Up & Coming for St. Andrews

With Spring in the air, businesses are growing and expanding and some are just beginning!

From The News Herald

ST. ANDREWS — Fresh-from-the-oven pizza steamed on the outside counter as about 35 people — including local business owners and community leaders — gathered Monday on Enzo’s Pizza & Grill’s porch in St. Andrews.

Owner David Hass picked the waterfront, historic community over all other Panama City locations, and his reason was simple enough.

“I like the neighborhood,” Hass said. “It’s up and coming.”

The CRA and Waterfront Partnership held a welcome event for Hass on Monday afternoon to draw attention to the community effort to attract and support business, Community Redevelopment Agency program manager Shawna Beji said.

Enzo’s is the first business to open in St. Andrews this year and among four to open in three months. Last year, eight businesses opened, marking what the community hopes is a trend of growing businesses. More new businesses are opening thanks to community improvements, grants and efforts to recruit specific types of businesses, Beji said.

St. Andrews has been fighting to keep and recruit business for about 10 years, when fishermen relocated from the marina and shops closed up, said Rhonda Barnes, an Economic Development Committee member. When the recession hit, shopping dropped and some businesses that were around four years ago are now gone, Two Sisters owner Charlotte Smith said.

“It’s been a hard two years,” Smith said.

When the Shrimp Boat restaurant opened in late 2008, business owners became more confident in opening a business during the recession, Barnes said.

“I believe it’s been an uphill battle, but we are making some headway,” Barnes said.

Improvements include demolishing dilapidated structures such as mobile homes and other unsound structures. The El Dorado, which has been sitting at the marina and become an eyesore, is about to be hauled away, Barnes said, and The Copa Cabana Hotel is expected to be renovated this year, officials said. The CRA is also busy with new events and beautification.

The CRA also is actively wooing businesses to relocate or expand to St. Andrews. Beji is in talks with a novelty shop she hopes will move to property currently for rent along Beck Avenue. Beji is also touting a grant program that helps new and existing businesses.

“We’re just trying to get the word out about what we can offer people,” Beji said.

The CRA awarded $10,600 in grants last year. So far this year, the board will consider three or four grants in the works, Beji said. Grants are available to new businesses renovating or customizing and to existing businesses.

Although an exact number wasn’t immediately available Monday, Beji said St. Andrews is keeping business. She could think of only two businesses that actually closed last year. Another one consolidated into another shop and two sold but are still open. Those two, The Granite Cafï¿© and Pappy’s Restaurant, now are listed as new businesses.

“We are doing a good job retaining business,” Beji said.

The community isn’t worried about nightlife, such as the adult entertainment club Tan Fannies, impacting business either, Barnes and Beji said. The business stays well-kept and isn’t causing problems.

Hass said he is interested in bringing in new businesses soon. The pizzeria would like to become a franchise eventually, manager Wendy Hackett said. The more businesses that locate to St. Andrews, the better Hass’ business will be, Hass said.

The business community needs to support each other, which is one reason Managing Concepts located in St. Andrews, manager Marilyn Garrett-Fenimore said. Her marketing firm opened Feb. 1.

“I love the area; I think it’s gentrifying,” Garrett-Fenimore said. “I think there’s history (here), yet you can feel the progress in the air.”

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New St. Andrews businesses in 2010

Enzo’s Pizza & Grill, 215-4562, www.enzospizzaandgrill.com

Completely Pampered Salon, Spa & Boutique, 872-0930, www.massage-therapeutic.com

Managing Concepts, 624-4212, www.managingconcepts.com

Discount Computer Sales and Service, at 15th and Beck Ave

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 2:15 pm and is filed under PCB News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.