LAKEWOOD RANCH -- San Marco Plaza has had its share of challenges, as have many retail areas.

But stakeholders there are hopeful that better days are ahead for the Venetian-themed destination.

Yellow Strawberry Hair and Makeup Salon plans to move from leased space at 6253 Lake Osprey Drive in the next few months into 3,200-square-foot space it purchased in San Marco Plaza.

Also under contract for a 3,000-square-foot space is a dance club, and 2nd Ann Rose designer consignment boutique is buying space it has been leasing, said agent David Neff of John Swartz Realty.

“I have a dentist interested in about 3,000 square feet, and I have been talking to a night club restaurant for the 8,000-square-foot space there,” Neff said this week.

“Yellow Strawberry has an enormous following, and great leadership. They are in there now doing construction,” Neff said.

Caroline Behan, who owns Yellow Strawberry with her husband, Desmond, and partner, Richard Weintraub -- the company takes its name from two Beatles’ songs, “Yellow Submarine” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” -- said the move will allow the addition of six more cutting stations and hiring of more staff.

The Yellow Strawberry staff, which now numbers 18, could grow to 24 or 26, she said.

“We hope to be in there within a couple of months. I like the ambience of the center. I think it’s very special. It just hasn’t had its day yet. I think we can produce something very special there,” Behan said.

Yellow Strawberry plans to expand its offerings with makeup and waxing services, Behan said. “We plan to expand in a tough economy and hopefully introduce more employees. We are busy interviewing right now,” she said.

Barbara Smith, owner of 2nd Ann Rose, said business has been very good at her well-stocked store, which has many designer items at bargain prices.

What’s not to like at San Marco Plaza, says the St. Louis native.

She likes the Venetian architecture, Lakewood Ranch in general, and feels a fondness for her business neighbors, including Wine Styles, certified financial planner Victoria Roberts, Che Bella salon, and Country Pancake House, where she starts each day with a cup of coffee.

“I feel like I am back in Italy. I can open up my doors and when I see them passing, we say hello. It’s a really friendly atmosphere,” Smith said.

The first and last Thursday evenings of the month, she hosts a business networking event called Girls Night Out to help women succeed in business.

Each meeting a different business is highlighted at no charge and participants share a beverage and hors d’oeuvres. Sometimes women attend to look for work opportunities.

A portion of the proceeds from sales at 2nd Ann Rose go to Cancer Support Center or Safe Haven Animal Rescue, or a charity designated by the consignor, Smith said.

One of the reasons businesses are looking at San Marco Plaza is price, Neff said. Two investors that owned most of the space went into default, Neff said.

But now the property is once again on the market, and what formerly sold for $400 a square foot is now going for $145 to $170 a square foot.

Unfinished space is available for $100 to $110 a square foot, Neff said.

The Small Business Administration has low rates and 25-year amortization, which Neff calls the “sweet spot.”

It was formerly a difficult situation at San Marco, but some of the property has been freed up.

“The plaza has a speculator atmosphere and personality. It’s the most beautiful piece of real estate at Lakewood Ranch,” Neff said.