Almost ready for shoppers

Landscaping is going in, and stucco is going on. But when will Sea Shell Collections open?

Though progress is evident to passersby along Highway 98, unless you look inside the Publix Supermarkets building you don't know just how far along the Sea Shell collections shopping center really is.

"I have toured the facility and am amazed that on the interior, Publix appears to be ready to go. I mean, the interior shelves are in, the cookers are in, and it looks to me like they could be stocking groceries," exclaimed Gulf Breeze Mayor Lane Gilchrist after a tour of the facility. "They could be putting groceries in there now!"

Moulton Properties President Mary Moulton reports that "It looks just like a Publix, and probably by Saturday will be fully paved and the striping will commence."

"Until we complete the stucco, we cannot complete the glazing systems (glass windows and doors) on the surrounding retail space. By the end of March, most of the glazing systems should be in place," she assures. "We are closer and closer to opening."

Moulton announced that the grocery store will open first, and will be followed by the surrounding retail area in the early summer.

Phase I landscaping has been completed at Sea Shell Collections, due to open in May.

"We are working with Matt Durney and he is recruiting some new entrants to the market, many of them national. The site was staged to occur in phases. We believe we will draw more high end tenants once we can show what business Gulf Breeze Publix can draw."

Moulton reports that the Bank of Pensacola will be relocated to the triangleshaped property on the corner of Highway 98 and Daniel Drive, and it will be at least a two-story building. The space above will be office space, she says. Rumors had circulated that the upstairs would house a Bere Jewelers, and she said that retail space would be housed at the Sea Shell Collections shopping center area across Daniel Drive, not above the bank.

In fall, the old Eckerds drug store building will be renovated to have an Italianate appearance and, once the shopping center is full, will house additional stores and restaurants.

Moulton says there is a similar Publix shopping center in Destin, and it has some very high end restaurants. When pressed for more information, Moulton replied "some of the businesses considering Sea Shell Collections do not want the advance publicity and do want to be named. But it is going to be very much like the one in Destin."

Durney has recruited: a restaurant, Catch of the Day; a high-end national spa and a nail shop; Tiki Jake's, a high-end tourist shop; a smoothie shop; an ice cream franchise; and a large clothing store.

"We are working very closely with a small version of Williams Sonoma," she says. Negotiations are also underway with an 8,000 sq. ft. national leader restaurant.

The shopping center encompasses 16 acres of land, and a road behind the shopping center will join Daniel Drive and St. Anne church with the Andrews Institute and Gulf Breeze hospital complex.

"We are scheduled to open in May," Moulton reports.