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Originally Posted by Craig Vernon
TV's are continuing to struggle internally as residents age and the footprint gets larger. The oldest areas seem to be losing businesses as the shiny new areas develop. It seems to me that it would be very difficult to maintain a business with so many part time residents and an aging population that has less need, desire or ability to leave their homes to support them. Spanish Springs and Sumter landing are losing staple businesses, and there do not seem to be people knocking the doors down to fill any of them. Outside and nearby things are booming with construction and development. Perhaps the apartments, family areas and cheaper housing around TV will save the day. Perhaps the bubble will turn into a landlocked beach town where certain businesses close during off season periods. Your thoughts and opinions welcome. See you as a full-time neighbor coming early next year. Have a Great day!
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Caveat: I'm a cynic. I hate Florida. It would be with the passion of a thousand burning suns, but this is Florida, and only one sun is needed in this stinking, steaming cesspit of humidity. The Villages is beautiful, however, for all its warts and misfortune of being built in Florida.
I'm also from a suburb of New Haven, where I had easy access to NYC and Boston, while enjoying my sidewalks and wooded 3/4-acre fenced in lot with no HOAs or gates and could walk to the center of town after dusk without worry for my safety.
So I totally get that the squares feel like an outdated resort tourist shopping district. Like a line of stores you'd see on a cruise ship, where you can get your polyester-and-spandex cruise outfit in your choice of coral and white, turquoise and white, or coral AND turquoise and white. For $400 per outfit.
Fear not - us younger Boomers and GenX are starting to take over. Our interests are different than the older Boomers that are aging out, dying, being moved into nursing homes or assisted living. Our fashion sense is different, music interests are different. Our idea of "fun retro" products is also different. GenX brought us "foodies" and tons of innovation.
In other words, the demographics of the northern part of the Villages has been changing, and continues to change. What was here - was stuff that 60-year-olds wanted back in the 1970's and 1980's when it was first built. 40 years and a whole generation of people later, we 60-year-olds now - want different things. So those stores that have been around forever are slowly dying out. And hopefully all these GenXers who were so innovative and really understood how the world was turning, will start filling those vacancies with more affordable things that will keep us all interested until our generations are replaced by the next one.
So yes - Spanish Springs is feeling very - depressed these days, when there's no events going on. Even the Mercado is sadly underperforming. They really need to promote it better, and bring more vendors in. Even if it means lowering their spot prices. That might possibly just be a seasonal slump, we'll find out in November once all the snowbirders have been back for awhile.
I am really hoping some entrepreneurs with an understanding of GenX and even Millennials will open businesses in Spanish Springs. The Millennials are the children of the Late-Boomers and early GenXers afterall, and those are the people who residents will want to bring to the squares.
It's all marketing. I get the sense that the current iteration of the Developers' organization still hasn't caught up to the current demographics of the location they're trying to profit from. They are the children and grandchildren of the founders, and they've also lived here most of their lives. Perhaps they're not capable of seeing the width and scope of "who seniors ARE" these days.