Tongues have been wagging – and without apparent justification (go figure) – regarding an imminent/eventual demolition of some/all of the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, the strip shopping center at the corner of Wilton Drive and Northeast 7 Avenue in Wilton Manors, home to such businesses as Island City Health & Fitness (ICHF), Georgie’s Alibi, Juiceblendz and Gay Mart, among others, and the former location for the Poverello Food Bank and Thrift Store and the Social Security Administration. The rumors are fueled – apparently – by the departure of the last-named entities within the past year, as well as reports that rents in the Shoppes may/are being raised by Rivercrest Properties, the realty company which purchased the venerable shopping center in 2007.

Open for Business has learned that the reports are based upon an idea recently floated by a new Wilton Manors city official about building a new hotel on Wilton Drive (this idea should not be confused with the slew of plans which have been discussed, shelved, tabled, resurrected, etc., over the past three years about a new resort coming to the Island City – or possibly Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, etc., etc., etc.). The official had reputedly approached Rivercrest to sound them out about their interest in converting the north end of the Shoppe’s parking area into a fullsized parking LOT to accommodate a hotel complex.

Reece Darham, owner of ICHF, confirms that his lease runs through the end of Spring 2012, and of larger concern to him and other merchants is not the parking for an increasingly- hypothetical resort on the city’s main drag, but the use of the Shoppes’ existing (and very limited) parking by staff and employees of other Wilton Drive businesses who park at the Shoppes, then walk to work across the street or down the Drive.

Help Wanted: Publicist; Must Hate Fags

Pastor Bradlee Dean has a P.R. problem (that’s as in Public Relations; Open for Business is unclear as to his worldview on Puerto Rican persons). The Minnesota preacher – who in the past has called for the imprisonment of LGBT individuals and claimed that Osama bin Laden and President Barack Obama were allies – is calling on supporters to donate money in an effort to hire a professional image-maker. The Minneapolis-based minister, founder of the You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International Youth Ministry, is claiming that the “liberal-biased media [is] … attempting to inflict serious damage to my ministry and my reputation. While we are putting up a good defense with the resources we have readily available, we are in serious need of a publicist on a short-term basis.” And years of intense psychotherapy probably wouldn’t hurt, either.

It’s Summer – So Why are there So Many People in South Florida?

Open for Business enjoyed an interested exchange with Naked Grape owner Caleb Ben-Avram and his partner, Tim Slivinski, at last week’s kick off of Sunday T-Dance at The Depot Cabana Bar & Grill on US1 in Fort Lauderdale. In spite of the presence of large numbers of people at Memorial Day Weekend events across South Florida, Slivinski noted that there is still a belief that the town goes dark during the summer months.

“We live here year ‘round,” notes Slivinski. “We are here in July, too. I have never understood why so many of the clubs, bars and restaurants insist on conducting themselves as if the drawbridge gets pulled up between May and October every year. This area has so many dynamic venues and a great yearround population that needs to be more closely targeted and catered to.”

His partner, Ben-Avram, agrees. “We love and need the tourism business, and want the tourists to feel a part of the action and the community. But we see South Florida like a native does, and there needs to be more care and feeding of the locals.”

By the Numbers

• 18%: Amount of income spent annually on transportation by the average American

• 13%: Amount of income spent annually on food by the average American

• 5 Million: Total human population on Earth in 8,000 B.C.

• 7 Million: Total human population on Earth in 4,000 B.C.

• 1.6 Billion: Total human population on Earth in 1900 A.D.

• 6.92 Billion: Total human population on Earth in 2010 A.D.

If you’re “Open for Business”, you can contact Business Writer and Director of Sales, Cliff Dunn with your story at Business@FloridaAgenda.com