Special Announcement: Sarasota Honey Company's University Parkway Store is Closing and Relocating. Limited Hours.
Special Announcement from the hive: we are closing our store on University Parkway, so our hours will be limited; please call, text, or check our website before coming. Please rest assured that we are NOT closing because business is bad but because of many factors that have led us to this decision:
-Location: As many of you may know, our store is presently located in one of the last standing structures that is still original to University Parkway when it was just the dirt road known as County Line Road. Since this summer, we have had some challenges in an older building. These challenges forced us to promote online business and our farmer markets. Business is booming on those fronts. Moreover, we have lost count of the many times we hear people mentioning the store but zooming by and not actually stopping.
Labor Force, Inflation, and Cost of Living: Another challenge with the store was finding help. With the increase in the cost of living, we have found ourselves in the same boat as other small businesses in finding help. We have experienced, as have other small businesses, quality staff choosing to move out of Florida due to high rent, extremely increased home-owner insurance, and the overall cost of living here in Florida. We need to pay our workers more money so they can afford to stay.
Insurance has more than tripled in the last 18 months, as has the cost of packaging. The woodware for our bee hives has significantly increased. Rent for all our facilities and permits needed to stay in business has increased, and new "fees" have been created. Moreover, we have noticed that customers are being more selective about how they spend their money, I'm sure for the same reason: the cost of living.
Our Solution: After the holiday season, we were able to step back from the trees and see good portion of the forest. We decided to close the store, not because we were not seeing some profit, it just that the profit was not enough to justify the cost of keeping the store. In addition, the brunt of the business seems to be coming from online sales and farmers markets. The money saved from the store overhead could go to paying our workers more, new equipment for the bees, and keeping our products affordable.
But Wait There is Good News
Our last day at the Honey store will be April 27th. Now I know what you may be thinking, "The store was super cute, the store events were so much fun, and there is nothing like a honey store experience." We've got you covered! We will be moving in and joining the fun at The Bazarr on Apricot and Lime starting May 2nd!
The Bazaar in Apricot and Lime Voted #1 Best Gift Shop 4 Years in a Row. The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime is a indie indoor market, home to over 40 local creators and curators. The 5,000 sq. ft. space is filled with something for everyone. From art, collectibles, clothing, jewelry, one-of-a-kind items, plants, home decor, gifts, food and now Sarasota Honey Company! They have live music, game nights, and a variety of events.
We look forward to some of our honeybee events at The Bazaar, with the first being our official Grand opening and World Honey Bee Day Celebration on May 18th! We are still working out the details. Alma will be giving honey and bee presentations. Maybe a live harvest, safely check out live bees. Come dressed as a bee or in your black and yellow best and receive a honey/ bee gift and stamp on the event card from each indoor vendor booth. Once your card is filled, receive a small jar of Sarasota Honey Co. honey as our way of thanking you for your honeybee spirit! More news about the event is to come, but I guarantee it will be a sweet and fun day!!!
We will soon have more news from the hive, such as our new business model, the most up-to-date honey report, and our hopes for 2024.
-Jess
