Cortez beach shop opens 2nd location after seeing ‘potential’ in downtown Bradenton
Were it not for the pandemic, the Bradenton area might not have two of its newest businesses, The Beach Shop Cortez and The Beach Shop on Bradenton’s Old Main Street.
The owners, Carl Ginsburg and Sharon Hanzlik, were in the Bradenton area in 2020, visiting from the Midwest to settle some of Sharon’s family affairs, when they were laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were here for three months and decided we never wanted to go back,” Ginsburg said. “It’s beautiful here. We just wanted a better quality of life and to work for ourselves.”
They sold their home in the Midwest and made a boat docked at a local marina their home.
“We’re living the Florida lifestyle,” Hanzlik said.
In June of 2020, they opened The Beach Shop Cortez at 11904 Cortez Road W., next to local icon Tyler’s Ice Cream.
They billed their new business as “not your ordinary beach shop.”
“We think you will be surprised! Clothing and swimwear, body boards, skim boards, paddle boards, beach chairs and umbrellas, unusual gifts and everything else you can think of for the beach,” they say on their website.
Customers give The Beach Shop high marks for its personal, friendly service.
From the beginning, Hanzlik and Ginsburg had their eyes on a second location: one of the retail spaces in the new City Centre building at the corner of of Third Avenue West and 12th Street West in downtown Bradenton.
“We saw the potential. We wanted a space here for two years,” Ginsburg said.
A couple of weeks ago they had a soft opening for their new store at 255 12th St. W.
Hanzlik brings a background in business development to The Beach Shop, while Ginsburg has a long history working in motorcycle and auto sales.
In addition to the beach equipment and clothing, both stores feature art work, candles and other gift items made by local artists. Like the “Bradenton, established 1903” T-shirt that Ginsburg was wearing.
The Beach Shop is the third business to open in the City Centre building. The two others are The Stoked Flamingo, a mens clothing store, and Pink & Navy, a women’s fashion store. Expected to open soon are Millie’s Sweets and Treats and Orange Blossom Coffee.
Hours for The Beach Shop in Bradenton are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Hours for the Cortez Road store are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Free public parking is available for the downtown store on the second, third and fourth floors of the City Centre parking garage.
For more information about The Beach Shop, visit https://www.cortezbeachshop.com/ or The Beach Shop Facebook page.
