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SRQ DAILY Feb 1, 2016

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"Thankfully as the funding structure has changed, Charleston has changed, and that is why we have been able to thrive. That's reflective of what's happening here in Sarasota, too."

- Julia Forster, Spoleto Festival USA
 

[Workforce]  State Unemployment Mirrors Nation

The unemployment rate in the state of Florida for December was 5.0 percent, slightly lower than the 5.1 percent unemployment reported in November, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. State officials note that the state unemployment rate has been at or below the national unemployment rate for 23 of the last 37 months, though the two figures have been more closely aligned in the last two years than in the early stages of the economic recovery. In December, the national unemployment rate was also 5.0 percent. 

[Development]  Whole Foods to Change Customer Market
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

A Whole Foods Market just approved on University Parkway will be the latest significant commercial development to transform the corridor into a high-spending, high-activity space. Officials at S.J. Collins Enterprises anticipate the grocery, being built at the intersection with Honore Avenue, will create an increase in pedestrian activity and attract a mix of young professionals and health-focused families.

“It will create what I call a high-energy lifestyle center,” said Jeff Garrison, S.J. Collins partner. The developer has already announced Zoës Kitchen, a fast casual Mediterranean restaurant chain, will also be in the same complex as Whole Foods. Depending how space is leased, four to five other businesses could also move in, and Garrison said about 20 other restaurants and boutique retail companies have expressed interest. Wawa, a gas station/cafe chain, will also build a location there. 

The focus from a commercial point of view will be customers in search of convenience. At Whole Foods, the No. 1 customer will be the “40-year-old mother of two,” someone expected to swing by three times a week to buy a basket costing $40-$45.  “People want to be close to a Whole Foods because the primary demographic is the primary spender of all disposable income,” Garrison said. 

But there will also be a number of residents and professionals turning to Whole Foods as a destination for fast and affordable lunches. Garrison notes the 40,000-square-foot grocery will be about a quarter again larger than the Whole Foods already in operation in Downtown Sarasota. “In markets like New York, Whole Foods is a mainstay of the millennial busy lifestyle," he said. “When office workers are looking for a place to eat, rather than trying to fit a large group into a restaurant, they know they can just go grab a table at Whole Foods.”

The approval of the development has drawn criticism, particularly because it will be built on land designated as wetlands. Garrison noted, though, that the environmental impact will be mitigated by the purchase of land in a preserve that will boost the Manatee River Basin. “In the long term, is this a net positive? The answer is a resounding yes,” he said.

Ground will break on the Whole Foods project in March, with an estimated completion date in summer 2017. 

Rendering provided by S.J. Collins Enterprises

[Culture]  Spoleto Support Changes With Times
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Spoleto Festival USA runs for just 17 days, this year from May 27 through June 12. But it takes a hard-working staff all year to make sure the event goes right. That work is important to everyone in Charleston, S.C., a community that enjoys an annual economic impact of about $70 million from Spoleto alone. Julia Forster, director of development for the festival, served as keynote speaker at SRQ Media Group’s most recent SB2  event, Investing in the Arts: The Finance of Culture. Afterward, she spoke with us about the challenges and successes in keeping the organization properly supported over the course of decades.

You have been part of Spoleto for 20 years, half the lifespan of the festival. How have you seen its stature grow over time? Our festival is really the model for festivals around the world. The Melbourne Festival is modeled after Spoleto. The New Haven International Festival of Arts and Ideas was created after our festival. We are in talks now with the Chinese government about creating a sort of Spoleto in China, where they have built all these beautiful theaters and facilities but have no programming. So we get calls all the time for advice.

You mentioned at our event that individual donors provide far more financial support than corporate donors. Are you guys exploring ways to change that or is that an optimal condition for you? Back when times were very different, around 2000, we had over $1 million in corporate support, but a lot changed in the impending decade. Now we are at half that, a little over $500,000. Foundations used to be the core of support in the '90s. That’s gone by the wayside because foundations want to do their own programming. We used to get a lot of government help, but like everywhere in the country, we don’t get as much now. We get very generous city support, but very little from the state. Thankfully as the funding structure has changed, Charleston has changed, and that is why we have been able to thrive. That’s reflective of what's happening here in Sarasota, too. 

Photo by Wyatt Kostygan

[Recognition]  Royce Finalist for Principal of Year

Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart announced Steven Royce, principal for Tara Elementary School, as one of three finalists for Florida’s 2016 Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership. Royce has served as principal of the Bradenton school for four years, during which time the school grade has risen from a C to a B, with the school earning the highest numeric grade in its history. 

Florida Department of Education

[Opening]  Townsend Opens Music Compound

Owner Jenny Townsend announced Music Compound, a studio space for singers, songwriters and students, was now open on Cattlemen Road in the Sarasota area. Townsend has already announced plans to expand the facility from its existing 1,800 square feet to 6,500 square feet in April. The music school will be led by Music Director Denise Verheul, who has more than 20 years experience teaching piano and voice. Vermeil specializes in audition readiness programs for young musicians, along with private lessons for students of any age, including adults.  She holds a bachelor degree in music and a master’s degree in teaching music from Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Townsend’s background is in marketing, finance and hospitality. 

Music Compound

[Exec Moves]  Buckland Hired by Sarasota Chamber

Dillon Buckland has been hired as the communications coordinator for The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Buckland recently graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s in Organizational Communication and Event Management. 

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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