Retail Rumors and the Queen's New Palace

Is shopping in Sarasota a blood sport?

By Carol Tisch

For all the retailers buzzing about the For Rent sign in the window of Queen’s Wreath Jewels on St. Armands Circle, here’s the scoop: The Queen’s new palace is opening on May 1 at 1310 Main Street in the old Cunard Ship Lines Building. And by the end of the summer, that eyesore of a smokestack will be transformed into a crown-sporting tower.

A rendering of the new Queen's Wreath on lower Main Street.

I don’t blame anyone for being nervous about store closings, but I did become a bit sensitive to rumor-mongering when I came across a survey-style message board on AOL’s website that invites viewers to pick the next big retailer to go under http://messageboards.aol.com/aol/en_us/articles.php?boardId=571190&func=3&channel=Money+Finance .

This strikes me as the 21^st century’s version of a Roman blood-sport. If you think I’m exaggerating, just ask James and Jenean Durheim, owners of European Focus on Pineapple Avenue. A little over a week ago the Herald-Tribune printed a story erroneously reporting that European Focus was closing. In fact, the store is moving to Citrus Square and will open on August 1 at 1408 State Street.

The couple was deluged with bargain hunters as a result of that article. Never have they been so packed. That’s one way to get consumers into our stores in a down economy – but wouldn’t it be nice if customers supported local retailers in good times and as well as bad. The good news is that Jenean says the store’s rent will be cut in half for the same amount of space. They’ll be moving at the end of June, and you’re all invited to the moving party.

So let’s get back to Queen’s Wreath Jewels. Tina Little tells us, “Queens Wreath Jewels now has complete ownership of shares of stock that were sold to local investors.” (She’s referring to Neil Moody of the troubled local investment funds, who had been an investor in her store.) While I’m not into fueling rumors, you know that’s very good news. Tina says she’s celebrating her 10^th year in business by coming home to the downtown she loves. “I have very strong roots here, and I feel reborn and regenerated,” she said.” In addition to carrying the rare jewels Queens Wreath is known for, Little is negotiating with designers of several lines of fashion-forward, playful jewelry that will sell for $200 to $2,000. “I don’t think I’ve been this happy or this excited about the creativity in the industry for some time – I’m finding some really great jewelry,” she said.

Tina Little

The 1,200-foot store has been designed by her husband, architect Thorning Little, who is retrofitting it with the same antique fixturing that added such class and character to the St. Armands boutique. “My husband and I found the antique wood fixtures in a store in Clearwater – and God bless him – this is the third time he has remodeled Queens Wreath with these beautiful 1920s fixtures,” Little said.

We’ll be reporting on more store openings in our next retail therapy blog.

Queens Wreath Jewels: As of May 1, 2009: 1310 Main Street (941) 388-9800. Now at 382 St. Armands Circle.

European Focus: 508 S. Pineapple Avenue (941) 330-0877 until the end of June.

Posted: 4/15/2009 12:22:28 PM | 0 comments