Eight businesses join Publix-anchored center

A lineup of eight new retail companies are coming to The Landings in Sarasota, including a cookie business, a food truck-turned-restaurant and a workout studio. 

The Landings is a Benderson Development project that features an open-air shopping, dining and wellness experience. The Publix-anchored center is located off U.S. 41 south of Proctor Road. 

The eight businesses set to join The Landings are: 

• Pacific Counter, a fast-casual restaurant serving poke bowls and sushi burritos. The restaurant will be located in a 1,500-square-foot space at the south end of the complex.  
• Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Café will open its fourth location Aug. 1, occupying a 2,500-square-foot space. It’s known for its classic and specialty pizzas and baked wings.
• 3Natives, a fast-casual chain in Florida, will open in a 1,350-square-foot space later this summer. The menu consists of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, salads, wraps and more. 
• Florence and the Spice Boys, the branded food truck-turned-restaurant, will open later this summer offering Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods at the south end of The Landings.
• Crumbl Cookies will land at the center later this year in a 1,600-square-foot space between Pacific Counter and 3Natives. 
• Mantra Fitness, a boutique studio, will open on the other side of 3Natives with a 1,650-square-foot studio. 
• StretchLab, a wellness concept that will provide stretch sessions to improve flexibility, enhance movement, reduce pain and improve quality of life.
• 1800 Barbershop

The eight businesses join other tenants already established, including Starbucks, Tripletail Seafood & Spirits, Apollonia Grill, Vampire Penguin, EoS Fitness and Dog Perfect. The Publix that anchors the center has been closed for renovations but is expected to reopen later this year.

"We have received an overwhelmingly positive response to the improvements we’ve made at The Landings," Evan Benderson, executive director of leasing, wrote in an email to the Business Observer. "What was once a nearly vacant center has been transformed into a vibrant place where people want to spend time and business owners want to operate." 

University Park-based Benderson Development purchased the property in 2012 before renovating it. And the company isn’t done yet. The firm is also going to add bougainvillea trellises to entryways and an outdoor green space. As for tenant space, Benderson says there's only a handful left. But that's not necessarily the current focus. 

"While we hope to be fully leased in the near future, our main focus at this time is finding the right businesses that will resonate with the community and complement the existing tenant mix," Benderson says. "The Landings is becoming the place in central Sarasota where people can shop, dine, exercise and socialize. We’re looking for lifestyle-driven businesses to fit within this theme."

The story has been updated to reflect that StretchLab is a separate concept from Mantra Fitness.