UTC Adds Restaurants, Retail and Fitness

The University Town Center area continues to expand its retail and dining footprint, with more than a dozen new tenants expected to occupy over 86,000 square feet. Newly announced names include Mister O1, Just Salad, Playa Bowls, Pure Green and Zen Dumpling, along with retail and lifestyle brands including Ikea, West Elm, Pure Hockey, Body Hot Pilates and LaserAway.

The biggest additions include a roughly 48,000-square-foot Ikea location and an 18,000-square-foot West Elm. Pure Hockey is also expanding, while several health, fitness and wellness concepts are joining the district.

UTC’s growth shows how retail in Sarasota-Manatee continues to cluster around mixed-use shopping, dining and lifestyle destinations. For shoppers, it means more choices. For the region, it means continued traffic, development and competition for consumer attention east of downtown Sarasota.