Big, small businesses define Lakewood Ranch

LAKEWOOD RANCH --- Expanding businesses and tremendous growth define Lakewood Ranch.
From the community's thriving Corporate Park to the plethora of local shops, Lakewood Ranch is all business.Just this past year, Main Street at Lakewood Ranch opened a variety of new boutiques and must-see stores including the $4 million Lakewood Ranch Cinemas, the Polo Grill and Bar, Starbucks, Pineapple House Collection, Ana Molinari Salon Spa and Paris Bistro.

Not far from Main Street on the corner of Town Center Parkway and Nature's Way, San Marco Plaza is thriving with the new Country Pancake House and Restaurant, Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Parlor, A Bun in the Oven maternity store, Matsuri Sushi, Barnie's Coffee and Tea Co., ShortStacks Antiques & Gifts and an international food store called The Orchid Lady and Her Kitchen.

The Manatee Chamber of Commerce and United Way couldn't help but notice the expanding business side of Lakewood Ranch. As a result, the chamber and United Way are in the process of constructing a $3.3 million facility on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard to strengthen its presence in East Manatee.
Several businesses formerly located in Bradenton and Sarasota are also finding the move to Lakewood Ranch financially beneficial.
Later this year, the King of Beers will find a new throne in Lakewood Ranch.

Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, the sole distributor of Anheuser-Busch and Corona products in Manatee and Sarasota counties, will complete its two-story office building and 150,000-square-foot warehouse in the Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park.

The company will be one of the newest additions to the Corporate Park that is already home to more than 150 businesses.
Just minutes from the Corporate Park, a new development off University Parkway is about to change the face of Lakewood Ranch.
Soon to be located on Lakewood Ranch's doorstep near Interstate 75 is the 276-acre megamall project called University Town Center planned by Benderson Development.

The project is expected to bring a two-level, 138,000-square-foot Nordstrom department store and a 80,000-square-foot Neiman Marcus store to University Parkway by fall 2010.