Village Square was a nice shopping plaza when I first moved here about a dozen years ago. Anchored by the Regal Village Square Theatre complex, the center had shops of all kinds from a bakery with fine teas to a low cost hair cutting place. Over a period of time, new businesses took the place of others that closed and the center seem to lose a bit of its original luster.
Then the great recession hit and the place became like a ghost town. There were more empty stores than open ones and some of the businesses had a hard time hanging on and staying in business.
In the last year, the owners of the plaza announced that they were going to renovate the exteriors and generally make the place a more pleasant area. New palm trees have been planted, the store fronts have a fresh coat of paint, but best of all they have changed the way you enter and park in the center. Previously, you had to go east or west and then park in rows facing north and south. Today when I went to get take out from Archi's Thai Café, I noticed that the parking is wonderful. You can go right straight through and park in an east/west direction. This makes so much better sense.
There are some new stores coming including a new Mexican restaurant. Those holding on have been Archi's, Tropical Smoothie Café, Alligator Soup crafts store, and Cold Stone Creamery.
Let's hope with the improving economy and the facelift the owners have given Village Square, the best is yet to come!