New Parrish shopping center will include sit-down eateries

A 300,000-square-foot shopping center being constructed by Benderson Development at U.S. Highway 301 and Erie Road will include several sit-down restaurants, likely a First Watch, Beef O'Brady’s and Poppo’s Taqueria, Parrish residents learned this week. The shopping center will be anchored by a Walmart Supercenter.

Todd Mathes, director of development for Benderson Development, faced a standing-room crowd in the auditorium of the Parrish YMCA hungry for details on the new shopping center.

“Walmart will start construction next month and open a year from now,” Mathes said.

Walmart customers will be able to either walk in to do their shopping, or place their order through an online app and drive up to a loading area on the west side of the store to get their merchandise and groceries without having to go inside.

But it was the eateries that residents seemed most interested in learning about. Parrish residents are starved for restaurants with a larger seating capacity.

Ben Jordan, president of the Parrish Civic Association, has been vocal about wanting a steakhouse in Parrish.

“We hope you hear what you want to hear,” Jordan told residents as he opened the meeting.

Mathes first talked to Parrish residents six years ago about the proposed shopping center, and he offered to return again if residents have questions in the future.

Mathes invited residents to take a look at Benderson’s shopping center at State Road 70 and Lockwood Ridge to get a better idea of what is planned for their community. The major difference is that Walmart, rather than Publix, will be the anchor.

“Poppo’s, First Watch and Beef O’Brady’s are some of the restaurants we are talking to,” Mathes said.

Asked about Chick-fil-A, Mathes said Benderson would like to have one of the chicken sandwich restaurants at the Parrish shopping center, but there are no plans for one at this time.

In conjunction with the shopping center, Benderson will provide a “major facelift” to Erie Road, which is now two lanes. Erie will become a three-lane road with two north-bound lanes and a south-bound lane, plus turn lanes into the shopping center.

Benderson also will build a 10-foot golf cart path to Erie Road to serve neighboring manufactured home communities where residents use the carts. There will be golf cart parking at the shopping center.

“The Erie Road improvements will be completed when the Walmart opens,” Mathes said. “It will be a nice gateway entrance to our project.”

A clothing retailer and a fitness center are among other businesses envisioned for the shopping center.

There are several Publix stores open in Parrish, including one across the road from where Benderson is building its new shopping center

“I am all for it,” a Parkwood Lakes resident said of Benderson’s new offering. “I like a little competition.”

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "New Parrish shopping center will include sit-down eateries."