Originally Posted by Bill14564 (Post 2414367)

That's an interesting comment given that you watch them brew the coffee right there in front of you. It seems your Irish American potato-loving plain palate needs re-calibration - it isn't the Starbucks coffee that was brewed 4 days ago.

Originally Posted by Freestyle7819 (Post 2412830)

So what is the developer doing to bring in new restaurants since Gators, World of Beers and the third in The square now empty?
Seems to be me they are more focused on their new Eastport and Middleton vs where it all started.

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe (Post 2414361)

I am guessing you're a bit of a coffee expert, what with your username and avatar. I've been drinking black coffee daily for almost 40 years, but I gotta tell you, Starbucks might be the most disgusting coffee I've ever had.

I'm certain you probably have a much more sophisticated palate and can appreciate the flavor profiles of those coffee beans that are squirted out of some animals butthole in South America (Kopi Luwak beans).

To my Irish American potato-loving plain palate, Starbucks tastes like coffee that brewed 4 days ago and has been sitting on a hot plate until scorched prior to pouring. I can do without them and their purple/green Sigmund & the sea-monsters-haired baristas also.

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe (Post 2414361)

I am guessing you're a bit of a coffee expert, what with your username and avatar. I've been drinking black coffee daily for almost 40 years, but I gotta tell you, Starbucks might be the most disgusting coffee I've ever had.

I'm certain you probably have a much more sophisticated palate and can appreciate the flavor profiles of those coffee beans that are squirted out of some animals butthole in South America (Kopi Luwak beans).

To my Irish American potato-loving plain palate, Starbucks tastes like coffee that brewed 4 days ago and has been sitting on a hot plate until scorched prior to pouring. I can do without them and their purple/green Sigmund & the sea-monsters-haired baristas also.

Originally Posted by shut the front door (Post 2412882)

Call them and ask.

Originally Posted by DaddyD (Post 2413149)

"Overage" is a common clause in lease clauses in indoor / outdoor malls. I've had approx a dozen retail stores in high end malls, and all of them had an overage clause, meaning if my gross sales were "over" a certain amount, I had to pay the mall owner a percentage of that overage sales, in addition to the monthly rent I was paying. And guess what? I was thrilled to pay it--that meant that my sales that month / year were WAY more than expected!

It's kind of like taxes--no one really likes paying them, but in reality having to pay a lot of taxes is somewhat of a blessing. No tax = no profits. Lots of tax owed means you enjoyed really high net profits.

But your last sentence--"Even one empty business in a center makes for a less inviting shopping, dining, or entertainment atmosphere"--is spot on, and it's a self perpetuating cycle--the more empty spaces means the less shoppers, which means more empty spaces so less and less shoppers, and on & on.

I checked out the Spanish Springs square for the first time in a long time just the other day...strolled around with extra money in my pocket wanting to get rid of some of it but couldn't find a damn thing I wanted to own or eat! Hell, even the Dunkin' Donuts went out of business! If a reasonably priced coffee & donut place is unable to stay make a profit in an area dominated by senior citizens...you know the place is in serious trouble.

There are two massive corner locations (anchor tenants) sitting forlorn & empty--the former World of Beer & the Margarita Republic, now Dunkin'...and more along the main drag that your drive down to get to the Square. The wine place went out of business...it's just sad.

What I really want to know is how the heck that lingerie store stays open--that's the biggest mystery in the world to me. I know TV has a reputation of lots of swingers (what color is the loofah on top of your car?!?!?) & wild sex, but seriously--how many 70+ year old women are really buying sexy lingerie, especially bras that cost something like $80 each!

I'm aware that Spanish Springs has a much older demographic than the newer areas of TV, but there are numerous restaurants in the immediate area that seem to be doing well--LongHorn Steak House, Texas Roadhouse, Miller's Ale House, Applebees, Darrell's Diner, Mission BBQ, & Francesco's--all have busy parking lots out front whenever I drive past, so the problem isn't lack of demand.

The Morse family are billionaires, so I doubt they're staying awake at night fretting about the sad-state of Spanish Springs, but it definitely sucks for those of us that live in the area. I do drive over to Lake Sumpter occasionally (I intentionally misspelled to irritate the spelling/punctuation police on this site!), but no way I'm going to drive all the way to Brownwood to eat or have a drink.

I lived in the Ft. Lauderdale area for nearly 20 years, and this sports bar /restaurant is WILDLY popular and has locations all over South Florida:

Flanigan's - Laid back Family-run Restaurants in South Florida

Really good, reasonably priced burgers, steaks, caesar salads, fish sandwiches, BBQ ribs (actually, everything on their menu is really good), a $6.99 lunch special, and a 50% OFF happy hour 9PM to close. As a bonus, many of their locations have an attached bottle liquor store right next door! And they stay open LATE!

I would kill to have a Flanigan's open in the Spanish Springs area...

Originally Posted by Risuli (Post 2413254)

Agree. I for one would LOVE a GOOD Thai restaurant. Yes, there is one in LSL, but my experience with their food is that it is Thai only in name, and seasoned for nursing home tastes. Further agree about lack of variety. Hey, here's an idea, open ANOTHER Italian eatery... Sheesh. Unfortunately, most restaurants in and around the Villages seem to strive for mediocre and celebrate when they achieve it.

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2413280)

If I was still in Business school would suggest the professor assign Dunkin Donuts as a case of how quickly a business can be destroyed by going away from their core business.

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2413789)

We had dinner last night with two couples here longer than us. They cannot remember last time going for music in the squares.

We go rarely but the truth seems to be as villagers develop an active social life they go out to dinner or to clubs leaving little or no time to go to the squares.

Originally Posted by motherflippinpicker (Post 2412904)

I have to agree with your assumptions about Sawgrass. This is our closest area but we seldom go here. The entertainment is usually subpar but does seem to be improving. The drink prices are $1 more than the other squares, the food is terrible and it's crowded. We do enjoy Tuesday Trivia and the occasionally Boozy Bingo but that's about it.

Originally Posted by rsmurano (Post 2412896)

I’m surprised Sawgrass establishments are still open. Local friends and neighbors complain about their prices. You can go to Brownwood everyday and get happy hour prices in the afternoon, no such thing at sawgrass. At Brownwood, or Lake Sumter, you have a lot of variety of restaurants that have great food for much less than Sawgrass. I’ve never eaten or had drinks at Sawgrass, nor have some of my friends because of what we’ve heard and we can walk there.

Originally Posted by AMB444 (Post 2435672)

I'm 60 years old and I have no desire to move south of the turnpike after living here (rental) for 8 months and looking at what the south area had to offer.

I was very surprised by Sawgrass and it seemed to be just a concrete sidewalk that joined a few restaurants.

If you're looking for the real town square type entertainment Sawgrass seems like just part of the parking lot.

I'm a "younger one" at 60, I'm looking to buy north after renting here for 8 months. WAY north into areas close to 42.

To each their own.

Originally Posted by AMB444 (Post 2435672)

I'm 60 years old and I have no desire to move south of the turnpike after living here (rental) for 8 months and looking at what the south area had to offer.

I was very surprised by Sawgrass and it seemed to be just a concrete sidewalk that joined a few restaurants.

If you're looking for the real town square type entertainment Sawgrass seems like just part of the parking lot.

I'm a "younger one" at 60, I'm looking to buy north after renting here for 8 months. WAY north into areas close to 42.

To each their own.

Originally Posted by DonH57 (Post 2435796)

Of the three that closed up in Spanish Square I didn't miss World of Beer or Margarita Republic.

Originally Posted by DonH57 (Post 2435796)

Of the three that closed up in Spanish Square I didn't miss World of Beer or Margarita Republic.

Originally Posted by AMB444 (Post 2435672)

I'm 60 years old and I have no desire to move south of the turnpike after living here (rental) for 8 months and looking at what the south area had to offer.

I was very surprised by Sawgrass and it seemed to be just a concrete sidewalk that joined a few restaurants.

If you're looking for the real town square type entertainment Sawgrass seems like just part of the parking lot.

I'm a "younger one" at 60, I'm looking to buy north after renting here for 8 months. WAY north into areas close to 42.

To each their own.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2435800)

I wish Sawgrass had a little more variety and lower prices, but rents have to be paid, the Morse Family wants their millions.

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki (Post 2435839)

Sawgrass is fairly crowded most evenings. Saturday and Sunday, when they have entertainment all afternoon, people show up.

People pay the prices for pizza, ice cream, burgers, tacos and drinks.
Why would the operators of the establishments lower their prices?

Since you know what they pay for rent (because the Morse family needs their millions), what else is the leases that might surprise us? Can you share the lease you read?

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2435802)

When "the cousins" came to visit, WoB was our go-to the first night they were here. I liked the blue cheese steak flatbread, hubby got a burger, we'd usually share one of their huge pretzels, and everyone tried a beer they hadn't tried before (except me, I don't like beer).

The service was SLOW as molasses, even when it wasn't busy. But it was a great "pub-food" place to go before the music started across the street in the square.

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki (Post 2435839)

Sawgrass is fairly crowded most evenings. Saturday and Sunday, when they have entertainment all afternoon, people show up.

People pay the prices for pizza, ice cream, burgers, tacos and drinks.
Why would the operators of the establishments lower their prices?

Since you know what they pay for rent (because the Morse family needs their millions), what else is the leases that might surprise us? Can you share the lease you read?

Originally Posted by Bill14564 (Post 2435848)

A captive customer base will pay nearly whatever the business asks. Residents south of 44 along Morse could always trek up to Brownwood but that's a bit of an investment in time. While smaller, more expensive, and "not a square," Sawgrass is better than nothing.

It will be interesting to see what happens as Middleton and Eastport continue to open; competition may affect prices.

Originally Posted by Bill14564 (Post 2435848)

A captive customer base will pay nearly whatever the business asks. Residents south of 44 along Morse could always trek up to Brownwood but that's a bit of an investment in time. While smaller, more expensive, and "not a square," Sawgrass is better than nothing.

It will be interesting to see what happens as Middleton and Eastport continue to open; competition may affect prices.

Originally Posted by Marathon Man (Post 2435926)

OH PLEASE. We go to Sawgrass because we enjoy it as a smaller venue. The squares seem old fashioned in their design when we go there. Eastport will be amazing - coming soon.

Originally Posted by Marathon Man (Post 2435926)

OH PLEASE. We go to Sawgrass because we enjoy it as a smaller venue. The squares seem old fashioned in their design when we go there. Eastport will be amazing - coming soon.

Originally Posted by DaddyD (Post 2413346)

More details needed--names & descriptions.