[k5onthekey@gmail.com]

Good evening all:
I am new to The Villages the Spanish Springs Area. I have been coming to The Villages for 10 years to visit. I purchased here in August and living here fulltime. I am sure I am not the first person to write in about the disparity between the 3 squares. I had attended the welcome Wednesday and that was a disappointment. I had asked why in Spanish Springs the eating establishments are few in comparison to the other 2 squares. I do like the older ambience, atmosphere of Spanish Springs. I was told that there are just as many as the other Squares. I was told that there were eating establishments over by Target and Beals Outlet. She is right but in the Spanish Springs Square we have 4 full service bars and restaurants in the Square. There is room to bring in more but we see them leaving and talk of others leaving. I am considering selling and moving closer to Lake Sumpter. I enjoy the Square atmosphere as many others do. Having a doughnut and coffee in the morning is nice but at 7:00pm at night I am looking for more along the line of what the other squares have. Bringing in World of Beers is a good start but a City Fire, A LightHouse, Red Sauce, Cody's,Sonnys, Honest Johns Whisky. Ricciardis Italian Table (Johnny Rockets).

It seems like Spanish Springs is being left behind for the new. Just my thoughts

[coach]

Have you tried McCalls Tavern, Margarieta Republic and Flippers Pizza? It was announced a week or so ago that the owners of Red Sauce is opening a new place in Spanish Springs. Give some of these a try before giving up. Also Orange Blossom Hill country club is great. Also Ruby Tuesdays and Chilies is good.

[njbchbum]

Having visited the Villages for 10 years surely you noticed the development of Lake Sumpter Landing and Brownwood before you purchased in the Spanish Springs area? What you apparently did not notice was the specific lack of restaurant duplication [with a few exceptions]. As each square has its unique personality and shopping opportunities - so, too, the dining opportunities. If you find it inconvenient to travel to Lake Sumter and back after 7pm, then perhaps it is better for you to relocate to that area. I have read here often that people move as many as three times for a variety of reasons - perhaps your is one of those reasons. It is all about what is important to you and makes you happy. Personally, you couldn't get me to leave the historic side and have to deal with the daily traffic of villages that must use the Morse and Buena Vista corridors!

[DigitalGranny]

I love this end of the villages, but I also wish Spanish Springs were more like Sumter in terms of restaurants and bars. Having the Sharon and the health club takes up half of the space directly around the square. We need an ice cream shop, a coffee shop, and at least two more restaurants. Even our panera is not ON the square!.

[NYGUY]

Originally Posted by DigitalGranny

I love this end of the villages, but I also wish Spanish Springs were more like Sumter in terms of restaurants and bars. Having the Sharon and the health club takes up half of the space directly around the square. We need an ice cream shop, a coffee shop, and at least two more restaurants. Even our panera is not ON the square!.

Kilwins has your ice cream shop. Dunkin Donuts has your coffee shop and one of your two more restaurants is going in where Athens use to be.

[Allegiance]

Originally Posted by DigitalGranny

I love this end of the villages, but I also wish Spanish Springs were more like Sumter in terms of restaurants and bars. Having the Sharon and the health club takes up half of the space directly around the square. We need an ice cream shop, a coffee shop, and at least two more restaurants. Even our panera is not ON the square!.

Correct. The Sharon takes up 1/4 of the high traffic commercial square with something that simply does not belong there. There should have been some other retail/food establishments built into the front of the Sharon. It certainly is not the highest and best use of the property.

But of course it's the developers ball and they can do what they want.

[zcaveman]

I live in the far end of Marion county in Tv and find that it takes me about the same time to travel to LSL to eat at Cody's and Sonny's as to travel to SS. Why would I. want to duplicate those restaurants in SS?

To my recollection, most of the restaurants in LSL are not "on the square"

Z

[Kahuna32162]

Currently, SS has no outdoor bar area to enjoy any of the square's activities from, both are closed. The only other live music entertainment option after 8pm is Margarita Republic and that crowd is mostly younger townies (see police blotter for arrest details) McCall's is the exception with live entertainment and they have great fried chicken! Gator's could take better advantage of their patio space by opening up the bar area, but have not to date. Katie Belle's, which was closed for almost a year, has recently reopened the upstairs as a down sized show club, but the downstairs is still a mystery. The newest addition of World of Beers seems to be catching on slowly and again lacks the outdoor bar that attracts so many to the location in Brownwood.

It goes without saying that the restaurant business can be very difficult to be successful at. I was pleased to read that the family that runs Red Sauce and Johnny Rockets will be opening in the old Athens location sometime this summer and continuing with a Greek / American fare. Let's hope their experience helps them succeed.