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John’s Pass Village project grand opening scheduled
By WAYNE AYERS
| Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007 |
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| A view of the new storefronts along the boardwalk includes what will become Kilwin’s chocolates and ice cream shop. Billy Hopkins of Craig Tile is working on the finishing touches. |
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MADEIRA BEACH – Local retail shops join top-tier chains to create a diverse shopping and dining experience at the nearly finished Hubbard redevelopment project at John’s Pass Village.
Hubbard Enterprises chief financial officer Patricia Hubbard said that the five-building facility had received its certificate of completion on Sept. 27, and a grand opening is planned for Nov. 17.
The entire complex, with the exception of Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, will be operating on or before that date. A proposed miniature golf course did not materialize, Hubbard said, and that space was filled by prospective tenants within a week.
Some of the tenants, such as Two Sides of Nature and Addicted to the Bean, are already doing business in the shops bordering the parking garage. Construction crews are at work “building out” the others. The boardwalk level shops will be the next ones occupied, Hubbard said. The Bubba Gump restaurant and market will open early next year.
The complex is a near sellout. Only one vacancy remains, Hubbard said. A few of the more notable retailers due to make their home at John’s Pass Village are Jim’s Harley-Davidson, Hurricane Pass Outfitters, which features Tommy Bahamas sportswear; the Shipwreck Store, which specializes in authentic shipwreck treasures; and American Royal Arts.
Also joining the mix in the new complex will be Gray Jewelers and the Treasure House, both original Hubbard tenants dating back to 1982.
Kilwin’s famed ice creams, which originated in Michigan, will be available locally for the first time. Visitors are able to dress up for an old time photo at Pirates of the Past.
“It’s exciting,” Hubbard said in surveying the completed project. “I can’t believe we’re done.”
The final stages of completion have been a challenge, she said.
Property easement issues that have been around for years became especially critical when Hubbard was told the loan for the complex could not be closed without a super-clear title.
“Minor easement encroachments turned out to be a complicated situation,” she said.
The last obstacle was cleared at the Sept. 25 Board of Commissioners meeting when the commission approved an agreement with Hubbard Enterprises regarding a pedestrian bridge that encroached onto a city-owned right of way and a portion of a building encroaching into a dedicated drainage easement.
The Friendly Fisherman restaurant, the Hubbard’s flagship eatery since 1978, has also been spruced up in recent weeks, with new flooring and larger dining booths. A streamlined menu will feature fresh Florida seafood, primarily fish. Hubbard said the emphasis would help differentiate the restaurant from the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company experience.
The Hubbard’s Marina operation, with its fishing boats and dolphin encounter trips, will soon move back to the lower level along the boardwalk. This business, run by Mark Hubbard, has been temporarily relocated since the old buildings along the boardwalk were demolished in July 2006.
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Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007
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