Hobby Lobby, Bonefish Grill coming soon
BROOKSVILLE — The first two stores at Cortez Commons have announced opening dates.
Hobby Lobby, which had originally planned to open in November, now plans to open its doors Dec. 29. Bonefish Grill is tentatively eyeing a Jan. 26 opening.
MICHAEL D. BATES/STAFF Work crews were out Thursday morning at Cortez Commons, a multi-tenant shopping center on the southwest corner of State Road 50 and Mariner Boulevard.
Both stores will occupy space at the still-under-construction Cortez Commons, located on the southwest corner of the State Road 50 and Mariner Boulevard intersection.
Other chains scheduled to come there are Longhorn Steakhouse, Bob Evans, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Wawa, Dick’s Sporting Goods, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Mattress Firm and Vitamin Shoppe.
There is no word yet on opening dates for the other stores.
Vince Parker, with Hobby Lobby, said store officials will start taking employment applications three or four weeks before opening and will place an ad in the local classifieds informing people when and where to apply.
The store manager and co-manager usually train in other stores and will come to the Brooksville site.
Parker said in a news release that he hopes to hire 30-50 local employees in various positions, including cashiers, stockers, custom picture framers, office manager, floral designer and department heads.
Pay for full-time employees starts at $15 per hour and $10 for part-time.
Hernando County’s first Bonefish Grill will employ 80-100 people. The 6,898-square-foot site will have 193 dining seats, 38 of them located on an outdoor patio, according to Daniel Foster, director of construction for Bonefish Grill.
Bonefish Grill has locations in several states and attempts to model each restaurant with a “local” feel. Its parent company is St. Petersburg-based Bloomin’ Brands, which also operates Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Outback Steakhouse.
There are about 200 Bonefish Grills across the nation.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the shopping center, the southbound turn lane at Frontage Road and Mariner Boulevard closed Saturday. Work crews will re-align Frontage Road about 200 feet to the south and install a new four-way traffic signal and make it easier for north and southbound traffic. There will also be crosswalks for bikers and pedestrians.
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