Revelry Pub & Grill on University Parkway to shut down Saturday

John Candlish is sad to see his restaurant go, but sales at Revelry Pub & Grill weren’t high enough to pay rent, the first-time independent restaurateur told the Herald Thursday.

Candlish worked for multiple corporate chains in the past, including Cheesecake Factory, Ruby Tuesday’s and TGI Friday’s. He got tired of working in corporate restaurants and wanted to branch out on his own. Although Candlish’s food was well-received by the community, he said managing a restaurant on University Parkway isn’t as easy as it may seem at first glance.

“It's all on your own shoulders; in corporate, when there was a question about anything there was an email or a number you dialed,” Candlish said. “The real estate team or the legal team would say ‘call this person and we've got it taken care of.’ Here at your own place, it's you and you say, ‘This is my $3,000 to fix this piece of equipment and who do I call or trust?’”

He’s looking for another restaurant property but hasn’t found a good fit yet. He’s particularly interested in the area close to the intersection of State Road 70 and Interstate 75. If he does find a good spot, Candlish plans to serve the type of food he served at Revelry — made with locally grown ingredients when possible, all-natural and GMO-free.

“We think it's important, what you put in your body,” Candlish said. “We would tweak it a bit depending on what's around us, but do the same concept.”

Candlish is leaving the University Park area because he feels it is over-saturated. His three-year lease expires at the end of May.

“Sarasota is only so big,” Candlish said. “They’re opening a CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) at this point and Oak & Stone; I mean, when you dilute the market with that many restaurants and choices. And my location in particular is not a destination.” Revelry is in a freestanding building at 3005 University Parkway that was built in 2003. It was sold to CRC 202 LLC in December 2007. Representatives for the LLC could not be reached for comment.

“It's been trying and the rents are going up in the area,” Candlish said. “I can't blame the landlord for that. It's business. I don't take it personally.”

Candlish wouldn’t disclose the rent he paid for the nearly 7,000-square-foot spot in Sarasota’s new foodie hotbed. But Adam Seidel, sales associate for American Property Group in Sarasota, said he’s seen University Park properties topping $30 per square foot.

“It seems like older tenants moved in there, and moved in when a center was empty. And now when they want to renew the owners are saying, ‘We'll renew, but it goes from 15 bucks a foot plus CAM to $30 or $35 for smaller spaces,’” Seidel said.

Higher rent prices can be attributed to the recent growth spurt in University Park.

“Once the mall opened, the prices skyrocketed,” Seidel said. “The prices have gone up because traffic is really high.”

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Revelry Pub & Grill on University Parkway to shut down Saturday."