Outdoor Recreation Store, 3 Restaurants Sign On To Midtown Tampa

TAMPA, FL — A national retailer specializing in outdoor apparel and equipment plans to open a 22,500-square-foot store in Tampa in spring 2021.

The REI Co-op will be located at 1101 N. Dale Mabry Highway in the $550 million Midtown Tampa, the new district under construction in the Westshore area.

Seattle-based REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) offers new and gently used, high-quality outdoor gear and apparel, rental equipment and outdoor adventures.

“Tampa is an incredible community to continue our mission to connect local REI members to the outdoor places and activities they love,” said Gail Kirkland, REI regional director for the South. “Whether our members are paddling the Hillsborough River or taking a short walk from our store along The Watercourse, we can help them prepare for any kind of adventure.”

REI Tampa will offer a range of programs to connect people to a life outdoors, she said. In addition, the Tampa co-op will feature a specialty bike shop with maintenance and repair services.

Kirkland said Midtown Tampa is an ideal site for the new REI because it will feature the 3-acre Midtown Lake and The Watercourse, a recreational trail to encourage visitors to get outside.

In addition, Midtown Tampa’s walkable design will include four acres of common public space including the Midtown Commons, a central gathering space for festivals, concerts, yoga in the park and cross-fit stations.

“It’s a huge get,” said Nicholas Haines, chief executive officer of the Bromley Companies, the developer for the 22-acre project near North Dale Mabry Highway and Interstate 275. “In an uncertain retail environment, REI is one of the most successful larger format retailers in the country. REI has been part of our vision for Midtown since the beginning and joins our growing list of first-to-market retailers that will make Midtown a much-sought-after destination experience.”

REI will open its store on the spot that once housed Men’s Wearhouse. The location is at the base of the seven-story, $72 milllion Midtown One office building and next to where Whole Foods Market will be constructed.

REI is a member-owned co-op with more than 300,000 lifetime members in Florida. While anyone may shop at REI, members pay $20 for a lifetime membership and share in the company’s profits through an annual dividend. In addition, REI annually invests more than 70 percent of its profits in the outdoor community, which includes support for nonprofits to steward local trails and public lands.

This year, REI is investing $140,000 in Florida-based outdoor nonprofits including the Florida Trail Association and the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association’s Florida Chapter. As REI gets closer to opening in Tampa, the co-op plans to invest further in the local outdoor community.

REI, recognized as one of Fortune magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For, expects to hire up to 45 employees for the Tampa location.

REI has 155 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, including stores in Jacksonville and Winter Park.

Work began on the 22-acre Midtown Tampa in the spring and is expected to be completed in early 2021. Midtown Tampa will encompass 1.8 million square feet of retail, residential, office, entertainment and hospitality space.

Other tenants that have signed on to mixed-use development are Novel by Crescent Communities,offering 390 apartments, a dual-branded Marriott Aloft and Element Hotel with 225 rooms, Burtons Grill & Bar, True Food Kitchen and a new restaurant concept from Chef Chris Ponte of the Ponte Group Restaurant.

Ponte, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, is the owner of two other Tampa Bay restaurants, Cafe Ponte in Clearwater and On Swann in South Tampa.

The 5,000-square-foot Midtown Tampa restaurant will feature American cuisine with a French and Italian influence. It will seat 200 guests and include a full bar and lounge, an open kitchen surrounded by glass and a wine cellar with more than 400 selections.

“Midtown is a first-class, one-of-a-kind destination,” said Ponte, who is both chef and owner of The Ponte Group. “The location just off I-275 makes Midtown the perfect choice for our new concept in the Tampa market."

Midtown Tampa also will be home to West-Central Florida's first True Food Kitchen, an award-winning restaurant with locations in Boca Raton, Jacksonville and Naples.

Co-founded by world-known integrative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil, True Food Kitchenspecializes in fresh, seasonal dishes with natural health benefits. True Food Kitchen’s menu includes dishes for vegan, vegetarian, high-protein and gluten-free lifestyles.

“We’re thrilled that True Food Kitchen chose Midtown Tampa for its first restaurant in the region,” said Haines. “True Food Kitchen will be an incredibly positive environment for the residents, employees and visitors of Midtown Tampa, and a destination for people throughout the Tampa Bay area looking for delicious, healthy dining.”

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant will be situated off the development's Himes Avenue entrance. It will include an open kitchen and outdoor covered patio.

Burtons Grill & Bar is known for its "scratch kitchen," preparing special orders to meet diners' specific dietary needs.

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