[Craig Vernon]

TV's are continuing to struggle internally as residents age and the footprint gets larger. The oldest areas seem to be losing businesses as the shiny new areas develop. It seems to me that it would be very difficult to maintain a business with so many part time residents and an aging population that has less need, desire or ability to leave their homes to support them. Spanish Springs and Sumter landing are losing staple businesses, and there do not seem to be people knocking the doors down to fill any of them. Outside and nearby things are booming with construction and development. Perhaps the apartments, family areas and cheaper housing around TV will save the day. Perhaps the bubble will turn into a landlocked beach town where certain businesses close during off season periods. Your thoughts and opinions welcome. See you as a full-time neighbor coming early next year. Have a Great day!

[Bogie Shooter]

Wondering why you want to become full time, with such doomsday forecasting?

[Craig Vernon]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Wondering why you want to become full time, with such doomsday forecasting?

Doomsday? An observation about current events. My wife and I love TV's but there are problems developing that are worth discussing. Sorry you don't think so. Be Well!

[Two Bills]

.......and one day the present newer areas will have the aging population.
Oldie pass on, and younger ones replace.
A bit like any city or town

[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by Craig Vernon

TV's are continuing to struggle internally as residents age and the footprint gets larger. The oldest areas seem to be losing businesses as the shiny new areas develop. It seems to me that it would be very difficult to maintain a business with so many part time residents and an aging population that has less need, desire or ability to leave their homes to support them. Spanish Springs and Sumter landing are losing staple businesses, and there do not seem to be people knocking the doors down to fill any of them. Outside and nearby things are booming with construction and development. Perhaps the apartments, family areas and cheaper housing around TV will save the day. Perhaps the bubble will turn into a landlocked beach town where certain businesses close during off season periods. Your thoughts and opinions welcome. See you as a full-time neighbor coming early next year. Have a Great day!

Yes, it sucks here.
Houses are falling down, the squares are a ghosttown, no one is there.

This place has always had part time residents. You don’t think the business model is set up for that?

Seriously, stop believing what you read. You aren’t even here. TOTV represents probably 5% of the Villagers. The VLOGGERS, same thing, they need to complain to get views, no one will watch a YouTube video saying everything is great.

[Bilyclub]

Gators and WOB were both dumps and the chains were in financial trouble. It seems the clean and efficient restaurants are doing pretty good.

[dewilson58]

Actually the development path is quite different.

As areas get older, more full time residents live in the area.

New area homes are purchased by part-timers (younger) and investors.
As the younger owners age, they quite being snows and become full timers.

I don't have stats, but North of 466 has less (%'age wise) part-timers vs South of 44.

[Topspinmo]

If business can make profit it doomed look around it happens everywhere. I feel it’s more managerial problem and choice of product.

[ThirdOfFive]

Some time back I recall reading in another publication that such predictions of doom-and-gloom seem to be as regular as snowbird season and complaints about bad driving. There will always be those who see the glass as half-empty.

One of the things that fascinates me about them is the inevitable referral to "an aging population", as if that fact spells death for this-or-that area or business. Yeah--TV has an "aging population". But the result of aging is death. And as people die, they are replaced with younger folks. In our neighborhood we've had five families move in this year that I know of: two of them has one or both spouses still working remotely. the rest are younger retirees. The Village we live in came online in the late 1990s. My guess is that the average age of Villagers in our little corner of heaven is younger now than at any other time in the past ten years.

The other fallacy is "growth". As in mushrooms apparently. But the fact of the matter is that The Villages doesn't grow up. It grows OUT. Individual villages with their own individual character and architecture are pretty much constant. My guess is that, again using our Village as an example, if you went back in time to, say, Y2K and took a drive through it, virtually the ONLY difference you'd see between now and then is that the cars look somewhat different.

As to that "footprint" growing larger, in terms of space anyway, that is admittedly having an impact. But population outgrowing infrastructure, especially in a place growing as fast as TV (or Florida in general, for that matter) is natural. You won't see businesses being developed or medical services being implemented on merely the EXPECTATION of growth. The growth has to actually happen first. Infrastructure (services, roads, utilities, etc.) then is developed. But the settled, older neighborhoods aren't experiencing that. The last major infrastructure expansion here was the widening of 27/441. Businesses come and businesses go, but the restaurants closing in Spanish Springs are being replaced by restaurants that are significantly BETTER in most respects than the ones that have closed, and are doing commensurately better than the shuttered ones did. Don't confuse the results of healthy competition with "shrinkage" caused by whatever imagined reason.

TV is healthy. And as expansion continues and more and more opportunities and services are created, is getting healthier.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

.......and one day the present newer areas will have the aging population.
Oldie pass on, and younger ones replace.
A bit like any city or town

As it should be.

I would watch the time-on-market of pre-owned homes as an indication of a problem. As long as there are new buyers and areas maintain their population the Villages will survive. If there is too little to draw new buyers into older areas and then too few customers to support the businesses then the area will begin to die out.

As far as businesses in the squares go, competition and turnover can be a good thing. Spanish Springs sits on the heavily commercialized 27/441. With that kind of competition it is really no wonder that businesses struggle to exist in a high-rent area, especially with frugal customers who make a sport out of complaining.

World of Beer recently closed in Spanish Springs but they also closed 13 other locations and filed for bankruptcy. That company had issues beyond the size of its customer base in the northern part of the Villages.

Sonny's closed in Lake Sumter but have there been several other closures there?

[Papa_lecki]

The recent post about Winn Dixie in LSL has nothing to do with demographics or spending. Aldi bought Winn Dixie and apparently is transition brands. It’s business.

[4$ALE]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Wondering why you want to become full time, with such doomsday forecasting?

I was wondering too. As a side note, I don't think he knows he came off that way (as a doomsday forecaster.) Anyway, it sure will be nice to have another Village Expert moving here ....... all the ones from Taxsachusetts and Boston must be exhausted from sharing all their knowledge with us. I also place him in the same category as ConeyIsBabe and Schaumburg. I often wonder if they ever made it here full time.

[Stu from NYC]

This place is not perfect but do not know of a better place for us.

Businesses come and go, another one will come to replace them.

[MsPCGenius]

For me..... I don't care for the many boutique shops that are offered within the squares, and so I don't shop there. Women's clothing is very junior league/preppy and much too expensive for my taste. Trendy home decor also expensive.

I couldn't resist a fall outfit at Brownwood (Evelyn & Arthur) for an upcoming trip. I bit the bullet and paid way too much for stretch pants ($80) and long-sleeve sweater ($146). It is quality material that fit well and I looked great in it , but never again will I pay that much...

My Villages lifestyle clothing is more Bealls, Kohl's, etc. Looking forward to having a Target closer to home. Would be nice when shops are vacated that they bring in reasonably priced shopping options.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Wondering why you want to become full time, with such doomsday forecasting?

No kidding. Random posts now and again about the state of the Villages from a non resident. Either jump onboard or stop playing from afar? Even the wizard of oz had issues, LOL