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Tourism promoters keep eye on Europe’s economy

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

The tourism business in Southwest Florida celebrated record-breaking growth in 2014, but local tourism boosters keep a watchful eye on what’s happening overseas and how an economic downturn in Europe might affect travel this season.

Europe’s stagnant economy, a weakening euro and a stronger U.S. dollar may deter some Europeans from taking summer vacations in Southwest Florida. The region has seen a steady growth in travelers coming from countries like Germany and the United Kingdom in recent years, especially during the summer and fall, traditionally slow time of the year for Sarasota and Manatee counties.

“Any major economic upheaval is always a concern to us,” said Virgina Haley, president of Visit Sarasota, the county’s tourism agency. “We’ve been monitoring what’s happening overseas for some time now, but haven’t seen any trip cancellations yet.

“Actually, our summer bookings are very strong,” Haley said.

The tourism chief cites Sarasota as an affordable destination, even in tough times, compared with cities like London or New York, which have a larger draw for international tourists.

European traffic was up 11.5 percent in October compared with the same month in 2013 for Sarasota County, making it the biggest month for European travel last year, Haley said. In November, European travel increased by 5.8 percent compared with the same month in 2013.

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Is Kroger coming to Florida?

Column by Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

Word on the street is that Midwest grocer chain Kroger Co. may be making its way into Florida soon.

The Cincinnati-based chain has been growing rapidly over the years, including a 2013 acquisition of another chain, Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc., and executives said this week that the company has a vested interest in expanding into a new market, though they weren’t specific about which.

One version of the theory has Kroger buying Bi-Lo/Winn-Dixie, the grocery chains held by Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers LLC since September 2013.

Florida makes sense for a Kroger expansion in a lot of ways, according to some retail analysts.

In 2014, the Sunshine State surpassed New York as the third-largest state by population. Florida is a top tourism destination, too, for part-time residents who are loyal to the chains they know from the Midwest, Northeast and elsewhere. Florida also is home to educated and savvy consumers who cross-shop now more than ever, said Jeff Green, retail analyst who’s familiar with the Southwest Florida market.

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What’s in store when Bealls stores turn 100?

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

*Picked up by the AP Wire

One hundred years ago, a man named Robert M. Beall opened a little establishment on Old Main Street in downtown “Bradentown.”

That small general store, which debuted in April 1915, would be the first of hundreds to open across the country under the name of that young entrepreneur.

Bealls, a retail company known for selling apparel and home goods in department and outlet stores in Florida and across the country, is celebrating its 100th year in business this year.

Staying in business for a century — and continuing to grow — has been no small feat. But the Bradenton-based retailer has managed to reinvent itself through the years without sacrificing its core image.

“Bealls really has an understanding of the marketplace and a good idea of what the consumer wants,” said Rick McAllister, CEO of the trade group the Florida Retail Federation, in which Bealls has been an active member since the 1950s. “They listen to their customers and know what Floridians are interested in, which has served them well over the years.”

Today, Bealls sells apparel and shoes for everyone in the family — along with home goods and small appliances — in more than 500 department stores and outlet stores in Florida and the southern U.S. The company’s headquarters is still in Bradenton, where that first store opened in 1915.

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Sidebar: Bealls president wants workers to feel ownership, by Justine Griffin.

Follow up: At Bealls Outlet, he’s the king of a good deal, by Justine Griffin

 

 

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Can Bass Pro Shops open in 2016?

By Justine Griffin for the Herald-Tribune

It’s one of the most anticipated retailers to appear since the debut of the Mall at University Town Center and the beginning steps in the remaking of Southgate Mall.

But exactly when the first Bass Pro Shops to hit Southwest Florida will arrive remains cloudy at best.

No official permits have been filed with Sarasota County to start construction on the proposed site, and emails between county government employees and the retailer’s real estate division seem to suggest that Bass Pros’ targeted 2016 opening date may be pushed back.

Bass Pro Shops officially announced in July that the company will open an 80,000-square-foot Outpost store and anchor a new 260,000-square-foot retail center called “Fruitville Commons,” off Interstate 75. The popular outdoor-focused retailer’s arrival had been rumored for more than a year.

At the time, Bass Pro officials were vague about the opening date. They said that the new store — which will employ 200 people and have a restaurant and bowling alley attached — could open any time in 2016.

Read more here.