Harry and the Natives Up in Smoke
 

Harry and the Natives restaurant is closing after more than 70 years. They HAD broken ground ect. near St James Village and done some foundational work. Does anyone know what the Villages usually does when someone cancels out like that? What restaurant could make its way there? The location is next to the Okahumpka recreational center.

'''Everything’s gone up:''' Harry and the Natives closing after 72 years

According to an article in gulflive.com, the TV location is still a go as there are other partners involved.

Will Harry and the Natives still open in The Villages of Florida as Hobe Sound location closes? - gulflive.com

Every time we drive past Okahumpka Rec we comment about the lack of progress.

Let’s see how it plays out…

Maybe this will be one of the new Hooters sites. ������

Imagine what that would do to property values in the new area of Richmond.

Still unclear if “Harry” just closed down their flagship restaurant or if they are also abandoning their Lake Okahumpka site as well. We’ll see. If they are not going forward with Lake Okahumpka, it will be interesting to see who the Developer turns to, as some of the infrastructure for this new site has already begun to be put in place. Regardless, the future is bright, as we see all the new development on the horizon. I’m looking forward to the years ahead here in The Villages.

If Harry and the Natives goes tilt, I’m sure the Developer will offer it to the FMK Group. That seems to be the growing trend.

I’d be A-OK with that!

Will Harry and the Natives still open in The Villages of Florida as Hobe Sound location closes? - gulflive.com

However, in a phone call to the Hobe Sound location this afternoon, a worker who wished to remain anonymous told GulfLive.com that the new site in The Villages is owned by a different group of partners, and its scheduled opening should not be affected.

In response to an email query, one of those partners, Scott Bianculli, reached out to GulfLive.com to confirm that Harry and the Natives is indeed, still coming The Villages.

“We are 100% moving forward with Harry and The Natives at The Villages. Construction is underway and we can’t wait for it to be concluded,” Bianculli said. “Our exciting, over the water tiki hut —and 100% from scratch food will be an exciting addition to The Villages in ’25.”

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant, featuring a 2,500 square-foot waterfront tiki hut, broke ground in December, between The Village of Richmond and The Village of St. Johns, on the shores of Lake Okahumpka — around four miles away from MacArthur’s own home in The Villages.

At the time, MacArthur said the only place he’d would rather be is The Villages, adding, “The Villages are such a special place, the people are so great, everything is so wonderful here, so it’s the only reason we would expand to do another restaurant.”

I think you are right, it is a great spot for a restaurant, some restaurateur will take it & probably be a big success.

When we moved here 10 years ago the cry was for upscale dining but all we had was Pizza and Burgers. Now that we are starting to see unique facilities and better quality which means their costs get passed on to us the cry has gone the other way. When we went to the keys we always stopped at Harry and the Natives and will be customers here also.

It’s a different group that’s bringing this location to TV.

It’s located by the village of St. John’s not St. James.

Hope not. FMK has too much of a monopoly. Am looking forward to something different

every one of their restaurants are different. They are all great.

Harry and the Natives
 

You missed post #7?

Something is not right though. Broke ground in Dec, and here we are almost 10 months later and we might have footers for a building?
We all know the Villages construction can build quickly.

Reason given for delay, the site plan had to be changed for environmental issues due to lake and grease traps, and proximity to the water. I’m guessing, but if I remember, it’s took close to six months, for those changes. Restaurants aren’t like building houses, especially when it impacts the environment.

That makes sense.

Because they didn’t know they were building next to a lake, that they would have grease traps and what the environmental constraints were when they designed the building.
And they broke ground without all the permits?

So much conflicting information on this one. I’m all set with any entity in October of 2024 to claim Covid as the cause. MacArthur, as stated, is a Villager and has made his political views well known throughout his ownership in Hobe Sound. The Villages, in that regard would be a slam dunk for him. Yet the ownership group is exclusive of him...or is it? Maybe the developer doesn’t want that noise associated with this location and possibly the group has him as a silent partner? Who knows. It is a fun spot I will say and the menu is north of serviceable IMO

From Harry and The Natives FB page:


...


Many of you may have seen the social media post with Harry and the Hobe Sound location potentially closing. Harry has received an outpouring of support from Hobe Sound and around the country...reminding me that it truly does take a VILLAGE! Any new developments with our founding location will be shared via social media.

Regarding Harry and The Natives at The Villages, we are 100% moving forward and can't wait for the construction to conclude! The slab is scheduled to pour this week and then begin going vertical. Our stunning, over the water tiki hut and 100% scratch kitchen will be an outstanding addition to The Villages in '25.

The Villages location partners Harry, Anne, Lance and Scott look forward to serving you in the new year! We will be able to provide an opening timeline window on social media this week and updates thereafter. Additionally, our planned "Meet and Greet" will take place, with that information forthcoming.

With gratitude,

Harry and The Natives at The Villages

So he is part of the ownership group. Case closed! :1rotfl:

So one month later…. Is there a slab and is the building “going vertical “? I don’t get over that way too often.

Yes, construction is underway.

Really Slow! Little or no progress made in the last 30 days. Just there earlier this week and the walls were not even up. When this post started, they had the footings complete.

I drove past it last week and they do have some about 4 feet of the vertical walls up. I drove past it yesterday and there was no further progress that I could see.

Harry and the natives in Port Salerno/Hobe Sound was an old cobbled together tiki bar restaurant. We ate there a lot in the mid 80's to late 90"s. They had exceptional breakfasts and good bar food.
Atmosphere can't be duplicated, we will see about the food.

Is there any updates on this?

Just went by it, my guess is this time 2027.

Just what we need- another $36 Pork Chop.

Rumor has it that it will be another Hooters. Can never have enough

Maybe ? "Quickly" ? Think Costco, Portillo's, on and on, from what I've observed the wheels of county government in regards to building grinds very very slowly. So, we'll see. It is now going quickly, but does anyone remember when the Waffle House announced it would be building behind United Southern Bank ? That was a long long time before there was any noticeable "action".

Walked by this morning, construction is progressing.

What would it do ? Since the villages does have a type of zoning, in that restaurants and other businesses are built only in the designated retail areas, not opened up beside a home or residential block would a new Harry's, or Hooter's or Dunkin D even have any effect on home prices at all ???

That's for sure, but by the time Harry's bows out completely and MFK takes over, you won't be able to get a pork chop for "only' $36 ! LOL !

The same as country club restaurants do to other neighborhoods ?

Many years ago some of the rec centers on executive golf courses also had restaurants. Chula Vista, Silver Lake and El Santiago (which is a whole other story about the residents getting hosed in another transfer deal).

I made the comment when someone suggested a Hooters will replace Harry and the Natives - it was a joke. In that property values will sky rocket if a Hooters goes there.

No, they would BALLOON, then BUST. :icon_wink:

Skip

Technically the building is in ST Johns backyard, with ST Johns homes the rec center and ST Johns Postal building.

Meggison and it’s roundabout, Richmond Pitch and Putt, not manned entrance into Richmond, are across the street with only a few homes in Richmond that have a better view of Rec center and postal station.

Walking from ST Johns, to A restaurant/bar or carting within 5 minutes or less is a selling point for some.

Giant Live Oaks dominates the front landscape and Lake (or dark green water with nice views) is the backdrop from the open bar, in the back. Still wondering what the grassy area surrounded with walking path will be used for between the restaurant and rec center.

I believe that Harry’s is still a “go” at the Lake O location.

Don’t forget that their original Hobe Sound location did not close and is still operating.

They probably had a slowdown on this place while they revived the Hobe business.

It will be nice to have something different. They will draw business from outside the Villages.

The piers for the 2,500 square-foot waterfront tiki hut they mention are in place.

It appears there may be an upper level included on the back half of the 5,000 sq ft restaurant which if so, will have some great views.

Given the build velocity so far, guessing they are 6-12 mo from opening.

Copied from FaceBook:

April 3rd from 3-5pm, we will be hosting a meet and greet at the Okahumpka Rec Center, sharing information about our summer opening.

Please RSVP to harryandthenativesvillages@gmail.com with your name and guest, if bringing one (max of 2 people per RSVP please).

*if we hit capacity for the room (157 people), we will end the RSVP and admit more Natives as we are permitted.

We will have drawings from the RSVP's for H&TN swag and a grand prize drawing for a table for two to our VIP Pre-Opening Party! We can't wait to see each of you!

Thank you!

H&TN at The Villages