Business Observer

Founded in 1997 as the Gulf Coast Business Review, this newspaper stands out as the top source for business and economic news in the Gulf Coast area, stretching from Tampa Bay to Naples. It focuses on covering industry developments and economic trends in the region, highlighting new companies, corporate strategies, and profiling emerging entrepreneurs and influential business leaders. Additionally, it keeps its audience informed about government actions at the state, regional, and local levels that impact the business landscape and economy.

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Ulta Beauty to open new Pasco County store

1 day ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

In a world were news of retailers shutting down seems like an everyday occurrence, there is a bit of good news coming from one Pasco County shopping center. Ulta Beauty is opening a new store at Tampa Premium Outlets later this year. The mall nor the chain have shared an opening date, though, only saying that it is scheduled to open in the winter.
Naples investor puts $1.05 million into 3D-printed seawall manufacturer

1 day ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

Naples-based Tamiami Angel Funds has invested $1.05 million in a Miami environmental technology company that’s designing and building 3D printed seawalls. That’s right, printed seawalls. The company, Kind Designs, uses 3D-printing technology to build seawalls that mimic coral reefs and mangroves. These manufactured seawalls are “reinforced with recycled ocean plastic fibers and contain embedded water-quality sensors to create a global network of water data,” Angel Fund says in a statement.
Historic St. Petersburg dog track sold

2 days ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

The St. Petersburg Kennel Club, which operates the historic Derby Lane, has merged with a private equity firm named Rally Acquisition and taken a $58.25 million mortgage on the Gandy Boulevard track. Details of the deal were not disclosed, but records from the state’s Division of Corporations and Pinellas County show the two transactions. Scott Esterbrook, a Philadelphia attorney listed in merger paperwork filed with the state, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
$107M MacDill Air Force base school built to fight hurricanes

2 days ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

For decades now MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa has been known as the operations hub for the U.S. military’s missions in the Middle East. It is home to the U.S. Central Command and the U.S. Special Operations Command, along with several Air Force groups. But the 5,767-acre base sitting on Tampa Bay may soon be known for something else. A school built with a focus on hurricane resiliency.
Sarasota waterfront house listed for $15 million

3 days ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

A house in Lido Shores has hit the market with a $14.99 million asking price. It is at 424 Bowdoin Circle and looks onto Sarasota Bay. Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, the listing agency charged with marketing the property, calls it “a stunning West Indies-inspired architectural estate” where “every detail exudes sophistication and grandeur.”Hyperbole aside, the 5,882-square-foot gated house has five bedrooms with five full baths and one half bath.
Riverview retail center to be built on nearly 14 acres

3 days ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

The Ferber Co., a West Palm Beach developer, has bought a 13.54-acre parcel in Riverview and plans to build a retail center on the site. The property is near the intersection of Balm Road and U.S. Highway 301, and its list of tenants already includes Dutch Bros, Discount Tire, Tidal Wave Car Wash and a yet-to-be named self-storage facility. The firm says there will also be “high volume fast food and quick service restaurants” in the center.
Palmetto parcels primed for commercial development up for sale

4 days ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

Naples, Fort Myers and CharlotteWhile some industry insiders are talking about slowdowns in commercial real estate, Fort Myers’ LSI Cos. is on a roll. The firm announced three deals totaling $4.2 million last week. All were in Fort Myers. The deals include:A commercial property totaling 24,299 square feet at 14508-14540 S. Tamiami Trail. The buyer is a local LLC tied to a revocable trust that paid $2.85 million. The seller, Lakes Park Plaza, bought the two-building property in 2018 for $2.77 million.
Lee County woman who stole $4.2M and faked death sent to prison

1 week ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

A 49-year-old Lee County woman who faked her own death has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing $4.19 million from her employer for personal expenses and for gambling. U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber sentenced Madelyn Hernandez of Lehigh Acres this week to the jail time for money laundering and wire fraud. He also ordered she forfeit the proceeds of the crime. She pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
Rural Hillsborough County house listed for $39 million

1 week ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

A 16,114-square-foot house in rural Hillsborough County has been put up for sale. The asking price: $38.5 million. That is not a typographical error. The Odessa house is at 18725 Jiretz Road and sit on 4.42 acres fronting Island Ford Lake. It was built in 2024. County records show the property is currently owned by a trust that paid $450,000 for the site in 2020.
Naples housing market gets another sky-high listing — this one for $12M | Business Observer

1 week ago | businessobserverfl.com | Louis Llovio

A Naples waterfront estate is on the market for what, in that city at this time, may seem like a bargain to some. The 5,419-square-foot home at 2500 Tarpon Road in the Royal Harbor neighborhood has been listed for $11.99 million. While the price point would be on the high- to mid- end of the luxury home market almost anywhere else, Naples is different. Like the condominium complex planned for the city’s Gulf Shore Boulevard, which has units starting at $30 million.