Furniture and doughnut shop expands in region

SARASOTA — Custom furniture, home decor and doughnut shop The Farmhouse has opened its first location in Sarasota, at 4001 Clark Road.

The 2,160-square-foot space is the company’s third location in the Southeast and second in the Sarasota-Manatee area, according to a press release. Plans are underway to open additional locations in Orlando, Gainesville and Houston.

Doug Sullivan of Ian Black Real Estate represented The Farmhouse in the transaction. He will be working with owners Nancie and Steven Sheardown on the multi-state expansion. Steve Horn, also of Ian Black Real Estate, represented the landlord, The Expo Center.

“The Farmhouse has a very successful shop in Bradenton and was looking to expand in our area,” says Sullivan, a sales associate and restaurant and hospitality specialist for Ian Black Real Estate, in a statement. “This space was the perfect place to do that. It’s a second-generation restaurant space, meaning a kitchen buildout was not necessary, and is highly visible to the more than 50,000 cars that drive by daily on Clark Road.”

The Farmhouse sells custom-made zinc and copper farm-style tables and home accessories. It also offers create-your-own doughnuts, coffee, ice cream and Southern-style lunches. In addition to its Sarasota and Bradenton locations, The Farmhouse owns a third location in Clayton, Ga. 

“This expansion has been a product of hard work,” says Steven Sheardown. “We’ve been crazy busy at our existing locations and looking forward to the possibility of expanding in new markets.”

Sullivan will assist The Farmhouse in the expansion, providing guidance on site selection, operations and multi-site management. He has more than 30 years of executive-level experience in the restaurant industry and has held top-level management positions with restaurant chains including Morton’s Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse and PDQ. Sullivan was also founder, president and CEO of Stonewood Grill & Tavern before selling his interest in 2010.

The Farmhouse is now open at 4001 Clark Road in Sarasota in the same shopping center as restaurant Oak & Stone.