Freebies await residents at outlets, mall.
The Orlando Premium Outlet malls and Florida Mall are giving valet parking and discount books for free to Florida residents.
The free valet parking will be available to residents from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily, and Florida residents also will get free access to the company’s “savings passport” coupon books that usually cost $10 at the outlets and $5 at Florida Mall.
The savings passport books have discounts to 100 retailers at the Orlando Vineland mall and 120 at the Orlando International shopping center.
The malls are all owned by Simon Properties and are some of the busiest shopping centers of their kind in the country.
The malls are popular with tourists because of the proximity to the area’s attractions — but the new deal is a rare stab at drawing local customers.
Discounts in the savings passport book are 25 to 65 percent off at many retailers at the malls and those that sign up also get a tote bag.
Sprouts nabs Winter Park site for new store
Grocery-store chain Sprouts Farmers Market is expanding into Central Florida with a new store in Winter Park.
Sprouts specializes in fresh produce, meats and bulk-food items and carries a large selection of organic foods as well. It brags its prices are competitive with lowprice national chains.
The new store is coming to the former Whole Foods location in Winter Park on Aloma Avenue, according to a release from the Phoenix-based chain. An opening date has not yet been determined, the company said.
Sprouts stores are generally smaller than full-service supermarkets at about 25,000 square feet.
The Whole Foods formerly at the spot moved to a bigger location at U.S. 17-92 and Lee Road in Winter Park last year.
Sprouts joins a growing number of niche grocers fighting for position in Central Florida including Lucky’s Market, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Earth Fare.
The grocer is also opening Florida stores in Naples and Valrico and has four locations in the Tampa area.
New golf store tabs Altamonte Springs
Golf retailer PGA Tour Superstore is teeing off with another Central Florida store in Altamonte Springs.
The store is expected to open in the middle of 2018 at 375 E. Altamonte Drive, suite 1500, the same shopping center where Whole Foods is located, next to Altamonte Mall.
It will take the place of a Sports Authority store that was set to open, but never did as the chain liquidated in bankruptcy.
Mexican restaurant expanding again
Mexican restaurant Agave Azul Cocina is opening two new restaurants in Winter Park and Maitland.
Agave Azul will take the place of Square 1 Burgers in Winter Park at the corner of Orlando Avenue and Minnesota Avenue, said Rios Restaurant Group co-owner Juan Rios.
The restaurant should open in mid-2018 and will be followed by another Agave Azul restaurant at the Maitland Concourse development, probably in 2019.
The Mexican restaurant also has signed a lease for a 5,000-square-foot spot at 5799 Winter Garden Vineland Road at the Windermere Village shopping center. That restaurant should open in the second or third quarter of 2018.
The original Agave Azul is at 4750 S. Kirkman Road in Orlando. Its dishes include fajitas, tacos, spicy ahi tuna salad, raspberry chipotle salmon and blueberry margaritas.
Bowls restaurant heads to Sodo
Healthy eating chain Fresh Kitchen will open its first area location in the coming weeks east of Orlando and a second this spring south of downtown.
The Tampa-based restaurant chain makes build-your-own bowls with vegetables, meats, sauces and other ingredients.
The Sodo location should open in early in spring, heading into the former Noodles & Co. restaurant at 2855 S. Orange Ave., near Publix and Walmart Neighborhood Market. A previously announced Waterford Lakes restaurant is set to open early next month.