Downtown Wellen's New Shops Opened on Schedule. The Restaurants Are Still Coming.

Along the 7100-numbered suites at 19835 Wellen Park Blvd., the Phase II storefronts have been open for months. A coastal boutique with a wine bar sits in Unit 7108, a women's clothing shop in Suite 7105 and a salon in Suite 7102. Across the way at 19830, Suites 6106 and 6108 are still waiting for opening day. Those are the two Phase II addresses with restaurant names attached.

Last spring, Town Chronicle described the 44,000-square-foot second phase of Downtown Wellen as set to open "in spring and summer." As of late October, the shops and the salon are open and every announced restaurant has missed that window. The status of each storefront on the May list shows this season's downtown taking shape on two separate schedules.

The status board, storefront by storefront

Here is what the May 20 projections said and what the most recent public word on each business says now.

Every business in the top three rows sells clothing, home goods or haircuts. Every business in the bottom four sells food. That split is the whole story of Phase II so far.

The shop side filled in on its own schedule

Seaside & Co. was the first Phase II opening and the most on time. Town Chronicle had it pegged for May. In a June 29 profile, SRQ Magazine reported that co-owners Brian and Keelie Bloom opened their third store in May. Keelie Bloom also owns Seaside Chic Boutique in Venice and Beach Daisy on Sanibel. The Wellen Park store pairs coastal clothing and home décor with Gather, a wine bar run in partnership with the wine brand DiBacco. Until the restaurants open, Gather is the only place on the new Phase II block to order a glass of wine.

Hudson Square Boutique, projected for summer, followed in June. Owner Danielle MacConel started the business online in 2019, opened her first storefront in Hopewell Junction, New York, later that year, and moved to Venice in 2024. She told The Suncoast Post how she chose the location:

"I immediately knew Downtown Wellen was where I wanted to open our Florida flagship. We officially opened in June 2026, and bringing Hudson Square Boutique to this community has truly been a dream come true!"

James Griffith Salon, run by Englewood locals Christine and James Griffith, rounds out the open side. Town Chronicle projected it for spring, and the salon now describes the Wellen Park location as recently opened. The salon's Wellen Park location page lists hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and closed Sunday. Those two late weekdays make it one of the few Phase II businesses that stays open after the workday ends.

The food side has moved its date more than once

Grain & Berry has the clearest record of a moving target. In May it was listed for summer 2026, with Town Chronicle noting the regional chain has more than 30 locations, most of them in Florida. On Sept. 30, Sarasota Magazine reported a planned October 2026 opening with no specific date. Then on Oct. 16, What Now Tampa reported that a company representative said the café is working toward a Dec. 5 launch. The menu runs to açaí and pitaya bowls, plant-based flatbreads and quesadillas, chopped salads and fresh-pressed juices.

Agave Bandido would be the chain's fifth location and its fourth in Florida, serving Mexican-inspired food and tequila-focused cocktails. Its locations page still lists the Wellen Park storefront in Suite 6108 as "Opening Soon." As of the Sept. 30 Sarasota Magazine roundup, the opening was expected sometime this fall, with no exact date.

The two most locally rooted concepts on the list also have the least public timing. Easy Does It Comfort Kitchen will be chef Spiros Stogiannis' third restaurant, built around smashburgers, sandwiches, salads and oversized loaded "monstah" tater tots meant for sharing. La Maison, a French pâtisserie at 7101 Wellen Park Blvd., comes from Darel and Stephanie Albin, the family behind Sassy Tarts Bakery, Nico B's and The Hideaway in Englewood. It plans breads, croissants, pastries and quiches throughout the day. As of Sept. 30, Sarasota Magazine reported no opening date for either one.

What a downtown evening looks like until then

With the new kitchens still dark, the Phase II block works best for an afternoon of shopping. The evening plan comes from the events calendar, and through early December that calendar is full. If you need a reminder of the Phase I restaurants and errands that already anchor the district, our guide to everyday life around Downtown Wellen Park covers them, and the summer field guide to Downtown Wellen has background on the Phase II tenants.

Here is the downtown and CoolToday Park calendar between now and the weekend Grain & Berry is aiming for:

1. Every Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Fresh Harvest Farmers Market sets up in Downtown Wellen with produce, plants, seafood and cut flowers.
2. Friday, Oct. 30, 4 to 7 p.m. Wellen Park Spooktacular offers trick-or-treating plus costume contests for kids, adults, groups and pets.
3. Thursday, Nov. 12, 6 to 9 p.m. The Night Market and Dueling Pianos returns with makers and artists after weather canceled the Oct. 8 date. Dueling Pianos normally runs on the second and fourth Thursdays at Solis Hall, needs no RSVP and moves indoors in bad weather.
4. Saturday, Nov. 14, 1 to 4 p.m. The Wellen Park Wine Festival is ticketed, 21 and over, with more than 40 wine participants and food tastings. The event listing gives Nov. 14, while a site-wide ticket banner mentions Nov. 13 and 14, so check your ticket before you go.
5. Saturday, Nov. 21, from 11 a.m. CoolToday Park's Grilled Cheese Festival brings food trucks, a craft-beer garden, live music and kids' activities.
6. Nov. 21 and 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Fine Art Festival fills Downtown Wellen with artist booths and charges no admission. It overlaps with the Grilled Cheese Festival on Saturday.
7. Wednesday, Dec. 2. The Cottages For Kids program, with playhouses designed and built by participating Wellen Park builders, benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.

The food trucks at CoolToday Park on Nov. 21 are the closest thing to a new dining option this fall. Pairing the art festival with a ballpark lunch the same day is a short drive within Wellen Park.

December 5 is the date to circle

Wellen Wonderland opens on Friday, Dec. 4, with a tree lighting, a Christmas market, ornament decorating, ice dancers and live music. Saturday, Dec. 5, brings Dueling Pianos, a Glow Bike Ride and visits with Santa. CoolToday Park adds its Braves Beer Run at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4 and the Tomahawk 5K at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 5.

That Saturday is also the date Grain & Berry has given What Now for its launch. If the date holds, the first Phase II restaurant opens on one of the busiest downtown weekends of the year, roughly six months after the boutique next door. Agave Bandido, Easy Does It and La Maison have no public date yet, so the rest of the food side will arrive whenever each business announces it. The shop side has had its storefront lights on since summer.

If you're keeping score on Downtown Wellen as each new kitchen opens, the team at NextHome Suncoast walks these blocks too, and we're happy to talk through how a new town center changes the feel of the streets around it. Find Your Suncoast Lifestyle with us, starting from our Wellen Park neighborhood page.