FLAGLER BEACH — After 15 years as a fixture in the heart of the core tourist district of this evolving destination, the Flagler Beach Gift Shop will be leaving the beachside to begin a new era in Palm Coast.
“We’ve loved being in Flagler Beach, but it’s time for a change,” said Michelle Mitchell, the shop’s owner, who plans to open the doors in early October at the new, renamed Wildflower Gifts in the Woodlands Commons Plaza at the intersection of Old Kings Road and Utility Drive, not far from Interstate 95.
For Mitchell, the decision was inspired by personal lifestyle changes that coincide with a period of growth and transformation in both Flagler Beach and Palm Coast.
“As a small business owner, you weigh out a lot of things, in terms of risk and reward,” said Mitchell, who recently married and sold her Flagler Beach home to move with her new husband to Palm Coast, a big factor in her decision.
“In Palm Coast, the growth has been explosive, the population growth,” she said.
Flagler Beach also experiencing big changes
At the same time, Flagler Beach also is experiencing monumental changes.
After taking a beating from multiple storms, the beach itself is being extended by 100 feet thanks to more than 1 million cubic yards of new sand provided by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Flagler Beach’s battered and shuttered yet still iconic wooden pier — also repeatedly ravaged by storms and hurricanes throughout its nearly 100-year history — will be replaced by a tougher, taller pier perched on concrete pilings.
Its scenic stretch of State Road A1A — one of the few stretches of the road in Florida with a view of the Atlantic Ocean — is getting a makeover of fresh asphalt from the state Department of Transportation, along with some other improvements.
And its skyline along the State Road 100 bridge has been augmented by the addition of the newly opened Compass by Margaritaville Hotel in the heart of town next to Veterans Park.
For small business owners, the combination of so many major projects unfolding simultaneously has presented challenges in addition to the prospect of an eventual business boost from more visitors attracted to the destination, Mitchell said.
“All the hurricane-related construction, the hotel construction, the pier construction, the small businesses along (State Roads) 100 and A1A, they get affected a lot,” she said. “We’ve been affected, too, but not as badly. And the new hotel has brought us customers, so it has been a plus for us.”
Boxing up beach souvenirs and apparel for the move amid the Gift Shop’s clearance sale in September, Mitchell said she’s excited about rebranding the shop in its new location.
“Things are more touristy here (in Flagler Beach), more tourist-driven,” she said. “Once we’re over there, it will be more of a focus on traditional gift-giving, more boutique-like.”
Compass by Margaritaville reflects on ‘hidden treasure’ Flagler Beach
As that longtime business moves out, the owner of the new Compass by Margaritaville Hotel offers a glowing assessment of its initial summer following a grand opening in May.
The 84,000-square-foot hotel, at 111 S. Daytona Ave., towers next to Veterans Park, a block away from the beach. With its Jimmy Buffett vibe, it already has become a bucket-list attraction for fans of the legendary Florida singer-songwriter.
“The reservations and rates are exceeding expectations,” said Manoj Bhoola, president and CEO of Ormond Beach-based Elite Hospitality.
He adds that the new hotel is already ranked at No. 1 against other Flagler Beach hotels in performance ratings from the global hospitality industry data and analytics firm STR.
In a broader view, Flagler County tourist development tax collections, commonly known as bed-tax collections, of $3.7 million for the first 10 months of the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, are up 3% compared with the same period a year ago.
“We believe the beach has always been a hidden treasure but couldn’t remain a secret for long,” Bhoola said of the destination’s growth. “We have seen a great metamorphosis of the area in the last two years since we announced that we were developing this asset with the other tourist-related businesses around us.”
Compass by Margaritaville’s business impact emerges
For the small businesses around the hotel, the transformation has had its ups and downs, said Haley Kirk, who has owned the next-door Vessel lunch restaurant at 213 S. 2nd St., with her husband, Ben.
“Obviously, growth is great, but there are definitely growing pains with that,” said Kirk, who has persevered through multiple hurricanes, a pandemic and economic uncertainties since the restaurant opened 10 years ago.
Those obstacles pale against the upheaval and inconveniences in parking and access that accompanied the new hotel’s construction over the past two years, she said.
“The construction period was some of the slowest months we’ve had, even with COVID,” she said. “Sometimes, we had to go seven blocks away just to find parking, even for us who were working there.”
Many of the restaurant’s regular customers are locals, who stopped coming due to the inconvenience, she said. Slowly, they have been returning since the hotel opened, along with a new boost from Compass guests, she said.
“For a small business, every single day counts, every sale counts,” she said. “Our sales are better since June of this year than they were last year, and we have gotten some new business from the hotel. Its opening has definitely helped, but it’s just not a night and day improvement.”
Bhoola responds that the inconveniences of the hotel’s construction, as well as the ongoing work on the pier, roadways and beach will be worth it in the long run.
“We added over 80 parking spots and improved the streets around us, adding more parking to try to help this ongoing issue,” he said. “The great thing is that we can see all the additional economic benefit with every filled parking spot, as opposed to having empty spots with no customers for the amazing restaurants and shops around us.”
At Golden Lion Cafe, Flagler Beach changes yield challenges, hope
Just to the north along A1A, another growth-related change also has sparked mixed reaction from the owners of the Golden Lion Café, an oceanfront fixture since its opening 33 years ago.
A new pedestrian crossing just outside the Golden Lion’s beachside entrance includes an elevated stoplight that restaurant owner Christopher Marlow said interferes with the ocean view that is a big part of the eatery’s appeal.
“It’s great to improve pedestrian safety because keeping the public safe is a No. 1 priority, but I think what’s been done on 5th Street North is probably a little bit of overkill,” Marlow said. “What makes Flagler so beautiful is the unobstructed view of the ocean, so I think we also need to keep in mind who are, where we come from, and what makes us special.”
Marlow acknowledges that small businesses are facing challenges from a slew of major construction and renovation projects unfolding simultaneously.
“You’re talking about major jobs, once in generation projects, all happening in two years,” he said. “It’s been a challenge.”
At the same time, he’s optimistic that the results will make the short-term pain worthwhile.
“We’ve seen a lot,” he said of the 30 plus years of the family-owned restaurant. “A pandemic, fires, hurricanes, plenty of recessions, along with times when business was great.”
He adds that issues related to growth and the economy aren’t restricted to Flagler Beach.
“Nationally, globally, it’s a difficult time to be in business right now,” he said, “but long-term, I think all these changes will be great for the business community.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler Beach Gift Shop moves to Palm Coast after 15 years, amid big changes in county
Reporting by Jim Abbott, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
