Tim Aten Knows: New Publix coming in 2027 to North Naples

Q: What’s the latest on the new Publix in Gateway Shoppes at U.S. 41 and Wiggins Pass? The sign still says “Coming Soon,” but there has been ZERO activity in months. – Marta VanderStarre, North Naples 

A: Demolition occurred months ago, but permit delays have held up construction for the supermarket, which is targeted to open in mid-2027 in the Gateway Shoppes at North Bay, said Shy Michael, project manager for HGR Construction, the Florida firm contracted to build the store. 

“We are projecting breaking ground in the next month or so. Just waiting on some permits,” Michael said. 

Florida-based Benderson Development is the longtime owner of that retail center on the northwest corner of U.S. 41 North and Wiggins Pass Road in North Naples. Project architect Fisher and Associates LLC is a Clearwater architectural firm that has completed more than 1,000 Publix shopping centers. 

“We’re excited to partner with Benderson Development Company LLC, Publix Supermarkets, Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., and Fisher and Associates on another exceptional project,” HGR posted on its social media. 

After about a year of construction, expect the opening of the new store to be in summer 2027. 

“Definitely next year, maybe between June and July,” Michael said. “Looking forward to completing this one and giving the community another Publix.” 

Publix store number 2158 will fill the large open space at 13585 Tamiami Trail N., Unit 4, in the Gateway Shoppes. The in-store pharmacy on the supermarket’s southern end will have a drive-thru lane that cuts through the center. Publix Liquors will be in Unit 5, a separate 2,100-square-foot retail space abutting the northern end of the proposed supermarket. 

The new 55,674-square-foot Publix near the Collier-Lee county line will feature a variety of aesthetically designed architectural elements to keep its massing from appearing as more than a long, windowless façade. About 58,000 square feet of inline retail space was demolished to make way for the supermarket. Units vacated by DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, Norris Home Furnishings and some smaller vacant retail units were razed. 

It is anticipated that Publix will be a retail magnet to attract tenants to the many empty units in the shopping center. The large retail spaces on either side of Publix remain empty because of unrelated brand challenges. Two more than 22,000-square-foot units carved from the former Lucky’s Market that was completed but never opened remain vacant south of Publix on the Wiggins Pass end of the center. The shuttered Bed Bath & Beyond store leaves another large anchor space vacant on the northern edge of the future supermarket and liquor store. 

More new tenants 

Two new restaurants also have “Coming soon” signs on units along U.S. 41 in Gateway Shoppes. 

Ramen House has staked claim to the small undeveloped Unit 4 in the same outparcel building that formerly was home to Panera Bread. While additional information about this eatery is not available yet, the owners of another future restaurant are preparing their new space on the northeast corner of the center. 

John and On Augsondthung, longtime owners and operators of Asian restaurants in North Naples, have something a little different in store. They plan to open Luna Mesa in the former space of Five Guys, which closed last June. The new restaurant will be different than those the Augsondthungs already operate: Fuji Sushi Bar & Asian Bistro in Founders Square and Yoko-San Ramen on Naples Boulevard. 

“Luna Mesa is going to be a modern Asian-Latino cuisine,” On Augsondthung said. “We want to bring in new concepts.” 

The menu fusion may sound odd at first, but several Latin American countries have incorporated Asian ingredients and techniques into their culinary customs. The Augsondthungs are Thai natives who have hired a chef from Venezuela for Luna Mesa.  

“We find we have many dishes very similar in common — for example, chicharrón,” Augsondthung said. “In Thailand, we also have chicharrón [crispy pork belly] on the menu, but we call it something different and it’s slightly different in its flavor, so we’re thinking about how that can create a new dish — something like that.” 

Other options may be grilled steaks and rice dishes with Asian curry sauce. “We’re still working on the menu,” she said. “It’s not finalized yet. We are still testing.” 

Translated as “Moon Table,” Luna Mesa’s tagline is “A table for every hour” — “because we are going to open for brunch hours, lunch specials, very happy happy hour and then a romantic under-the-moonlight dinner,” Augsondthung said. “That’s our concept.” 

Luna Mesa is targeted to open in November. 

“We just signed the lease. We still have a long way to go,” Augsondthung said. “We have to do a whole lot of renovation to make it look nice and more modern for Naples.” 

The interior demolition includes the tile flooring and signature red and white tiles Five Guys used on the bottom part of the fast-casual eatery’s walls.  

Meanwhile, the drive-thru restaurant outparcel front and center in Gateway Shoppes remains available since Kelly’s Roast Beef vacated it in January.  

“We’ve got a lot of interest,” said Marc Elias, executive director of leasing for Benderson Development. “We don’t have anything signed for it at this point, but we have a significant amount of interest.” 

Benderson Development doesn’t have anything else to report yet regarding other vacancies in that center. 

“We have a lot in the works and a lot of interest,” Elias said. “It’s just getting things to the finish line.” 

Park Shore Publix 

Q: When is the new Publix at the corner of Tamiami Trail and Neapolitan Way going to open up? – Julie McFadden, Naples 

A: The newly rebuilt Publix supermarket is opening July 2 in Neapolitan Way shopping center at 4601 Ninth St. N. in Naples. The redevelopment project — which retired store number 172 and launches replacement store number 1782 — took longer than anticipated to both start and finish. 

Since that anchor store shuttered Nov. 30, 2024, it was demolished and rebuilt on a slightly larger footprint at the same location. The new 51,908-square-foot supermarket has a mezzanine with seating, a deli island, self-checkout lanes and other features defining the latest prototype for the Florida-based supermarket chain.  

Originally opened Aug. 28, 1986, the Neapolitan Way store was the oldest Publix in Collier County that had not been rebuilt or relocated yet. 

The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at Tim.Aten@NaplesPress.com.