[JohnZ]

Donna:

The north side of The Villages along Hwy. 42 would be a good place. My wife and I own Bruster's Ice Cream in the Mulberry Grove shopping center. Many of our custmers have voiced the need for a nice restaurant in that area. A nice top-shelf up-scale dining estabishment might work, but I think an going one or two notches down from there may be a better way to go. A good lunch menu would contribute greatly to success as well as a liquor license for wine and beer as most Villagers like to tipple a little before and with dinner fair (myself included). If your plan is to build a free-standing unit on Villages property (for golf cart access), allow for a substantial increase in construction costs to comply with the strict architectural and landscape requirements that that The Villages imposes on all new builds. An inline or end-cap omni building location would eliminate construction costs but this may detract from the "up-scaleness" of your business and limit location selection. If you are really serious about starting a business, feel free to email me. We know other restauranteurs who will be happy to share their experiences with you as will we. Also, we know the working contacts (The Villages, real estate developers, civil engineering, architect, financiers, permits etc.) that you will need to get the ball rolling. Be prepared to spend A LOT of time and energy on the pre-development aspect of due diligence pursuant to business plan development. That said, good luck.

John