Building Up Jax: Sprouts Farmers Market, Baer’s Furniture coming to Town Center area

SPROUTS COMING TO MARKETS AT TOWN CENTER

The Town Center area is getting another new grocery store, and this time it’s one that Jacksonville has never seen before.

Sprouts Farmers Market, an organic food supermarket chain based in Phoenix, AZ, confirmed this week that it will be coming to The Markets at Town Center sometime next year after a pending city permit indicated that it was slated for the shopping center.

It’ll take over a large unit previously held by Best Buy, which moved across the street to The Strand at Town Center earlier this year. It’s set to be among the chain’s first handful of Florida locations.

BAER’S FURNITURE TO BUILD NEAR IKEA

Baer’s Furniture, a Pompano Beach, FL-based home furnishing chain, is set to join a planned development at Gate Pkwy. and Point Meadows Dr. near IKEA.

Colliers International Northeast Florida facilitated the $3 million land deal for the new store. Plans for the site had previously indicated that a large furniture store would be part of the project. It’s expected to be joined by Wawa, a self-storage building, and more retail space.

It will be the chain’s first Jacksonville location. The company had announced plans to expand to Jax as early as 2015.

BLACKFINN CUTS AND RUNS

Longtime Markets at Town Center tenant Blackfinn Ameripub shut its doors permanently this past week.

It did so without warning, leaving its employees scrambling for new jobs and several planned events without a host venue. This sudden closure occurred even as the restaurant was aware of foreclosure efforts against it.

Given the chain’s mediocre reviews, it may end up as a blessing in disguise for the shopping center, which now finds itself with a vacant building suitable for any new restaurant.

NOTED PROJECTS

• Culhane’s Irish Pub celebrates the grand opening of their new Southside location this Monday.
• A permit was issued for the demolition of a former restaurant building, previously housing Buca di Beppo, in an outparcel lot next to The Avenues. It’s being cleared to make room for a new Miller’s Ale House location.
• Diamonds Direct was issued a permit for construction of its new standalone location at The Strand at Town Center. It’ll be moving there from Markets at Town Center.
• Miller Electric Company received a permit for build-out at 6805 Southpoint Pkwy.
• Sunglass Hut received a permit to remodel its location within St. Johns Town Center.