Residents say we lack the axe

Axe-throwing establishment among the additions residents would like to see in Lakewood Ranch.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Shoreview’s Suzi McQueary peered inside Crop Juice on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place.

She was looking for a menu to see if they had gluten-free options as well as smoothies.

With the nearest Smoothie King on State Road 70, McQueary was looking for an alternative place to go for smoothies.

“I love Smoothie King,” she said. “Smoothies are a good breakfast alternative.”

As the greater Lakewood Ranch area continues to grow, people are curious to see if some of their favorite businesses will make their way to the area.

Joe Liebenrood hopes to see more restaurants and businesses, not only in Lakewood Ranch, but closer to his home at Oasis. He likes that businesses, such as Slim Chickens, have opened at State Road 70 and Lorraine Road, but he wants even more options.

“There’s not a lot on the east side of town,” he said. “We want to see more sit-down type restaurants.”

Woodleaf Hammock’s Kelly Harmon also is looking for more locally owned, sit-down restaurants, on State Road 64. She gave as an example the Owen’s Fish Camp that will open soon on University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch. She said she’s tired of seeing chain restaurants and wants to be able to support local businesses closer to her home.

“They’re starting to gradually build, but they’re putting in the same things,” Harmon said. “I want something different. No chains.”

Lakewood Ranch residents and those who work or visit Lakewood Ranch shared what they would like to see added to the community.

LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANTS

Esplanade’s Lori and David Scherba want to see more locally owned restaurants in Lakewood Ranch. They’d love to see Kacey’s Seafood, which has a location on Fruitville Road, come to Lakewood Ranch because they love their food. The Scherbas are looking forward to Owen’s Fish Camp opening a second location at Center Point. The restaurant is expected to open in March.

CAR WASHES

Lakewood Ranch’s Connie Reiser wants a car wash closer to her home off Lorraine Road and State Road 70, even though several are available on State Road 64. McQueary wants a car wash near her new community in Waterside as well. Woodie’s Wash Shack is being constructed at the intersection of State Road 70 and Silver Palm Boulevard, so Reiser is getting her wish.

ASIAN FOOD

With the desire for more restaurants and businesses in Parrish, Vickey Betts regularly travels to Lakewood Ranch for more restaurant options. But she said she would love more Chinese, Thai or Japanese food options in the northern parts of Lakewood Ranch.

BOWLING

Greenbrook’s Richard Greene is an avid bowler, but without a bowling alley close to Lakewood Ranch, he hasn’t bowled as much in the last 10 years. The closest bowling alleys are 30-minute drives to either Cortez Road in Bradenton or downtown Sarasota.

AXE THROWING

When Greenbrook’s Nancy Pfaadt and her husband, Gerald Risen, were living in Kentucky, they loved going to an axe throwing facility. They would throw axes for a while before grabbing a beer at the bar.

“Beer and axes, what could go wrong?” Risen said with a laugh.

Pfaadt said ax throwing is a fun activity that is out of the norm.

THEATER

After Schroeder-Manatee Ranch terminated its agreement with the Players Centre for Performing Arts to build a theater complex in Waterside Place, some residents are still hoping that a theater could be in Lakewood Ranch’s future.

Pfaadt and Risen would love to have theater performances in Lakewood Ranch so they don’t have to travel to Sarasota to see a play or musical.

“We just love the arts,” Pfaadt said.

ITALIAN FOOD

Sarasota’s Doreen and Jeff Dooney head over to Lakewood Ranch at least once per week to attend Ranch Nite Wednesdays at Waterside Place.

Doreen Dooney isn’t a big fan of food trucks and wants to have more fine dining options available at Waterside. She would love to see an Italian restaurant. Osteria 500, an Italian restaurant with a wood burning oven and cocktail bar-lounge, is expected to open this spring.

MORE FITNESS CENTERS

Lorraine Lakes’ Linda Davitt has been searching for a gym that fits her needs. Before she moved to Lakewood Ranch, her gym was Lifetime Fitness.

“The quality of that gym is so awesome,” she said. “If they put one in Lakewood Ranch, people would be so happy. If they had a Lifetime Fitness, I’d be good.”

BARBECUE

Harmon, who moved to Lakewood Ranch from Kansas, has been searching for the best barbecue. She wants a taste of home with Kansas City barbecue.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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