By JESSICA BALANZA
Westfield Citrus Park mall is expected to have two new tenants by spring and another by summer, according to Mary Ellen Norton, the mall’s marketing director.
Officials at the mall, 8021 Citrus Park Town Center, have announced the arrival of Dick’s Sporting Goods, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, and Cork & Olive.
Dick’s Sporting Goods is the first set to open on March 31.
The 50,000-square-foot store is described by Ashley Bauer, community marketing manager for Dick’s Sporting Goods, as a full-service sports store, catering to sports enthusiasts and athletes alike.
“This will be a store where all a customer’s needs are met as opposed to going to multiple locations,” she added.
Dick Stack originally founded the store in 1948 in New York. Now based in Pennsylvania, the company has about 294 locations throughout the United States, including two in Florida. The sporting goods store features sporting apparel, footwear and equipment.
“They are making a big splash in the market,” said Norton. “It’s a different take on a sporting goods store.”
The store will open with about 75 employees. Westfield Brandon mall is also opening a Dick’s Sporting Goods on the same day.
In hopes of filling a void of what the mall did not offer, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse will also join Westfield Citrus Park mall this summer, said Norton.
The restaurant is currently under construction and will be located at the main entrance of the mall.
Norton said the 7,481-square-foot restaurant is new to the Florida market.
Three other locations are scheduled to open by spring in Orlando and Pinellas Park.
“We believe BJ’s will provide a fun, energetic, casual-plus dining experience to Florida,” said Greg Levin, chief financial officer for BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. “We hope that we can become a dining occasion of choice for the people that live and eat in the Citrus Park Area.”
The restaurant features entrees such as baby back ribs, steak, lasagna and pizza.
“This fits a niche for what we have at the mall,” said Norton. “We are excited about them.”
Also under construction is the 3,937-square-foot wine shop, Cork & Olive, which is set to open by the spring. The retail wine shop will offer wines from smaller vineyards around the world, olive oil, spices and dips.
Tracey Locke, spokeswoman for Cork & Olive, said the shop will have a wine tasting table open all day.
“Customers can expect reasonably priced wines that are unique and a tasting table open all day in an unpretentious atmosphere,” she said. “It will be neat once opened to do your shopping and taste wine.”
The average price for wine is $12.99 and the tasting table will usually feature about 10 wines from which customers can taste, said Locke.
For customers like Indira Ramanathan, a Lutz resident who comes to the mall about twice a week, the changes are good news.
“It offers more variety,” said Ramanathan. “I love it here.”
“I think the changes are good,” said Carrollwood resident Jolyn Lively. “It’s about time they have another restaurant and I have heard good things about Dick’s (Sporting Goods).”
There are no official opening dates as of yet for BJ’s and Cork & Olive.