Cutting cheese at Cortez Road Winn-Dixie

At Winn-Dixie's Shoppes at Paradise Bay, not only will store officials cut the ribbon for the grand re-opening tonight, but they will also cut the cheese.

The store, 7400 Cortez Road W., has a new cheese gallery at the front of the store staffed by a cheese steward who tends to the more than 100 artisan cheeses.

Joey Medina, regional vice president for Winn-Dixie, said the section was added because of  shopper demand and the area's affluent demographic.

Cheese stewards are sent to a so-called cheese college for training with Alco Fine Cheeses in Miami where they get the goods on everything from brie to Zimbro.

Bubba Chavez with Alco Fine Cheese was on hand this week to show how he scores and cuts a 75-pound wheel of parmigiano-reggiano. Check out the video above.

Here is the schedule for the grand re-opening:


Friday from 5:30–7 p.m.
Grand Opening
Winn-Dixie invites the community to join in the celebration and experience the store’s new amenities and offerings. Customers will enjoy product tastings, live entertainment and giveaways. A donation will be presented to Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee at 5:15 p.m. before the grand opening event.

Dec. 11 from 4–6 p.m.
Celebrate Delicious
Winn-Dixie will host an in-store holiday food celebration including sampling, a holiday cooking demo, wine and cheese tastings, face painting, live music and giveaways.

Jan. 8, 2015 from 5:30–7 p.m.
Fresh New Year
Winn-Dixie welcomes the Bradenton community to enjoy samples of healthy options from its newly expanded fresh departments, watch a cooking demo by the Florida Beef Council and enter to win giveaways.

Jan. 22, 2015 from 5:30–7 p.m.
Wine and Cheese Tasting
The first 200 customers will receive a giveaway at this customer appreciation event. Customers and neighbors are welcomed into the newly remodeled store to enjoy samples from the fresh departments, wine and cheese tastings and exciting raffle prizes.

Bradenton Wawa to open Dec. 18

Provided Photo

Manatee County's first Wawa will open Dec. 18.

Wawa will open its Bradenton convenience store at 701 First St. E., Bradenton, on the corner of U.S. 301 and Sixth Avenue.

The doors will open at 8 a.m. with a ribbon cutting scheduled for 10 a.m.

The grand opening will also include an event called the "Finest vs. Bravest" Hoagie Building Contest where five representatives from local fire and police departments will compete to see who can build the most hoagies in three minutes the traditional Wawa way. The winner and runner-up will each have $1,000 donated to the charities of their choice.

Members of the USO will sing the "Star-Spangled Banner" with a performance by the Suncoast Mummers String Band of Bradenton. Wawa will also present a donation to the Mummer's scholarship fund.

Wawa mascots Wally Goose and Shorti will also be on hand.

This is the first of several Wawa gas stations planned for Manatee and Sarasota counties over the next two years joining the dozens of stations that popped up in Tampa Bay and Orlando.

Site work has begun on another store on 4455 State Road 64 while the Pennsylvania-based company also has plans to build at 5301 14th St. W., and at State Road 70 and Lorraine Road, 4536 State Road 70 E. at Lockwood Ridge Road,county line at University Parkway and Honore Avenue, U.S. 301 and Myrtle Avenue in Sarasota and another in Venice.

Wawa signed a 20-year lease on Nov. 22 for its Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70 E. location, according to documents filed with the Manatee County Clerk, the same day GH & G Lockwood bought the entire former

Pure Barre to open West Bradenton studio

Post by Pure Barre Bradenton.

Exercise studio and women’s clothing store Pure Barre has announced it will open a second Manatee County location.

Pure Barre will open inside the Fresh Market-anchored Promenade shopping center at 6745 Manatee Ave. W., and is hiring teachers, according to the studio’s Facebook page.

Another franchise in Manatee County is also in a Fresh Market-anchored center, both controlled by Benderson Development, at 5275 University Parkway.

The studio is expected to open sometime from mid-December to early January, the owners announced at Facebook.com/PureBarreBradenton.

The upscale fitness center offers 55-minute and 75-minute exercise classes that are typically geared toward women though men are welcomed. The Spartanburg, S.C., company has more than 200 studios nationwide.

Michigan's Erbelli's coming to East Manatee

Michigan-based Erbelli's Gourmet Pizzeria, Italian Bistro & Pub will open its first Florida restaurant in East Manatee.

The pizzeria is in the midst of renovating the former Sopranos of New York at 8744 State Road 70 E in the Ranch Lake Plaza. The restaurant is beside Full Belly Stuffed Burgers and a Goodwill store that is coming soon in the former Sweetbay.

No opening date has been announced, but Erbelli's website lists a 2014 opening, likely putting the restaurant on track to open by the end of the year.

Erbelli's lists the East Manatee location on its website along with restaurants in Kalamazoo and Portage, Mich. The restaurant was founded by Greg Erb 21 years ago, according to Michigan newspapers.

The restaurants offer specialty pizzas, salads, pastas and a buffet. Erbelli's has also won numerous awards from Michigan-based media for both its food and service.

For more information, visit www.erbellis.com.

Chicken Kitchen targets Nov. 15 soft opening

Manatee County's first Chicken Kitchen expects to have a soft opening Nov. 15.

The restaurant shared the news on its Facebook page late Tuesday night:

Post by Chicken Kitchen - Tampa Bay.

Chicken Kitchen will be located beside Tijuana Flats in the Kohl's anchored shopping center at 5215 University Parkway. Brothers-in-law Gris Bettle and Justin Mattina of Bradenton are the franchise owners overseeing the fast-casual spot.

Chicken Kitchen, based in Miami, is known for its hour-long grilling process and aims to give a more personable experience than the cafeteria-line fast food restaurants. The signature items include Chop-Chop, a diced chicken that has a distinct chopping sound customers hear while in line. It also offers Wrapitos, which are grilled tortilla wraps.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/04/02/5080430/manatee-natives-opening-chicken.html#storylink=cpy

Manatee Dunkin' Donuts opens near U.S. 301 and S.R. 70

PROVIDED PHOTO

Another day, another Dunkin' in Manatee.

Dunkin' Donuts has opened its newest Manatee County location at 5259 30th St. E., just east of the Walmart Supercenter on U.S. 301 and State Road 70.

This Double D also features a Baskin-Robbins, which is the second such combo location in Manatee. The other Dunkin-Baksin is at 612 10th St. E., off of U.S. 301 in Palmetto.

The new location also offers a drive-thru in addition to its dining room, accepts mobile payments and Dunkin' Donuts Rewards.

Dunkin' maintains 10 Manatee County locations, three of which are located inside Hess gas stations. Dunkin' also plans to add full-service shops in Ellenton and on University Parkway near Tuttle Avenue.

Hours are 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, call 941-243-3881.

Bradenton Wawa now hiring

Wawa Bradenton rendering

The first Wawa in Manatee County is now hiring.

Wawa, on the corner of Sixth Avenue East and U.S. 301 in Bradenton, is under construction and is looking for customer service employees.

Those interested can apply at Wawa.com and click on careers or visit this link for Bradenton openings.

The Customer Service Associate must be able to work the register, coffee station, oven station and perform fuel pump inspections, according to the job description. Other openings are anticipated as the store expects to employ 45 people.

Wawa, 701 7th St. E, is scheduled to open in December. The gas station offers made-to-order hoagies, coffee, donuts and more. This location will have 20 pumps, outdoor seating and public art.

Other Wawa stations planned but not under construction in Manatee County include on 5301 14th St. W, 4455 State Road 64 E., and on the corner of Lorraine Road and State Road 70.

Another Starbucks opens in Bradenton

Starbucks Coffee has opened its newest cafe in Manatee County.

Starbucks has opened in a strip center at 5234 14th St. W., on the corner of 14th Street and 53rd Avenue West. Starbucks closed its shop on the corner of Cortez Road and 14th Street West as part of the move.

Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. The location offers coffee, tea, prepared foods, pastries and has a drive-thru.

Another Starbucks drive-thru is under construction on University Parkway west of Tuttle Avenue, 3604 84th Ave. Circle E., and is expected to open by the end of the year. 

Its competitor Dunkin' Donuts are often nearby and it won't be any different for the 14th Street location or on University Parkway. The new University Parkway Starbucks will have a Dunkin' Donuts west of the neighboring Culver's Frozen Custard.

Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts both maintain 10 locations in Manatee County. Dunkin', which some of its 10 stores are in gas stations, will increase its count by three with plans for standalone locations in Ellenton, State Road 70/US 301 and University Parkway.

Rise Pies to hold job fair for Mall at University Town Center

Concept of Rise Pies at the Mall at University Town Center.
Rendering Provided

New fast-casual pizza concept Rise Pies will have a job fair next week for its Mall at University Town Center restaurant.

The company, based in Youngstown, Ohio, is hiring for assistant managers, shift managers and crew members. Assistant managers are salaried, receives benefits and eligible for bonuses, according to an ad by the company. Other workers can start at $9 per hour.

The fair will be held at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 8565 Cooper Creek Blvd., University Park from noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 10 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 11.
This will be the second Rise Pies location in the nation. The Herald spoke to the company's founders in January about the restaurant:

"It's the whole assembly line concept where you build your own pizza, pick your toppings and it cooks in a high-quality oven you'd see in a sit-down restaurant," Rise Pies President Eddie Muransky said. "It cooks in two-and-a-half to three minutes."
Rise Pies is part of the Chestnut Land Co. and Muransky Cos., owned by Eddie Muransky's father Edward W. Muransky. The company oversees most of the Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzel franchises plus an acute care hospital and a country club in Youngstown.
Auntie Anne's is also coming to the Mall at UTC, the younger Muransky said, and the pizza concept developed because he wanted to offer a pizza concept to pair with Auntie Anne's when they talked with malls for new locations. The company could help fill a pizza void for the 155 mall locations shuttered by Italian chain Sbarro this year.
The Muransky Cos. is teaming up with a Youngstown area chef, Vernon Cesta, to launch the company. Cesta and Muransky will open the first Rise Pies in Youngstown in August before opening the Sarasota County location in October.
"If you're not familiar with northeast Ohio, this is an old Italian immigrant community," Muransky said. "We have some of the best pizza around."
Cesta's recipes will replicated flatbread-style pizzas, he said. The pizza joint will offer more than 20 toppings, three crusts (including gluten free), six different sauces and seven different cheeses, Muransky said. There also will be about seven pre-set pizzas.

Muranksy's father Edward Muransky is a retired NFLer who won Super Bowl XVII with the Oakland Raiders.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/06/24/5221294/mall-at-university-town-center.html#storylink=cpy

Updated job listings for Mall at University Town Center

With Labor Day weekend here and the Mall at University Town Center opening in just under 50 days, I'm sharing the jobs information again for the mall as the original post is now buried on this blog.

Here's some basic places to search before we reach the comprehensive list I've rounded up below:

CareerSource Suncoast is listing mall jobs at www.jobsutc.com/jobs/. Not all jobs are listed there because it's up to the store to choose to list their jobs on that site.

Some of the stores are posting on Craigslist, but you will have to search for the mall keyword a couple different ways to find all of them. Try "Mall at University Town Center" "University Town Center" "University Parkway" and "Sarasota mall."

Here is a list of all the openings we could find online with links of where to apply:

Mall at UTC staff: Customer Service Manager, Customer Service Rep

Universal Protection Service (Mall at UTC retail security), full-time supervisor and full- and part-time officers

Aldo, various positions, send cover letter and resume to careers@aldogroup.com

Apple, all positions.

American Eagle Outfitters, sales associate and store management. (Search for Sarasota)

Ann Taylor, various positions

Anthropologie, management and supervisors

Art of Shaving, various positions,

Aveda, store management, retail associates,

Auntie Annes, management and staff

Bebe, various positions. Submit resume at https://rn12.ultipro.com/BEB1000B/JobBoard/NewCandidateExt.aspx?Page=Resume

Bose, store manager 

Boston Proper, assistant manager

Brighton Collectibles, assistant manager 

BRIO Tuscan Grille, various positions. (Hiring center to be set up Aug. 25 at Keiser University, 6151 Lake Osprey Drive, Lakewood Ranch.)

Brooks Brothers, tailor, visual coordinator, supervisor

Brow Art 23, open applications

Burger and Beer Joint, general manager, assistant gms, kitchen manager and staff

Cache, various positions, email careers@cache.com

Calypso St. Barth, store manager and assistant manager

Camicissima Milano, various positions

The Capital Grille, various positions

Champs Sports, manager

Cheesecake Factory, all positions

Chico's, various positions

ColdStone Creamery, general manager

Crate & Barrel, all positions

Dillard's, sales associates

Edward Beiner, full-time and part-time sales associates. Can also contact Omar Ruiz, chief operating director at 786-443-9109.

Everything But Water, various positions, email cover letter and resume to hr@everythingbutwater.com

Express, store manager

FastFix, various positions full and part time

Forever21, co-manager

Ghost Armor, retail rep

Godiva, store manager and sales associates

Gymboree, management and store associates

H&M, department manager, department supervisor and visual merchandiser

iAccessorize, repair technician

Invicta, store manager and various positions, email sales@invictawatch.com

J. Crew, store director and associate store manager 

J. Jill, store manager

Jackie Z Style Co., various positions. Send resumes and cover letters to jackie@jackiezstyle.com

Janie and Jack, management and sales associates

Kona Grill, all positions

Le Macaron, retail reps

L'Occitane En Provence, part-time sales associate

Lilly Pulitzer, management

LOFT, co-manager and sales associates

Lovesac, store manager

Lululemon, educator and key leader

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, store manager

MAC, various positions, send resume to

Deborah Brown

Executive Director, Human Resources
M·A·C Cosmetics
130 Prince St, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10012

Macy's, various positions

Mandarin Express, download application

Mayors Jewelers, management and sales (Location listed as Miami)

Moleskine, full-time and part-time sales associates and store manager

PacSun, assistant store manager

Papyrus, sales supervisor

Peter Elliot Blue, sales manager and sales associate

Pottery Barn, various positions seasonal and permanent (can also fill out applications at Southgate Mall store)

Rise Pies, general manager and assistant manager (Update: Hiring fair Sept. 11-12)

Robert Graham, store manager

Seasons 52, all positions

Sephora, various positions (Enter 34243 in search)

Smoothie King, general manager

Solstice Sunglasses, store manager

Soma, various positions

Sophie's at Saks, line cook

Southeastern Guide Dogs, retail key holder

Starbucks, Macy's is hiring for a Starbucks inside its store. Barista positions for the kiosk at the center court of the mall can be found here. 

Stuart Weitzman, sales associate

Sunglass Hut, sales associate

Swarovski, store manager

TINA Stephens, store manager

Tommy Bahama, store manager (When performing new search, select retail division then location for UTC jobs to appear.)

Tumi, sales associates, store manager

Vera Bradley, various positions

Victoria Secret, various positions full and part time

The Walking Company, all positions; can also send resume and salary history to careers@thewalkingcompany.com, ATTN: Human Resources

Williams-Sonoma, various positions seasonal and permanent (can also fill out applications at Southgate mall location)

Yo! Sushi, head chef, sous chef, assistant general manager

Z Gallerie, e-mail inquires to careers@zgalleries.com ATTN: Human Resources

Zales Jewelers, jewelry consultant

Buffalo Wings & Rings plans Bradenton expansion

Cincinnati-based Buffalo Wings & Rings is looking to expand to Bradenton within the next two years, a spokeswoman told the Herald.

No location has been announced yet.

The sports restaurant, now celebrating its 30th anniversary, offers wings, burgers, gyros and more and operates 55 restaurants including locations in Port Charlotte and North Port.

The company expects to add two restaurants in the next two years, creating 120 jobs here, according to the spokesman. The Port Charlotte location, operated by Brian Bourlier, opened Aug. 2.

The Herald reported earlier this week that another Cincinnati chain, Tom+Chee, is close to signing a deal to open a location in the Bradenton-Sarasota market.

Learn more about the restaurant and its expansion plans next week in The Bradenton Herald.

For more information, visit www.buffalowingsandrings.com.

Mall at University Town Center launches Facebook fan page

Mall at UTC advertising its grand opening on Facebook.
Photo provided

The Mall at University Town Center is updating its official Facebook fan page as the shopping center has less than two months to go before its opening.

The page, Facebook.com/MallatUTC, was created in April, but started posting updates this past week. The biggest of course, is a Facebook event invite for the grand opening party. The mall is expected to open Oct. 16, but the festivities are advertised to last through the weekend until Oct. 19.

The invite advertises live entertainment and special activities during the grand opening weekend, but no additional details yet. The mall is hosting a media preview night Oct. 15 where people who bought tickets to the event from non-profits will be able to shop that night as well and on Oct. 16, there might be a small opening ceremony, but don't expect it to last long as the doors will fling open quickly at 10 a.m.

Taubman Centers used to have celebrities show up and make a grand spectacle for its mall openings, but a former spokesperson for the company said the mall operator realized that enough people come out simply for the stores.

I've seen the lights on (Saks) Fifth Avenue

While the Mall at University Town Center is still much of a construction zone, at least part of it has turned into some nice drive-by entertainment.

Saks Fifth Avenue's building will have a nighttime glow and light show as its building is projected with white, yellow and blue hues. I drove by the site Sunday night and captured it in the video below:

It's a much better sight in person, and the light show won't be relegated to Saks Fifth Avenue. The rest of the mall is expected to have blueish-purple lights beaming through its louvered-glass ceiling.

The flagship store in New York City is known to have 3D Christmas light shows on the exterior of its store. I'd have to wonder if that would be possible here, too.

The lighting, design and glass treatment for the Mall at UTC suddenly makes the area seem much more cosmopolitan.

The mall, and Saks, is expected to open Oct. 16.

Real estate blog says Bradenton is sexy and knows it

The Peek-A-Boo Lounge on 14th Street West helped
give Bradenton a No. 5 ranking for adult entertainment
per capita in a Movoto ranking for sexiest city.
File Photo by Paul Videla

Bradenton and Sarasota are two of the sexiest cities in the country, according to real estate blog Movoto.

Sarasota took top spot, Bradenton is third while Pensacola was No. 2 because it has the most lingerie stores per capita in the nation, according to the blog. Movoto is known for creating quirky real estate trend stories and rankings.

Looking at the qualifications for the ranking, kinky would be a more appropriate descriptor.

Here is what gets Bradenton and Sarasota their dirty distinctions, Movoto says:

First, we made a list of small cities with populations between 50,000 and 60,000, which gave us 140 places. Then, we collected data from the U.S. Census (2010) and business listings in seven sexy criteria:
Nightlife per capita (bars, clubs, comedy, etc.)
Lingerie stores per capita
Adult stores per capita (novelties, videos, etc.)
Adult entertainment per capita (strip clubs, burlesque, use your imagination…)
Massage parlors per capita (hey, it can be a sensual experience)
Hotels per capita
Average summer temperature (hotter means fewer clothes *wink*)After that, we ranked each place in each category from one to 140, with numbers closer to one being sexier. Then, we averaged each places’ rankings into one Big Deal Score, with lower scores being better.

Incidents like having sex in public parking lots in Lakewood Ranch were not included either.

Considering those qualifiers, the ranking might not be a surprise given the number of questionable spas and massage parlors that line Tamiami Trail from the airport into the city and the cluster of adult novelty stores around the DeSoto Square Mall. Yet, surprisingly, Bradenton ranked lower for massage parlors compared to other cities, the blog said.

Bradenton's store was helped by being ranked No. 5 for nightlife options, bolstered by a sudden boom in craft breweries.  Bradenton also earned No. 5 for hotels per capita, which is a needed  and given the romantic views along the Riverwalk and so many hotels to serve Anna Maria Island.

Check out the difference between Bradenton and its southern neighbor from Movoto:

I'm actually surprised how low the massage rank is for Bradenton compared to Sarasota and wonder if Tamiami Trail's parlors might have influenced the rankings. Depending who you ask, some folks consider the 34243 ZIP code Sarasota. That area runs from the county line north to just past the Bearded Clam Tiki Bar where spas and parlors proliferate.

Sarasota also ranked higher for adult stores and lingerie stores per capita, too. Would anyone agree? Some folks in Bradenton would joke that Sarasota considers some of these businesses as "culture."

In either case, congratulations Bradenton and Sarasota. Shake what your momma gave you.

Jon Stewart pokes fun at Manatee County drug maker, corruption trial

"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

Political news junkies are probably aware of the scintillating corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen McDonnell.

The trial entered the bigger pop culture arena Thursday night when Jon Stewart devoted the first eight minutes of The Daily Show to the trial, and notably about the product of a Manatee County drug company.

Even those who follow the trial might not be aware that the company and the man once in charge of it, Jonnie Williams, has strong ties to Manatee and Sarasota counties. So before we get to the funny, we need a quick history lesson.

The trial coverage makes frequent mention of the drug company Star Scientific and its Anatabloc drug that was being hawked for some attention and favors from the governor. What was supposed to be a nutritional supplement was being privately pitched as a wonder drug that might have benefits for inflammatory diseases like Alzheimer's. 

After the company dumped Jonnie Williams in December, right around the timing of the indictment against the McDonnells, Star Scientific made a series of moves that included renaming itself Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals and moved from Virginia to the Roskamp Institute in Tallevast here in southern Manatee County. The man in charge of Roskamp research, Dr. Michael Mullan, would then oversee Rock Creek. Williams is still an adviser to the company getting $1 a month until the company becomes profitable. Williams was testifying as a witness with partial immunity. 

Williams himself keeps the company for his private jet based at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, which was loaned to the McDonnells.  He also has a beautiful, large compound on Bay Shore Road in Sarasota's Indian Beach-Sapphire Shores neighborhood, a condo near IMG Academy and his Star Tobacco, which preceded Star Scientific, was based in Sarasota.

So, on Thursday's episode Stewart sought to recap the insane details of love triangles and favors in a segment, "The Giving Spree." 

Watch the video here:

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

"That's right, Virginia is for lovers...for money," Stewart said as he placed his Dr. Evil pinky to his mouth. "But you know cold hard cash can't hold you at night and a blank check can't wipe away your tears."

He tackled the drug, Anatabloc, asking how do you make a wonder drug out of tobacco, filled with "wonder carcinogens."

"You're going to kick yourself for not thinking of this first. He nuked the tobacco in 200 Walmart microwaves," he said. "Tired of feeling bad? Try some of our highly irradiated cigarette pills.

"Apparently when you put two terrible things together it makes something great. Gonorrhea is terrible, but when you mix it in a Crock-Pot of dog vomit, it's transformed into a healthy part of any child's breakfast."

He later asks if there's anything weirder for this quid-pro-quo. Oh yeah. At an event where McDonnell was endorsing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president, Maureen McDonell told Ann Romney, according to the indictment, that the drug could cure her multiple sclerosis. 

"How do those two live with themselves?" Stewart asked. "I guess it's easy thanks to: Forgetulex. From the makers of Anatabloc. The herbal supplement guaranteed to wipe out the memory the time you trivialized a woman's debilitating, incurable disease so that a whacked-out supplement huckster would buy you a watch. Foregetulex: It's made up of crushed-up heroin needles and bed bugs."

Well, the watch part is real. Earlier during the trial, the jurors got to handle a $6,000 Rolex bought for McDonnell as part of the $165,000 in gifts the former governor and first lady were showered with.

Next, he moved onto the supposed love triangle where Williams said he didn't know Maureen McDonnell was interested in him despite texts like "I felt the earth move and I wasn't having sex!"

"How did he not pick up on the signals? Maybe because he's a crazy-eyed inventor, got his head filled with so many ideas, doesn't know when the ladies are trying to hit him up," Stewart offered before impersonating Williams. "I didn't know you liked me. I was just thinking if I put my farts in a George Foreman grill, maybe I can cure lupus. I don't know! I'm an inventor!"

"Please don't try doing that at home," he said.

The trial is ongoing and will only provide more fodder for Stewart and company.

DeSoto Square Macy's moving sale starts with up to 50 percent off

Macy's is closing at the DeSoto Square mall.
File Photo by Grant Jefferies

The DeSoto Square Macy's started its moving sale Monday with some good deals.

The store is trying to sell off as much merchandise as possible before the new Macy's opens at the Mall at University Town Center on Oct. 16. Macy's expects the DeSoto store to close sometime in late September, but the closing date could reach into early October.

During a visit to the store Tuesday, items ranged from 30 to 50 percent off the lowest ticketed price. That means if shoppers rummage through the existing clearance racks, they will find a great deal. But there are no red flags directing shoppers to the old clearance racks, so good luck finding the clearance racks.

Most items were marked for 30 percent off the lowest ticketed price including clothing, cosmetics, handbags and small appliances.

Mattresses and down comforters were marked 50 percent off. The bedding area is a little tricky because the cotton comforters are 40 percent off and bedding is 40 percent off while those other categories had higher markdowns.

China, flatware, luggage and table linens were some of the other items marked 40 percent off.

Expect merchandise to move quick regardless of the markdown. Employees were already packing up the sunglasses and the sunglass case Tuesday afternoon, to ship out all the shades.

Signs also told shoppers that all sales are final and if items were purchased before the sale began Monday, they can be returned at any Macy's until Sept. 6.

Thorntons fuel rewards a new player in Manatee County

Drivers looking for something extra while paying a little less at the pump have a new option in Manatee County.

Thorntons gas station opened over the weekend on the corner of State Road 64 and 48th Street Court E. It is the first station for the Louisville-based company south of the Sunshine Skyway.

Most in Manatee County are familiar with the Fuel Perks program offered by Winn-Dixie to provide discounts off of Shell gas if you buy groceries. That program gives a 5 cent per gallon discount for every $50 spent at Winn-Dixie. Some products can give bonus points, too. Points expire during the following months, but if a family plays their shopping cart and trips right, it can result in a hefty discount.

Thorntons offers something a little different, and it's not tied to any grocery store.

The company's Refreshing Rewards program has three tiers. The first tier gives new members a 10-cent per gallon discount for every fill-up during the first 30 days of membership. It also offers certain perks on items you buy the most in the convenience store and patrons are automatically entered in a sweepstakes. The program also has a companion smartphone app both for iOS and Android.

When I signed up today, the program also gave me a discount on 44-ounce fountain drink or FizzFreez  -- the Thorntons equivalent of a Slurpee. The cost is just 99 cents for that jumbo drink, and it looks like that can be redeemed 100 times.

After 10 visits to the store, the fuel discounts go away with the exception of  a 10-cents per gallon discount on your birthday. That's an awfully long ways away for anyone with a June birthday like myself. The store will also email you receipts and send price alerts when fuel drops. However, in the meantime, there will be discounts for items in the store that might be equal to a gas discount anyway.

Once you hit 25 visits, this triggers the VIP level giving a 3 cents per gallon discount on every visit. If you only get gas once a week, and happen to stop at the one Thorntons in Manatee County each time, this will take you about six months to reach -- meaning patrons go five months without a discount after that first month.

If you have a job near Brandon or Clearwater, and a long commue it might be more attainable, especially with Thorntons in Largo, Clearwater, Brandon, Riverview and Carrollwood. 

Which fuel rewards program is the better deal? Add your thoughts below.

Vera Bradley now hiring for Mall at University Town Center store

Vera Bradley is now hiring for its Mall at University
Town Center store. PHOTO PROVIDED

Indiana-based handbag designer Vera Bradley is now hiring for its Mall at University Town Center store.

The company's website is advertising for a store manager, a part-time retail team leader and a part-time sales associates. Those interested can apply online through Vera Bradley.com.

The Herald previously reported in May that the store would be opening a retail store in the mall, as its pop-up outlet in the Ellenton Premium Outlets continues to extend its run there.

The store will be located on the first level of the mall beside Johnston & Murphy, near the center court. Several other stores started hiring as well. Furniture store Lovesac is also advertising for a store manager.

The two-level, 880,000-square-foot mall off of Cattlemen Road and University Parkway is expected to open Oct. 16.  

MalibuFox boutique opens on University Parkway

MalibuFox is now open at 5275 University Parkway.
CHARLES SCHELLE/Bradenton Herald

A women's fashion boutique whose clothes were featured in Neiman Marcus is now open on University Parkway.

Danielle Garrow, fashion designer and owner, opened MalibuFox on Monday inside the University Park Center/Market at University Town Center. The store is across from Kohl's at 5275 University Parkway, Suite 103.

"It feels good, like a sigh of relief," Garrow said inside her shop Tuesday. "Now it's finally here."

I talked to the Lakewood Ranch resident in April when she signed her lease about her passion for fashion:

Garrow's eclectic collection is inspired by Southwest Native American themes and colors and a Malibu beach vibe, she said.
"I kind of design for the Bohemian beach babe kind-of-girl," she said. That style led her to luxury department store Neiman Marcus, which ordered her line last year, a surprising deal so early in her career. The experience opened her eyes to big department store demands.
"Working with big stores is an amazing opportunity and a lot of work goes into it," Garrow said. "It's something I'm definitely not ruling out."

A grand opening celebration is set for Aug. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the store. It will include food, giveaways and Garrow will unveil her own line of clothes.

In the meantime, she's carrying brands such as WildFox, BB Dakota, Lovers+Friends, Yumi Kim and LA Made.

The store hours are initially 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and once her staff is solidified, she expects to be open until 7 p.m. Sunday hours are noon to 5 p.m.

For more, call 941-312-2439 or visit www.malibufoxshop.com and Facebook.com/MalibuFox.

Mall at University Town Center Macy's Now Hiring

Macy's, one of the anchor stores at the new Mall at University Town Center,
is now hiring. FILE PHOTO

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/07/03/5238146/hm-other-stores-begin-hiring-for.html#storylink=cpy

The Macy's inside the Mall at University Town Center is now hiring,in preparation for the mall's Oct. 16 opening.

The first batch of jobs posted over the weekend include 22 positions. More are expected to be posted soon.

Macy's anticipates having a career fair for hiring, likely making an announcement in the coming weeks.

To apply at Macy's, visit macysjobs.com/featuredstores/University-Town-Center.

Positions posted so far include evening stockers, retail commission associates, an on-call retail support associate, team leads and jobs in jewelry, bedding, women's shoes, cosmetics and loss prevention.

H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue and other stores are hiring as well, the Herald previously reported. A sample of  those job openings can be found on Bradenton.com. CareerSource Suncoast, the region's jobs agency, is also working on a Web page to act as a one-stop place to find available jobs at the mall. About 2,000 full- and part-time jobs are expected to be created from the mall.

The 880,000-square-foot mall includes anchors Dillard's, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue plus Apple, Crate & Barrel along with more than 100 restaurants and stores.