8 restaurants readying to open at The Pointe at Founders Square - Bonita Springs Florida Weekly (2024)

Q: When will the restaurants be opening in Founders Square? What else is planned for that area?

— Carol Woolf, North Naples

A: Supply chain issues have delayed launch dates for the restaurants and other businesses coming to The Pointe at Founders Square in North Naples. Instead of late fall openings, as reported during the last major update here in early June, expect the businesses to open this winter. Most of the units are targeted to open in early 2022 in the new 39,000-square-foot restaurant and retail hub on the southeastern corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard.

Outback Steakhouse, which is not scheduled to open its third Collier County location until mid-March, at this point, will be one of the last restaurants to launch at The Pointe.

The center’s exterior shells have been completed and interior build-outs have begun on some of the units. The roadside monument sign displays all the businesses coming there but only two units, Skillets and Collier Urgent Care, display permanent signage on them so far.

Skillets, the breakfast-lunch concept that began in North Naples more than 25 years ago, most likely will be the first restaurant to open at The Pointe. Skillets founder Ross Edlund is targeting to open his 12th location there at the end of December.

Next up probably will be I Heart Mac & Cheese and More, the first location in Southwest Florida for a growing fast-casual chain specializing in made-to-order macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches. The regional franchise owner, Naples native Alfonso Olivos, is looking to open his first restaurant in about six to eight weeks. “We are hoping to open by the end of the year but not sure that’s going to happen,” he said.

Kelly and Aldo Musico are shooting to launch their fourth location for Tacos & Tequila Cantina on Jan. 22. Jon and On Augsondthung, the couple who also owns and operates Fuji Sushi Bar & Asian Bistro and Araya Sushi Asian Grill in North Naples, are planning to open their new Fuji Sushi Bar & Asian Kitchen by Feb. 1.

South Street City Oven and Grill, which has operated in Naples since 2007, plans to launch its second location near the beginning of February, co-owner Diana Pleeter said. The Pointe also will host the third or fourth location for Slicers Hoagies, depending on which new location opens first in Fort Myers or North Naples, owner Billy Francis said.

Crisp & Green, a fast-casual restaurant serving grain bowls, salads and smoothies, plans to open its first location in Southwest Florida in February. The Minnesota based chain already has a second area location planned at the future Estero Crossing on Corkscrew Road.

At least four non-restaurants also will have units in The Pointe to serve medical, health and beauty needs. Collier Urgent Care, which has walk-in medical clinics at Creekside Corners and Parkshore Centre in the Naples area, plans to open its third location by mid-February. Gulf Coast Orthodontics, which operates orthodontia offices in Estero and Fort Myers, plans its first Collier County office there in February or March. Salon Bellezza, which is relocating its full-service beauty salon from the Shoppes at Pebblebrooke across the street, also plans to open in February or March. Luxury Nails & Spa also will be coming to The Pointe.

Trinity Commercial Group is now pre-leasing the second phase of Founders Square. Construction has not started yet on The Plaza at Founders Square, a more than 48,500-square-foot retail strip that will be anchored on its eastern end by Sunshine Ace Hardware. The Plaza will be on nearly 5.5 acres of vacant commercial property in the center of the development, surrounded by The Pointe, Physicians Regional Healthcare System offices, The Pearl 400-unit apartment community and StorQuest Self Storage. Other specific stores or types of businesses for The Plaza are not available yet, but 1,461-square-feet of outdoor dining is planned on the western end of the strip adjacent to a large unit, one of eight units shown on site development plans filed with the Collier County Growth Management Department.

Development also has yet to begin on seven outparcel lots fronting Immokalee Road in Founders Square just east of The Pointe. A 4,770-square-foot 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station with eight fueling stations and a freestanding car wash is planned on 1.8 acres near The Pointe. Naples-based First Florida Integrity Bank, which will merge into Dallas-based First Foundation, plans a 3,300-square-foot, one-story bank building with drive-thru lanes on an acre near the northeastern corner of Founders Square. Of the five remaining outparcels, expect businesses such as automotive services, banks and fast-food restaurants, said David Genson, president of development at Barron Collier Companies of Naples.

Founders Square is a joint effort of Barron Collier, TCG and Metro Commercial being built on about 55 acres that formerly were owned by Pelican Nursery, a wholesale landscaper that operated there for 30 years.

Office shuffle

Q: Do you know why the DMV is permanently closed at Green Tree?

— Debra Harrison, North Naples

A: The short answer is that the Collier County Tax Collector’s office in Green Tree Center closed to relocate to the new county government services center under construction at Heritage Bay on Collier Boulevard just north of Immokalee Road. But it’s a little more complicated.

“Initially, the Tax Collector’s office had planned on staying at Green Tree until the move,” said Collier County Tax Collector Rob Stoneburner. “Our lease was set to expire at the end of July 2021. After several months of talks, we were unsuccessful in acquiring an extension through December.”

So, the office closed July 23, well before construction was completed on the new 22,750-square-foot county center in North Naples. “Contractually, the construction manager (Kaufman Lynn Construction) has until Jan. 18, 2022, to complete the project. We are confident that we will meet or better that date,” Mr. Stoneburner said.

The new office building will initially have office space for the county tax collector, property appraiser, clerk of the Circuit Court and the supervisor of elections. Growth Management will have a presence there, as well, with a kiosk for Collier County utilities payments, he said. ¦