Attention shoppers: 10 big retail deals for Tampa Bay in 2014
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Dec 30, 2014

After years of stagnation, Tampa Bay's retail scene came roaring back to life in 2014.

From Sarasota's splashy new $315 million mall to a Spanx storefront to cult favorite Trader Joe's, there was a lot of good news for Tampa shoppers this year. Here's a look back at the 10 biggest deals in Tampa Bay retail:

The Mall at University Town Center: The first enclosed mall to open in the U.S. since 2012 opened in Sarasota in October, bringing with it a bevy of new high-end retailers. The mall, developed by Michigan-based Taubman Centers, cost $315 million and took two years to build and is a ringing endorsement of Sarasota as a viable place for luxury retail and new real estate development.

International Plaza's new mystery retailer: Taubman, which also owns International Plaza, filed paperwork with the city in September to make way for a large new retailer. Plans call for the demolition of the former Champp's Americana space and another 1,326-square-foot space - a total of 9,888 square feet. The new building would be 46,980 feet, for a net gain of 37,092 square feet.

It's very likely that the new tenant is Restoration Hardware, which has been relocating stores and building grandiose new showrooms nationwide, though neither the retailer nor the mall will confirm.

Tampa Premium Outlets: A decade in the making, Simon Property Group began construction on the outlet mall- which is actually in Wesley Chapel, not Tampa - in October. At 440,000 square feet, the mall is slated to be complete in October 2015 and bring 440,000 square feet - space for 110 retailers - to Pasco County, west of the interchange of Interstate 75 and state road 56.

Hyde Park Village: The Boston-based developers of the urban shopping district took the first steps toward revitalizing the property, revealing their first renderings of a redevelopment and hosting night markets on Fridays in December to drive holiday foot traffic. University Mall: The aging enclosed mall near the University of South Florida was acquired by a New York investor in early December, setting the stage for a redevelopment that could bring in a big-box warehouse store, grocer and fitness club. The previous owners negotiated a lease with the dinner theater concept Studio Movie Grill, which opened over the summer.

Trader Joe's: The cult favorite specialty grocer opened its doors in South Tampa on March 21, bringing with it its trademark cookie butter, cheap wine and a variety of flavored hummus. The store was so popular that it caused traffic problems on South Dale Mabry Highway for months after the opening.

Tyrone Square Mall: Tyrone Square continued its evolution into a more upscale shopping option, landing a new 10-screen eat-in movie theater.

Spanx: The undergarments that made shapewear a household name opened a storefront in International Plaza in April- one of only 10 nationwide. Most are clustered around larger metropolitan areas, such as D.C., Philadelphia and Boston. The Tampa location is an endorsement of the market as one that can support specialty retail.

Redevelopment: Desirable spaces for new-to-market retailers and restaurants are few and far between. But that's changing, as demand is getting high enough for those coveted spaces (think the Fourth Street corridor in St. Petersburg or South Tampa) to drive rent growth high enough to justify redevelopment. Paradise Ventures announced a new redevelopment in early 2014, across the street from South Tampa icon Britton Plaza, and another group has proposed a redevelopment at the corner of South Dale Mabry Highway and Estrella Street, also in South Tampa.

Seminole Mall: The redevelopment of Seminole Mall from enclosed mall to open-air shopping center got under way in 2014. The developers are courting a specialty grocer, big-box retailers and restaurants for the site.

Ashley Gurbal Kritzer is a reporter for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.