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Retail development continues to heat up around the Mall at Millenia.

Last week, furniture retailer Ikea broke ground for a 309,000-square-foot store on the southeast side of the mall at Conroy Road and Eastgate Drive. The hip and inexpensive furniture retailer is expected to draw customers from hundreds of miles away, further solidifying the Millenia area as a destination for shoppers.

David Iemolo, director of real estate for Ikea, said at the groundbreaking that the mall's presence played an important role in the retailer's decision to locate there.

"It's just a fantastic retail destination," Iemolo said.

In addition, an 18,000-square-foot Old Navy store is under construction near the Mall at Millenia's entrance off Conroy Road. That store is expected to open by summer. And an 18,000-square-foot West Elm upscale furniture store is planned to go up next to the Old Navy, according to John Rife, one of the development partners in the project.

West Elm, which is owned by Williams-Sonoma, would be the first location for the Orlando market.

The Millenia market's desirability is also evident in its far-above-average rental rates. The Millenia area is notching $30 per square foot, well above the Orlando market's average rental rate of $21.26, according to a recent report by Staubach Capital Markets and Crossman & Co.

Holler Honda is moving

The Holler Honda dealership on U.S. Highway 17-92 in Winter Park is moving to a new location on State Road 436 north of East Colonial Drive.

Chris Holler, vice president of operations at the Holler-Classic Automotive Group, said there was a need to move the Winter Park dealership, which sits on 3 acres, to a lot with more space. The relocated Holler Honda will be on a 10-acre lot with a newly constructed 54,000-square-foot building next to Holler's Classic Nissan dealership.

The State Road 436 location is projected to open Monday, March 12, with the Winter Park dealership closing down after the end of business on March 11, Holler said.

"We'll spend all night moving everything over," he said. No decision has been made on what to do with the Winter Park site once, Holler noted.

Cork & Olive popping up

Cork & Olive, a Tampa-based wine retail chain, said it plans to expand into the Orlando market with at least 20 franchise locations planned for the area.

Three franchisee locations have been sold in the Orlando market including one in Winter Garden. Cork & Olive said it has also secured four additional locations for franchisees in Heathrow, Winter Park, Longwood and Maitland.

Cork & Olive specializes in wines from small, family-owned vineyards and features a wine-tasting table in its stores. Orlando businessman Tom Ronzino serves as chief executive officer of the company.

The company has 10 corporate stores open and 10 franchises sold in Florida.

Openings . . .

FedEx Kinko's plans to open a new store prototype in the Orlando area at 350 W. Fairbanks Ave. The store is about one-third the size of a traditional FedEx Kinko's and offers twice the number of office products. The store opening is part of the company's plan to open 200 locations in the U.S. by June. . . .

A 10,000-square-foot Bravo Supermarket has opened west of the Osceola Mall in Kissimmee on U.S. Highway 192 at Hoagland Avenue. It's the second Bravo Supermarket in Kissimmee and the 17th in Florida for the grocery chain that caters to Hispanic customers. . . .

Speaking of grocery chains, Publix Super Markets opened a new store in Orange County that replaces the Publix located in Rio Pinar Plaza at 483 S. Chickasaw Trail. The grocery store will include a pharmacy, bakery, deli, floral and fresh seafood departments. . . .

Discount retailer Tuesday Morning has opened its fifth store in the Orlando market. The store is at 1030 E. State Road 50 at the Clermont Regional Shopping Center. . . .

Mattress Firm has opened its first store in the Orlando area. It's in the Casselberry Exchange Shopping Center on State Road 436. The mattress retailer said it expects to open three more locations in the Orlando market. . . .

Athletic shoe chain Fleet Feet Sports has opened a store at 397 E. Altamonte Drive in Altamonte Springs. It's the first location in the Orlando market. . . .

An AlphaGraphics franchise store has opened at 1061 S. Sun Drive in Lake Mary. The store offers print and digital services.

Mark Chediak can be reached at mchediak@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5240.