If someone were to ask, “where is downtown New Port Richey,” how might you respond?
Five minutes from Florida’s West Coast!
45 minutes from Raymond James Stadium!
Just north of the Pinellas Trail!
If someone were to ask, “what is downtown New Port Richey,” how might you respond then?
Over the past several years, the idea of what is downtown versus what isn’t downtown has developed almost as quickly as the City itself. Main Street and Grand Boulevard have historically been the commercial corridor with businesses concentrated between Bank Street and Adams Street. Today, as downtown vacancies dwindle, new businesses are “expanding” the boundary of downtown.
West Main Street
Main Street, from the Cotee River to US-19, may be the biggest victim when it comes to the ‘forgotten’ downtown. The area has shot up over the last year as longtime project Stonehaven at Main (f.k.a. Main Street Landing) finished construction after more than a decade. New businesses in Stonehaven include The Butcher’s Block, Dented Keg Ale Works, Main Street Bakery, Vampire Penguin, and (coming soon) Sammy’s Surf Shop! This unique collection of businesses complement one another, in addition to downtown as a whole.
Neighboring the Stonehaven complex is the River Road Plaza, anchored by Thai Bistro. Last year, businesses began to trickle in and fill up space. A Womanz World and Rusty Bucket Baithouse both added a much needed retailer to the plaza. Now, two new businesses are set to open in the remaining vacancies. For the first time in decades this plaza is full of tenants. Across the street, the Gateway Plaza looks to build off the momentum from new businesses ADAPT Freshness and Downtown Nutrition!
With the addition of the City’s parking structure and Keiser University’s new campus on the corner of US-19, we predict this trend of business infill to continue. Over the next couple years, we imagine more new ventures will bridge the gap between the Cotee River and the downtown gateway.
East Main Street
We’ve made note of it before, but new business owners brought new life to east Main Street last year. Christina’s restaurant, a longtime favorite of locals and visitors, had often been viewed as downtown’s east bookend. However, over the last several months, new businesses have poured into east Main Street revitalizing the district as a commercial hub.
5840 Plaza in September 2019
5840 Plaza in September 2021
Redefined NPR and Koh Muy Thai Boxing opened as the first commercial tenants in a vacant plaza. Within the last month, Positively Charged Electronic Repair set up show and joined them. Now, two new businesses are in the midst of building out their space and filling out the plaza.
Additionally, Pupperz Pet Grooming is rehabilitating a property at 5936 Main Street. Once they’ve officially moved in, Pupperz will be downtown’s only dog groomer and retailer! Across the street, progress on the NPR Library renovation helps solidify Madison Street as the new eastern boundary of downtown.