Work starts on downtown Taco Bus, bowling alley

Taco Bus is another step closer to opening in downtown Sarasota, as construction started Monday on several Main Street storefronts to make way for the Tampa-based Mexican restaurant.

“Besides having two awesome companies on Main Street, this will be two firsts for Main Street,” said entrepreneur Jesse Biter, who owns the property. It will be the first 24-hour venue in Taco Bus, and the first bowling alley, which will be located within an Evie’s business.

Construction will force the closure of a portion of the sidewalk in front of 1560 Main Street for the next 30 days, and the project will be complete in less than seven months, Biter said.

The project is expected to cost roughly $1 million, according to city of Sarasota spokeswoman Jan Thornburg, and includes interior renovations and a right-of-way permit to build parking spaces.

Taco Bus and Evie’s are two of several business slated to open downtown in the coming months, joining World of Beer and Beer Box, the latter of which will open in the space Evie’s currently occupies on Ringling Boulevard.