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Longboat Key | Business

Harry's Continental Kitchens has been a local favorite for decades.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • April 1, 2026
A staple of Longboat Key for over 40 years, Harry's Continental Kitchens keeps it fresh

This Longboat Key landmark blends Old World cuisine, family tradition and a commitment to hospitality.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Co-owner Chris Carter works with a barista behind the counter of the second location of Sips, which opened at 3172 Gulf of Mexico Drive this month.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • March 25, 2026
Second Sips debuts on Longboat Key

Build-your-own sandwiches and cozy space sets second branch apart from original.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Speaks Clam Bar, pictured after its 2018 opening, closed on St. Armands Key earlier this month.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • March 24, 2026
Speaks Clam Bar shutters St. Armands location

The original Lakewood Ranch location of the Italian and Seafood restaurant will remain open.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Diners sit outside at Lazy Lobster. Owner Michael Garey said business really starts to ramp up in February before March, April and May, the busiest months of the year for the restaurant.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • March 4, 2026
Seasonal upswing back to 'normal' on Longboat Key

As spring break approaches, Longboat Key business owners are optimistic that business will continue to ramp up.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Susan Phillips retired in 2025 from her role as the town manager's assistant.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 3, 2026
Phillips named chair of Longboat Key Foundation

The organization's founder, Jim Brown, announces retirement from the position.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Longboat Key resident Patrice Fanning started off serving as an officiant for friends, and she is now expending her work into an official business.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • February 11, 2026
Longboaters in love can keep it local with new wedding officiant business

Longboat Key resident Patrice Fanning recently started her new business, Forever without Borders, to offer wedding officiant services here or wherever couples need her.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Herb Methodology co-owner Tryla Brown Larson celebrates the launch of her line of locally made products at Longboat Key's Design 2000 Salon on Jan. 29.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • February 4, 2026
Herb Methodology launches at Design 2000

The line of locally made products covers everything from bath bombs to bug repellent.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Couch LBK joined neighboring Brista Commons businesses in celebrating their official opening on Jan. 20.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • January 22, 2026
Meet the people behind Brista Commons' new opening

Longboat's new "one-stop shop" for homeowners officially opens at the mid-Key plaza, covering realty, flooring, furniture and windows.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Malia Price, co-owner of The Sarasota Style, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 14 with the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • January 21, 2026
Lifestyle, clothing brand officially opens on St. Armands Circle

The Sarasota Style, the latest addition to St. Armands Circle's business community, recently opened.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Couch LBK co-owner Ken Rushing shows a pair of shoppers a fabric sample inside the furniture showroom at Brista Commons Wednesday, Jan. 14.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • January 18, 2026
Brista Commons hits the ground running

The newest shopping center on Longboat Key has seen lots of foot traffic ahead of its Jan. 20 grand opening.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Barista Claudia Aridus pours a latte while Sara Rountree rinses a cup at Sips this January. The popular north-end coffee shop is expanding with a second location on Longboat Key.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • January 16, 2026
Longboat Key coffee shop's success brews expansion

A second Sips, with the exact name still to be determined, will open where Turtle Coffee Bar once operated.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Sips Coffee is located at 6828 Gulf of Mexico Drive and plans to open a second location on Longboat Key at 3172 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • January 6, 2026
Starbucks pulls out of plans for Longboat Key location

However, Sips coffee shop is opening a second location next to where a Starbucks was planned.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Keera Herbst, Donn Githens, Kim Verreault and Alexa Olivas help celebrate the opening of the new Longboat Key Goodwill bookstore and donation site on Dec. 18.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 20, 2025
Longboat Goodwill officially celebrates grand opening

Shoppers explore offerings from the 13,000 books at the retail location, which also includes beach towels, decorative pieces and games.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
A Goodwill bookstore and donation center will occupy the new outparcel building at 3160 Gulf of Mexico Drive by the end of the year.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 16, 2025
Goodwill to open Dec. 18 on Longboat Key

The used bookstore and donation drop-off location will hold a grand opening with a local author signing and giving away books.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Jason Bond and his mother, Donna DeLuca, have been hard at work renovating the space for the new Longboat Key Provisions, the latest addition to The Centre Shops.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 15, 2025
Newest addition to The Centre Shops offers sophisticated picnic supplies

Longboat Key Provisions is set to host a grand opening Dec. 19, showcasing its high-quality picnic blankets, charcuterie, snacks and more.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
The building at the corner of N. Boulevard of the Presidents and Madison Drive may be the location of a revived Shore Restaurant on St. Armands Circle.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 12, 2025
Shore Restaurant could return to St. Armands

A three-story mixed-use proposal includes the popular destination, which closed its previous Circle location after 2024's floods.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Publix anchors The Shoppes at Bay Isles. To the left, Longboat Key Fitness is expanding and Reed Medical Group is moving into the corner unit.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 1, 2025
Reed Medical Group finds a new Longboat Key home

Dr. James Reed and his team of physicians move from temporary home at the Tidewell Building to the Shops of Bay Isles complex.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Petar Sibinkic is the owner and a trainer at Longboat Key Fitness, which is expanding to the unit next door, with the new space focused on stretching and massaging.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • November 28, 2025
Longboat Key Fitness expanding, stretching

The gym is expanding to the unit next door with the new space to focus on stretching and massaging.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Tommy Bahama CEO Doug Wood said he is thrilled with how the rebuilding of the restaurant and retail space at 465 John Ringling Blvd. turned out, especially the indoor bar area.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • November 8, 2025
Tommy Bahama celebrates grand return to St. Armands Circle

The combined restaurant and retail store invited guests to join in recognizing the official return after rebuilding from last year's hurricanes.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Christian Delunas, retail general manager, shows one of his favorite unique purses offered at the newly opened Italian Idea boutique on St. Armands Circle. The shop recently hosted a soft opening for its third attempt to open a location on the shopping hub.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • November 3, 2025
Boutique featuring Italian leather handbags opens on St. Armands

Italian Idea, which hosted its soft opening last week, brings its family fashion tradition to St. Armands Circle.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Rachel Ghormley says Euphemia Haye has been a family favorite on Longboat for decades.
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • October 30, 2025
Beloved Longboat restaurant continues legacy with new owners

The new owners of longtime local landmark Euphemia Haye aim to maintain the newfound momentum since taking over earlier this year. "There is a lot of love we are putting into this," says one co-owner.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Valarie Evanko, Bob Mazurek and Iris White shared their hope that The Lord's Warehouse thrift shop will keep its normal operations running after a new Goodwill donation center opens on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 27, 2025
Lord's Warehouse prepares for incoming Goodwill

Organizers of the Longboat thrift shop hope they'll be able to maintain usual operations when the new Goodwill donation center opens.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Jon Mongeau and Lita and John Brannan accept the award for Emerging Business of the Year on Oct. 23 at the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce 2025 membership awards banquet at Lido Beach Resort.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 24, 2025
Longboat chamber awards highlight business recovery

Business leaders celebrated their ability to rebound and recover from the 2024 hurricanes as the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce handed out 13 awards Thursday.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
A car carrier sits in the median of Gulf of Mexico Drive Tuesday, Oct. 14. Many seasonal residents fly down and have their cars shipped on carriers to Longboat Key, and the return of the car transporters has become known as one of the first signs of the more busy winter season.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 22, 2025
Longboat businesses optimistic for better season from visitors

The snowbirds are returning, and their dollars extend a lifeline for businesses that rely on the season to make up for a summer lull.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Pepper shrimp is just one of many cross-cultural dishes popular in Trinidad and Tobago and available on the menu at Flambo, the newest restaurant to open on St. Armands Circle.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 22, 2025
Trinidadian cuisine on the menu at new St. Armands spot

A new family-run Caribbean restaurant called Flambo quietly opened on St. Armands Circle and looks forward to bringing energy to its new home.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
The Gonzmart family announced it would build a restaurant paying homage to the Buccaneer Inn to Longboat Key, though the project has not broken ground since the restaurant group purchased the parcel in 2016.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 20, 2025
Buccaneer restaurant concept on Longboat Key paused

The group behind Columbia Restaurants is not moving forward with their plans for a 196-seat concept on the parcel previously home to Pattigeorge's.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
A banner announcing a new Starbucks location still sits inside the storefront of 3174 Gulf of Mexico Drive, but interior work is yet to begin.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 15, 2025
Longboat Starbucks 'on hold' with build-out yet to start

It has been eight months since the arrival of Starbucks to Longboat Key was announced, and interior work is yet to start.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Daniela and Giuseppe Fornieri, owners of La Norma, recently brought some homegrown design touches to the Italian restaurant on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 15, 2025
La Norma brings homey feel to restaurant renovation

The Longboat Key restaurant brings an authentic Sicilian flair to the restaurant scene, backed by thorough financial planning.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
A Goodwill bookstore and donation center will occupy the new outparcel building at 3160 Gulf of Mexico Drive by the end of the year.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 13, 2025
Goodwill sets up first Longboat Key location

The bookstore and donation drop-off at the outparcel of the new Brista Commons commercial complex is expected to open by the end of the year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Mark Ursini, owner and developer of Brista Commons at the 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive, said the commercial complex will be open by December.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 10, 2025
Shopping plaza opens soon with furniture, windows, flooring tenants

Brista Commons, a new commercial complex on Longboat Key closing in on completion, will feature everything needed to build and decorate a home.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Sandpiper Inn, located at 5451 Gulf of Mexico Drive, reopened mid-August after rebuilding from significant hurricane damage.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • September 28, 2025
Resilient owners of Longboat legend celebrate post-storms reopen

Owners Harold and Christine Cullison officially reopened Sandpiper Inn on Aug. 16 after working hard to rebuild from hurricanes Helene and Milton.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Cannons Marina is at 6040 Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key. The 70-plus year-old business started as a fish camp in the late 40s opened by Ernie Cannon.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • September 26, 2025
Cannons Marina changes hands

Port-Charlotte-based Ingman Marine is acquiring the 70-plus-year-old Longboat Key marina.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Kilwins Sarasota is located at 312 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands Key.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • September 25, 2025
Kilwins makes sweet return to St. Armands Circle

Following a nearly yearlong closure from hurricane damage, the fudge and ice cream shop is reopening this weekend.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Staff at the newly opened Spartina 449 on St. Armands Circle celebrate the opening of the clothing boutique this month. The brand blends flowery linens and leather goods.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • September 22, 2025
South Carolina-inspired boutique comes to St. Armands

Spartina 449 hopes to help the rebuilding process of St. Armands Circle with the opening of its newest clothing shop.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
The Columbia Restaurant’s fourth-generation owner Casey Gonzmart Sr., believes that passion and fun are essential in running a restaurant empire.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • September 14, 2025
Family legacy at Columbia Restaurant carries to next generation

Casey Gonzmart Sr. is passing the torch to family members as he steps down as chairman of the board of the 1905 Family of Restaurants.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Val Evanko, Joyce Mazurek and Dona Petruccelli run the counter at the Lord's Warehouse reopening.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • September 4, 2025
Lord's Warehouse thrift shop closes for month

The second-hand shop celebrated its reopening in February after the storms, and now will temporarily close for a deep clean.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
1 2 3 4 5 »
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Latest in Longboat Key

1
Garden Club President Melanie Dale helps lead efforts to beautify and support the Longboat Key community. Butterflies visit flowering plants cultivated to support pollinators, reflecting the club's focus on sustainable, Florida-friendly landscapes.
  • April 1, 2026
Longboat Garden Club's efforts help beautify and nurture a community
2
Harry's Continental Kitchens has been a local favorite for decades.
  • April 1, 2026
A staple of Longboat Key for over 40 years, Harry's Continental Kitchens keeps it fresh
3
The home at 590 Birdie Lane sold for $5.5 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,297 square feet of living area.
  • April 1, 2026
Top residential real estate sales for March 16-20 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key
4
Traffic headed north off Longboat Key often backs up onto the Longboat Pass Bridge as Anna Maria Island has become a congestion hotspot on the barrier islands.
  • April 1, 2026
Citizen survey shows love of Longboat, but road issues remain
5
Bird Key Yacht Club members Carol Smith, Amy Lazarus and Beth Nothstine played instrumental roles in keeping the club's lecture series fresh this season by inviting friends to tell their fascinating life stories. Closing out the series, Bobbi Brown shared tales from her journey starting a makeup empire.
  • March 31, 2026
Longtime friendships make Bird Key lecture series possible

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