“I think if they allow this to come in, it will end the island as we know it,” said Chet Zarzycki, owner of Holy Cow Ice Cream, 3234 E. Bay Drive, Holmes Beach.
Zarzycki responded to the news a Dunkin’ Donuts-Baskin-Robbins store was planned for the Anna Maria Island Centre shopping plaza with concerns for mom-and-pop businesses.
The announcement came without warning to local business owners, as advertisements were placed in the window of the vacant storefront at 3302 E. Bay Drive.
Holmes Beach code enforcement officer JT Thomas said an application for a permit to build out the vacant storefront had been filed with the city’s building department, but not yet approved.
Thomas requested center management remove the “coming soon” signs from the store’s windows.
“There’s something on the table, but it hasn’t been approved,” Thomas said after issuing a stop-work order on the property to halt renovations.
Independently owned businesses in the center that would be impacted by the national chain include Paradise Cafe, Holy Cow Ice Cream and Cupcake Delights.
Judy Owens, owner of Cupcake Delights, signed a five-year lease in July 2015 with Benderson Development, the company that owns and manages the shopping center.
Owens preferred to focus on the business at hand — her May 14 shop opening — rather than a business that might compete for her customers.
Zarzycki is looking to the future with a bleak eye.
“It seems very awkward to open a national chain 100 feet from my door,” he said.
Zarsycki purchased the ice cream parlor in
2014 and signed a five-year lease with Benderson Development.
“I’m just a little cog in this wheel,” Zarsycki said. “This really affects the future of the island. I don’t know what the answer is. I’m very frustrated.”
Nothing in the Holmes Beach’s code of ordinances prevents chain or franchise establishments. However, no drive-thru windows are allowed, unless permitted through a variance.
At city commission meetings May 10 and May 12, Commissioner Pat Morton addressed the issue.
“I think it’s very disturbing,” Morton said, concerned about the welfare of local business owners. “It’s a sad situation. It’s sad Mr. Benderson doesn’t have any ethics for what’s going on out here.”
Morton asked Mayor Bob Johnson, the commission and city attorney Patricia Petruff if something could be done to prevent the store opening.
“My gut’s telling me it would be very difficult to do,” Petruff said. “The trick will be to find an adopted ordinance that has withstood scrutiny — held up in court.”
“Part of the ambiance of this island is the mom-and-pop stores,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “Once you take that away, it takes away a slice of the community and there have been a lot of slices lately.”
Commissioners agreed to look into the issue.
However, if a building permit is approved, Holmes Beach could soon see occupancy by the national chain stores in the shopping center.
“It really bothers me to see this coming in,” Morton said.
Mark Chiat of Benderson, who returned calls placed to Sean Benderson May 11, said the company believes a national brand at the shopping center will be good for all the businesses.
His call was followed by a visit to the center by the local leasing agent, however, a casual survey of several independent store owners determined some were either absent or declined to comment for fear of landlord retaliation.
At Islander press time, attempts to reach representatives for Dunkin’ Donuts-Baskin Robbins for comment were unsuccessful.
What next – Burger King or McDonalds. The island is becoming too commercial!
I don’t get it. We have Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, Dollar Tree, Domino Pizza and 3 national chain gas stations in Holmes Beach. So, from a legal and practical point of view, how can Holmes Beach keep out Duncan Donuts? Sounds like discrimination to me.