Stores and restaurants — some of them big names and big boxes — are turning over at The Markets at Town Center and the adjacent St. Johns Town Center.
Among the latest, BlackFinn Ameripub, which opened in The Markets at St. Johns Town Center in 2010 and renovated in 2014, closed Sunday without public notice.
BlackFinn representatives have not responded to emails or phone calls. A handwritten sign on the door says “BlackFinn is permanently closed.”
BlackFinnJax LLC faces a foreclosure suit filed by a lender in April.
Helen Ciesla, general manager of The Markets at Town Center, said she hadn’t been aware of the impending closing.
The restaurant manager turned over the keys and BlackFinn vacated, she said, and the last day of operating was Sunday.
BlackFinn has closed at least eight locations across the country since 2014, with most since 2017, and continues to operate six.
The Markets at Town Center restaurant operated at 4840 Big Island Drive in a 9,700-square-foot building owned by landlord Hines.
Hines Global REIT 4875 Town Center LLC owns the 0.63-acre property, which is assessed at almost $3.5 million for tax purposes, according to the Duval County Property Appraiser.
Ciesla said Hines is marketing the property through The Shopping Center Group. “We look at this as an opportunity,” she said.
Jason Ryals, executive vice president with Colliers International Northeast Florida, expects the building to be leased soon.
“They have several people lined up for that space,” Ryals said, just as the closed Mitchell’s Fish Market in St. Johns Town Center was leased by True Food Kitchen, a healthy food concept new to Jacksonville.
BlackFinn was the third significant restaurant to close within the past year in the St. Johns Town Center area, and the other two already have new tenants.
Mitchell’s Fish Market, which closed over New Year’s weekend at 5205 Big Island Drive in St. Johns Town Center, is being renovated for True Food Kitchen with a scheduled opening Nov. 7.
The Ovinte wine bar closed in July at 10208 Buckhead Branch Drive and is under renovation for Kamiya 86. Ovinte replaced The Original Pancake House in Town Center.
While not recent, Whisky River closed in January 2014 after four years at The Markets at Town Center. A lawsuit showed Hines evicted the restaurant and lounge because of rent nonpayment.
It was replaced in October 2015 with Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, which Ciesla said was well received by customers.
And the Suite lounge closed in April 2017 at The Markets at Town Center after a shooting in the parking lot, although Suite did not say why it closed.
Most of the Suite space was renovated for the Palmetto Moon retail store.
Retail stores also are coming and going.
Across from BlackFinn, Thomasville is closing its furniture store at 4853 Big Island Drive in St. Johns Town Center. No use has been announced for that site.
Thomasville’s parent company, Heritage Home Group LLC, filed July 29 for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
Best Buy moved from The Markets at Town Center across the street to The Strand at Town Center, and the former Best Buy location is becoming the area’s first Sprouts Farmers Market.
Diamonds Direct also intends to move from The Markets to The Strand.
And the Toys R Us and Babies R Us store next to the former Best Buy closed in June after the company filed for bankruptcy protection the previous September.
Ciesla said The Shopping Center Group is marketing the 70,000-square-foot Toys R Us and Babies R Us spaces for one or several tenants. It temporarily is leased to Spirit Halloween through mid-November.
“We hate to lose tenants, but we immediately look at it as an opportunity to bring something fresh in and new to the market that will work well,” Ciesla said.
Ryals considers it “just natural turnover.”
“While the demand is still there and really good, some of the concepts that have turned over were struggling nationally,” he said.
Plus, he also sees opportunity.
“I am working with several people that are moving into Town Center,” he said.
St. Johns Town Center opened its first phase in 2005 and expanded since then, as did surrounding retail centers.
Stores and restaurants in St. Johns Town Center and The Markets at Town Center face increasing competition from new retailers and dining spots in The Strand and The Crossing at Town Center and Town Center Promenade.
Those three centers opened across Town Center Parkway with standalone and inline restaurants, big box retail stores and other retailers.
Hotels and apartments are opening there as well.
Ciesla said the restaurant business has become increasingly competitive in the Town Center area.
“It’s unfortunate that they are closing but it’s survival of the fittest,” she said. “A lot of times it’s the customer wanting to go to a different new restaurant.”
She acknowledges that as more retail and restaurant offerings come into a market, sales will be split.
“How much can a market support?” Ciesla said.
Ryals remains confident.
“It’s still ground zero for retail in Jacksonville,” Ryals said.
