Store vacancies rising at Island Park Center

Shoppers at Island Park Center are seeing plenty of vacancies at the center that is losing two of its major anchor stores and a few other retailers.

Publix supermarket and CVS pharmacy are relocating to Alico Commons in the fall of 2009.

The Talk of the Town restaurant moved to the old Mel's Diner building in mid-May and Ballentine's Florist recently relocated as well.

Ennio Vieira is part-owner of Ellie's Shoes that has been at the center for 12 years. He said he would think twice about signing another lease at the shopping center.

Vieira and his partners are concerned about the viability of the business if customers don't stop at the center for groceries or other basics

"I don't know how all of this will affect my business but I hope the owners of the center realize that," he said about the store that specializes in comfortable ladies footwear and shoe repair.

Rodger Hurcobm, of Mother Earth Natural Foods, is just as concerned. His store has been a part of the center for the last 13 years. It's adjacent s to the Publix supermarket.

"It depends on who they plan to bring in to that spot," said Hurcobm, about the unknown future retailer that will occupy Publix's current location. "If it's a viable customer that fits than good..If not then we expect that the price will be substantially reduced in our rental lease."

If the price doesn't come down, Hurcobm said he suspects he will look elsewhere. He owns four other stores in the area.

Talk of the Town restaurant owners Caroline Toutoulis and her husband John feel that they moved their restaurant out of Island Park just in time.

"It's just not being kept up. When you look at it you can see that (it needs work)," said Caroline Toutoulis about the center she believes needs a paint job, better garbage collection and landscaping.

"We needed to get out of their regardless."

Customer Laurene Zeitz doesn't like the changes she sees at her neighborhood center.

"I live behind the Publix and I"m going to be crying (when it leaves). It takes three minutes to get groceries," said Zeitz, who lives at Timberwood Village that is behind the shopping center."

"I feel bad for all the people in there at this point," Toutoulis said. "Maybe some of them will do well, maybe some of them won't. I feel for them."