Holmes Beach business owners aren’t the only ones concerned about a potential influx of national chain stores to Anna Maria Island.
When commissioners met for a May 26 work session, one of the primary topics of conversation was the regulation of chain stores.
“What, if anything, are we allowed to do — if we want to do something?” Chair Judy Titsworth asked.
City attorney Patricia Petruff suggested developing an ordinance that limits the number of formula businesses by type in the city’s commercial districts. Petruff said she identified about 15 chain businesses already in Holmes Beach, including retailers, gas stations, banks and real estate offices.
“Really think about what you want to do, how you want to do it and why you want to do it,” Petruff said to commissioners. “Whatever it is, we need to do it in a legally acceptable way.”
Other suggestions Petruff presented to commissioners included offering tax incentives for commercial property owners who lease to local businesses and finding a way to help business owners buy their building instead of leasing.
“Part of the issue Holmes Beach has is that the commercial center is basically what people would call a strip mall,” Petruff said, adding there is nothing architecturally interesting about the city’s commercial areas to help achieve historic preservation status, which would help keep chain or formula businesses out.
Petruff suggested getting stakeholder input from local business owners and commercial property owners to see if a solution can be found.
“It can be regulated, but I don’t think it will be easy,” Petruff said. “You need to move forward in a very thoughtful, careful way with stakeholder input.”
“Whatever we’re doing, going to do, it will be limited in usefulness and it’s going to take time,” said Commissioner Jean Peelen. “It won’t help with the issue with Benderson now.”
Holmes Beach commissioners began talks on how to potentially regulate formula businesses after Benderson Development rented space in its Anna Maria Island Centre Shops on East Bay Drive to a combined Baskin-Robbins-Dunkin’ Donuts store.
The formula store will represent direct competition for several local-owner stores at the center.
Independed shop owners are worried that when the formula store opens it not only will hurt their business, but also will open the door to more chains.
Chet Zarzycki, owner of Holy Cow Ice Cream, 3234 E. Bay Drive, addressed commissioners during public comment.
“It would be my hope the commission will address the threat Benderson poses by bringing a multinational chain to the shopping center,” Zarzycki said. “It’s not about my future, it’s about the future of the island.”
Peelen suggested the commission approach the other two island cities about joining forces to speak to the Board of Manatee County Commissioners and the Manatee County Tourist Development Council, asking them to put pressure on Benderson Development to change its mind about leasing to formula establishments.
“We’re selling this place all over the world as old Florida and it’s not a place for chain restaurants,” Peelen said.
“We need to immediately go down to the county commission to impress upon them the danger that’s going on here,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said.
“The TDC’s spent millions publicizing old Florida,” Commissioner Marvin Grossman said. “It’s not old Florida if it’s filled with formula stores.”
A letter from the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce pointed to the loss of character from chain stores and restaurants over the long standard of mom-and-pop operated businesses on the island.
Islander publisher Bonner Joy reiterated the comments from Zarzycki and other merchants in the shopping center, where The Islander newspaper has its office. “Many of the independent store owners aren’t here and aren’t speaking up because they fear retaliation,” she said.
Joy also commented on the new Cupcake Delights shop, saying the owner is very disappointed to “turn the key on her store the same week the signs appeared announcing Dunkin’ Donuts.”
Joy asked the city to give strong consideration to the ordinance, which she said should be adopted to protect and help rebuild independently owned businesses in the event of a devastating hurricane, but also to act with urgency on putting political pressure on county officeholders who take contributions from Benderson.
Commissioners directed Mayor Bob Johnson to immediately move forward on talks with the county commission and to work on an ordinance to regulate chain businesses for the future.
Johnson suggested exploring what the city’s options for regulation are and continuing discussions at a future work session.
“I think there are many available options to us,” he said. “We need to get a package pulled together of what they are and determine how it applies to Holmes Beach.”
Johnson agreed to take the lead in finding a political path to work through the current issue with Benderson through the county commission and TDC. He also will supervise staff in researching possible ordinance options for the city.
Commissioners will next meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
3 governments on the Island, with little kings in their kingdoms. No mom and pop can afford legal costs for that non-sense. Everything is done multiple times. Not a big deal for the chains, but for mom and pop. So the chains will come.
Remember when they cited Skinny’s for having more chairs outside than City allowed. It’s their property! It’s time people take our property back and disallow this kind of micro-managing government patronizing. And those nosy guys are paid by the taxpayer.
Chains are stores without a soul. Attract instead of prohibit. That’s what government should do. Not vice versa. And this starts with deregulation for the mom and pops. Send the kings in the desert.
I can only hope that the powers to be will say no to any “chain” coming to the island. The charm of this island is the old world feel to it. I have been coming here for over eight years and it is the one thing I enjoy about it. The trolley, the mom and pop stores, the beach etc. Think of folks like me who look forward to the way the island is, folks like me who spend money here to support businesses to keep it local. I have considered moving to the area to have that lifestyle of working hard everyday and knowing that it pays off.