Q: What’s going in where the old Bed Bath Beyond was at Pine Ridge and Airport? – J.D., North Naples
A: Exterior signage is up as Sprouts Farmers Market and Golf Galaxy prepare to launch new stores in the shared anchor space vacated by Bed Bath & Beyond a few years ago on the northwest corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads in North Naples. The new Sprouts grocery store is set to open May 15 at 5351 Airport-Pulling Road in Ridgeport Plaza, while the adjacent Golf Galaxy is targeted to open in late summer.
The Sprouts grocery store will be the second location in Collier County for the Phoenix-based chain popular for its fresh produce, bulk foods and organic options. The first regional Sprouts launched in 2019 to anchor Logan Landings at Logan Boulevard and Immokalee Road. The new 24,491-square-foot store is slightly smaller than the chain’s initial 29,843-square-foot market in North Naples.
Sprouts Farmers Market will launch May 15 in Ridgeport Plaza on the northwest corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads in North Naples.
Tim Aten
The new store boldly flips Sprouts’ exterior color scheme from green lettering on a white building to white letters on a green background. It also features the logo the company introduced in 2020 that uses a curling vine marking the “O” in the middle of Sprouts, promoting its “Where Goodness Grows” slogan.
The local launch returns a grocery store to that Ridgeport Plaza spot. Before Bed Bath & Beyond opened there in 1995, Winn-Dixie supermarket originally anchored that center, which was built in the late 1980s. Winn-Dixie eventually moved across the street to Carillon Place in the end unit where Walmart Neighborhood Market is today.
The existing Golf Galaxy in the Promenade at Naples Centre will move this summer to a new location less than a half-mile south on Airport-Pulling Road to an inline space in Ridgeport Plaza.
Tim Aten
Meanwhile, the new 20,780-square-foot Golf Galaxy performance center will be more than 40% smaller than its existing 35,355-square-foot freestanding building nearby in the Promenade at Naples Centre. The retail chain plans to relocate less than a half-mile south on Airport-Pulling Road to the inline space in Ridgeport Plaza. The current store at 6428 Hollywood Blvd. will remain open until after the new store launches, which is tentatively planned for the third week in August.
Golf Galaxy — owned and operated by Dick’s Sporting Goods — promotes itself as the world’s largest golf superstore for golf clubs, equipment, accessories, gear and apparel. Store features include hitting bays, high-tech simulators, putting greens and PGA/LPGA-certified pros for lessons and custom fittings.
Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon is targeted to open this summer at Ridgeport Plaza in North Naples.
Tim Aten
Also coming soon to Ridgeport Plaza, Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon is building out a unit on the same inline area south of Golf Galaxy. Targeted to open in early June, the new store will be the sixth for the Florida-based brand, which has another regional location near Topgolf in Fort Myers. The Naples storefront at 5327 Airport-Pulling Road previously was home for many years to the Before & After Salon & Spa.
A Dunkin’ drive-thru will anchor a new retail center on vacant property near Collier Boulevard and Pine Ridge Road.
Collier County Property Appraiser
Dunkin’ plus
Q: Noticed that the lot next to the Circle K in front of the VFW on the northwest corner of the Collier Boulevard-Pine Ridge Road intersection has started clearing. They had a sign up a while back, like at least two years ago, I believe, that it was going to be Dunkin’ Donuts. Is this the start of it finally? – John Strathmann, Golden Gate Estates
A: Land clearing started in late February for a new Dunkin’ and much more. A Dunkin’ drive-thru will anchor the northern end of a new 8,600-square-foot retail strip with five other units.
The vacant 2-acre property is between VFW Golden Gate Post 7721 and the retail strip with the World Bakery & Cafeteria and the Circle K convenience store/car wash on the northwest corner of Pine Ridge Road and Collier Boulevard.
The project has been in the works for many years. “We had to go through a zoning change, so that’s what we were waiting for,” Dunkin’ regional franchisee Michael Koroghlian of Naples said. “We are still probably about 12 months away from opening.”
The Dunkin’ drive-thru in the Neighborhood Shoppes at Orangetree in Golden Gate Estates is one of 27 locations Michael Koroghlian owns in Southwest Florida. He’s building his 28th near Collier Boulevard and Pine Ridge Road.
Tim Aten
Besides Dunkin’, Koroghlian doesn’t have tenants lined up yet for the other five units in the future commercial center.
“I haven’t even started looking to lease it out,” he said. “I don’t know what else is going in there yet.”
Dunkin’ will have 1,927 square feet of floor space with 18 seats in the coffee shop. In order for the business to have visibility from Collier Boulevard, its drive-thru lane will form a large loop capable of stacking more than 10 vehicles. Access to the new retail center will be via a previously constructed shared-use drive off Collier Boulevard, a right-in/right-out drive off Pine Ridge Road, and a connection to Neff’s Way, which meets Pine Ridge Road. Nearly a third of the acreage will have a preserve on its western end.
Koroghlian owns 50 Dunkin’ franchises, which includes 27 locations in this region. “This will be number 28 in Southwest Florida,” he said.
The new Dunkin’ at 13119 Collier Blvd. will be only 2.5 miles south from the Dunkin’ at Collier Boulevard and Vanderbilt Beach Road. That Dunkin’ in Mission Hills shopping center is the only regional location not owned by Koroghlian.
Koroghlian’s franchise accumulation is a major employer in the region. “That’s 600 local jobs,” he said. “Not so bad.”
Koroghlian’s Dunkin’ franchises also give back to the community. In partnership with the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, the Naples Donuts LLC franchise network has been a big supporter of Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. A $150,000 donation from Dunkin’ is behind the latest “Joyful Space” interactive virtual wall that will be unveiled May 13 at the children’s hospital in Fort Myers.
The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at Tim.Aten@NaplesPress.com.