[kaseydog]

Recently visited brownwood. So many stores still unrented. Can anyone shed light on this?

[Bogie Shooter]

All the other town centers went thru this...........
Patience grasshopper they will come.

[villagetinker]

I agree, with the completion of the southern build out, there should be more vendors moving in. Not sure if the 'Fenny" village will have any impact.

[joec3]

give it another year. it will happen just needs more time

[RickeyD]

Too far south IMHO. SR44 doesn't seem to be growing anytime soon either. Welcome to the other quiet side of The Villages.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

Too far south IMHO. SR44 doesn't seem to be growing anytime soon either. Welcome to the other quiet side of The Villages.

I agree Brownwood isn't growing as fast as Lake Sumter did in the same timeframe and Brownwood was built so far south that there are no residents south of it. The new homes currently being constructed in the south east Villages (Pine Ridge, Pine Hills, LaBelle, Osceola Hills) are still a long way from Brownwood but will help Brownwood when completed. The Fenney Village will help Brownwood too.

I still look for The Villages to build more homes south of State Route 44. If for no reason other than to help their huge investment in the Brownwood complex.

[John_W]

Here's a headline from Orlando Sentinel

Lake Sumter Landing Market Square

Key West Comes To The Villages
August 4, 2004



What that headline means is, Lake Sumter Landing opened in 2004. Using LSL as an example of stores moving into a new square, Panera Bread didn't open at LSL until May 2011. That's one of the busiest restaurants and yet didn't move in until seven years after the square opened. At that rate, we'll see a Panera at Brownwood in 2019.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by justjim

I agree Brownwood isn't growing as fast as Lake Sumter did in the same timeframe and Brownwood was built so far south that there are no residents south of it. The new homes currently being constructed in the south east Villages (Pine Ridge, Pine Hills, LaBelle, Osceola Hills) are still a long way from Brownwood but will help Brownwood when completed. The Fenney Village will help Brownwood too.

I still look for The Villages to build more homes south of State Route 44. If for no reason other than to help their huge investment in the Brownwood complex.

TV residents alone do not keep the town squares viable, rather it's the surrounding communities. Hence the reason for the huge Brownwood billboard on SR44 attempting to attract passing motorists.

[Miles42]

Not a real mix of stores or venues in any of the squares for that matter.

[karostay]

Developer control

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by John_W

Here's a headline from Orlando Sentinel

Lake Sumter Landing Market Square

Key West Comes To The Villages
August 4, 2004

What that headline means is, Lake Sumter Landing opened in 2004. Using LSL as an example of stores moving into a new square, Panera Bread didn't open at LSL until May 2011. That's one of the busiest restaurants and yet didn't move in until seven years after the square opened. At that rate, we'll see a Panera at Brownwood in 2019.

Wasn't there something in that part of the building, before Panera Bread moved in?

[kaseydog]

Miles42
very poor mix of stores in all the squares. One store owner in colony plaza said the developer strickly regulates store policies. Developer regulates hours of operation & developer takes a portion of owner sales or profits. Real turnoff to open a business in the villages.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by John_W

Here's a headline from Orlando Sentinel



Lake Sumter Landing Market Square



Key West Comes To The Villages

August 4, 2004







What that headline means is, Lake Sumter Landing opened in 2004. Using LSL as an example of stores moving into a new square, Panera Bread didn't open at LSL until May 2011. That's one of the busiest restaurants and yet didn't move in until seven years after the square opened. At that rate, we'll see a Panera at Brownwood in 2019.

Faux Key West is far more attractive than Six gun City Brownwood. More akin to deputized children carrying around 6 shooters hunting down the stage coach bandits.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Wasn't there something in that part of the building, before Panera Bread moved in?

Yes it was run by TV. And next door was southern lifestyle

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by blicata

Miles42
One store owner in colony plaza said the developer strickly regulates store policies. Developer regulates hours of operation & developer takes a portion of owner sales or profits. Real turnoff to open a business in the villages.

This comes up periodically. Yet, there are few empty places in Spanish Springs or Lake Sumter. Sure, Brownwood has empty storefronts. Colony looks pretty full with new businesses coming. And most there have been there a while. When I moved here, Lake Sumter was only a few years old and it had empty storefronts, too. Sonny's place was an empty lot. Winn-Dixie and the nearby building were an empty lot. No Fross and Fross. Most of the buildings between TooJays and the square were empty. IIRC, the spot occupied by RedSauce was empty. Every retail development they have put up has eventually filled in.

Have business failed or left? Sure. Show me where that doesn't happen anywhere. It can't all be due to strangling rents or policies.