WINTER PARK, Fla. — It's official: Central Florida's first Trader Joe's will move into vacant property in Winter Park on U.S. 17-92 close to Morse Boulevard. It is scheduled to open as early as May.
Demolition crews salvaged all they could from a building that was demolished shortly after to make way for the new grocer.
The $23 million development sits on 4 acres and will also contain a boutique salon, gourmet bakery and fitness facility.
But before the buildings come down and the new ones go up, Channel 9 learned 70 percent of the storefronts are already accounted for.
"We could have actually leased all the space, but we're really holding off to make sure each tenant is the right tenant," said Chuck Whittall of Unicorp Development.
A dock and boardwalk will also be built with a paddleboard store, which means shoppers can paddleboard to the plaza on Like Killarney.
Whittall went on to say the company is not trying to compete with nearby Winter Park Village. He believes the new center will complement the area, adding things Winter Park Village doesn’t have.
WFTV