For a summer season that historically is a slow period in the Naples area, cooler things than record-high temperatures are hot at Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples.  

“There’s a lot going on here,” said P.J. Hill, leasing manager for the sprawling commercial center on the northwest corner of Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads. “I know, specifically, it’s been really busy the past few months with everything from renewals, obviously, the development of the new building, and new leases coming in.”   

The off-season is the perfect time to motivate business owners to prepare new spaces for the upcoming busy season, Hill said.   

“Even though we are really out of season at this stage, we’re still rocking and rolling over here. So, no complaints,” he said.  

Casanova Art & Fashion opened in early July as the first of six tenants coming to the new building just completed off Airport-Pulling Road on the northeast corner of the Shoppes at Vanderbilt.   

“Casanova got started ahead of the pack with getting things done,” Hill said. “We’re anticipating the rest of the tenants to hopefully be open by the end of the year, ideally.”  

Casanova, specializing in Murano glass and Italian designer clothing and accessories, opened in early July in connected units, relocating and consolidating stores from both The Village Shops on Venetian Bay and Bayfront in Naples. Its new North Naples store combines art and fashion under one roof.    

“They’re taking their two locations and plan to expand and have this be their flagship location as they move on from their other two. They took two units. They needed the square footage,” Hill said. “They’re going to be the biggest tenant there.”  

A mix of other tenants will be coming to the first new building there in years, Hill said, including more luxury businesses.   

“We have a high-end interior designer, Emily Brady Interiors, that will be opening,” he said. “We have The Luxury Timepiece, which will be rebranding as Statement Watches and Jewelry. There’ll be rebranding on the move. They’re a current tenant now.”  

The new building also will introduce additions to the center’s food and beverage lineup.  

“For a quick-service concept, we have Crave Cookies. They’re a franchise similar to Crumbl,” Hill said. “As well as a boba tea bar, or small cafe, I should say. They’re going to be branded as Momo Tea Bar.”  

Crave Cookies, a Utah-based chain, opened its first Florida location last year in Odessa, north of Tampa. The franchise features a new lineup of flavors every Friday.  

“We’re in the early stages for most of the other tenants. So, we’re thinking, hopefully, by the end of the year everybody will be open, depending on what they go through. The ball’s in their court at this stage with how fast they move. But I know they all would like to get open as soon as possible for season, ideally.”  

“That building we just finished up with it, so all the tenants are just in early stages, getting things done,” Hill said. “We’re then moving on to our next two projects, which are two new buildings in the center here on the southern parcel, both west and north of the CVS by Vanderbilt Beach Road. Those buildings will be built simultaneously. We plan to break ground on those, hopefully, in October. We’re moving on them pretty quickly with building plans approved at this stage. The delivery timeline for those buildings is hopeful in December 2024, but may be early 2025.”  

Tenants are not yet lined up for these future buildings.  

“We just started preleasing the buildings, so we did just get the word out for some of the people I’ve been working with. So, I don’t have anybody preleased at this stage,” Hill said. “But those buildings will both have the capability for restaurant, retail and a variety of service concepts.”  

Building 1000, which will be a building fronting Vanderbilt Beach Road west of CVS pharmacy on that corner of Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads, will be a two-story building, Hill said.   

“The end caps will be restaurant capable. It will have a total footprint, I believe, of about 19,000 square feet or so,” he said. “Most of the spaces can be delivered or claimed to be delivered individually from about 1,700 to 1,300 square feet. But there’s opportunity to combine those for larger footprints, if needed.”  

The second new retail opportunity, Building 1100, is planned on the grassy lot north of CVS.  

“That building will be a bit smaller. That building will be roughly about 5,000 square feet in total, a stand-alone, single story.”  

Done deals have new businesses readying to launch soon in the lifestyle center.  

“We do have Nailed It of Naples as a new tenant that will be taking The Luxury Timepieces current space. So, when Luxury Timepiece moves over to the new building and rebrands as Statement Watches and Jewelry, Nailed It of Naples will move into that space there,” Hill said.  

Leases also recently were signed for a couple of other new businesses at the Shoppes at Vanderbilt. Divine Interiors of Naples, a high-end furniture and home decor store is coming soon to Suite 140. Another newcomer is Holy Fit of Naples, an interactive equipment store that will be doing business in Suite 152.  

“They are a retailer primarily of fitness equipment for home fitness products, office fitness products, and rehab things and therapy things — some unique product lines,” Hill said. “So, everything from personal, unique, individual items for yourself up to being able to build out an entire home fitness center.”  

Signage is up for a couple of other tenants coming to the center. Imperio Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant operated by a local family, is coming to the former inline space of Vampire Penguin Shaved Snow and Desserts.  

“They’re making more progress. They’re hoping to be open soon. They did run into a number of challenges on their end with their buildout, but they do plan to be open soon,” Hill said. “We also have Paradise Indoor Golf, which should hopefully be opening soon as well.”  

Paradise Indoor Golf is coming to a large space on the northern edge of the center that most recently was Havana Blue Cuban Cuisine & Lounge, but it also previously was Salsa Cuban Restaurant & Lounge, French Folies, The Basin and Absinthe restaurants within a 15-year span.  

“He ran into some similar challenges with buildout,” Hill said. “Both unique situations individually with the contractors they were working with. It’s just things have been delayed for them.”  

The center has learned about delays firsthand in planning its new construction.  

“There’s just a lot of challenges across the board from labor and shortages and supply. Everything’s gone up,” Hill said.