elizabeth King
April 28, 2025

First Watch completes $49M acquisition, adds 500 employees

The deal, which is the second largest in company history, includes 16 restaurants in North and South Carolina.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Elizabeth King
April 25, 2025

First Watch to open first restaurant in Boston

The East Manatee County-based company specializing in breakfast, lunch and brunch will open a "high-profile location in the heart of Boston," First Watch CEO and President Chris Tomasso says.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Elizabeth King
April 24, 2025

12 businesses coming soon to University Town Center

A 120,000-square-foot furniture retailer, a Middle Eastern restaurant and an outdoor retailer are among the many businesses opening at Sarasota-Manatee's University Town Center over the next year.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Elizabeth King
April 21, 2025

Seafood restaurant chain coming to US 41 in Sarasota

Mr. & Mrs. Crab plans to serve up Southern-style seafood on South Tamiami Trail.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Laura Lyon
April 21, 2025

Shaq's Big Chicken to open its first Florida restaurant in Tampa

Basketball legend and entrepreneur Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken fast casual chain is opening in May at 8725 W. Linebaugh Ave.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

By Elizabeth King
April 19, 2025

The Breakfast Company to open in Sarasota's Rosemary District

A breakfast and lunch restaurant is coming soon to Orange Avenue.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Laura Lyon
April 18, 2025

Sammy's Seafood keeps Tampa Bay restaurants stocked with fresh catch

St. Petersburg couple has been reeling it in for decades. "The secret is just getting up and doing the same thing every day. We're grinders," says a co-founder.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

By Elizabeth King
April 15, 2025

First Watch acquires three Midwest franchise restaurants

The acquisitions are part of the corporate strategy as the daytime dining company aims for growth.

Manatee-Sarasota

By Mark Gordon
April 13, 2025

Greek restaurant from Philadelphia to make Florida debut in Naples

The north Naples location for Estia replaces a shuttered sports bar.

Charlotte–Lee–Collier

By Louis Llovio
April 13, 2025

Sarasota church sells property to charter school developer for $3.5M

In the week's top commercial real estate news a New York scent company's building is completed in Lakeland, a restaurant chain is expanding into Naples and developers, commissioners agree in Sarasota.