By Jim Carchidi
April 20, 2026
Recent commercial building sales have impacted several businesses along Winter Garden’s Plant Street. Expiring leases placed two local favorites on notice, but solutions were found just beyond their front doors.
Polka Dotz
After portions of the Bond Building were purchased in December 2025 by investor Jim Larweth, the staff of Polka Dotz boutique were informed its lease would end in June without renewal. Owner Heidi Hardman took to social media, reaching out to supporters and documenting the search for a new location. An April 3 post confirmed the boutique would move just around the corner from its 12 W. Plant Street address to 31 S. Main Street.
The former tenant, Robyn Michelle Salon, had consolidated staff to its Stoneybrook and Windermere locations in February, citing rising rents. The building is also the former location of home decor retailer Ruby & Rust, which closed in February.
Polka Dotz boutique is one of two Bond Building tenants notified their leases would not be renewed after the building was purchased in December. The other, Three Birds Café, will open a location at Crooked Can Minneola Market.
Polka Dotz will open in July at the space next to the former Ruby & Rust location at 31 S. Main Street.
Polka Dotz store associates told The Orlando Real that renovations at the new location are in progress and the relocation should begin mid-June with a grand opening in July.
The Orlando Real previously reported on the exit of former Polka Dotz neighbor, Three Birds Café, and its new quick service location, expected to open this summer at Crooked Can Minneola Market. Three Birds owner Ashley Morton previously said she also wants to open a traditional cafe concept in the Winter Garden area. No word yet on a new address.
Driftwood Market
Owner Tina Butler announced in February that she had been looking for a new location since the October 2025 sale of their building. Butler said the new landlord, Orlando-based Shurlock, LLC, has plans to open a restaurant and was not renewing the lease. The solution came with the relocation of clothing and accessories shop, Doxology.
Driftwood Market will also move to Main Street, taking over the space currently occupied by Doxology.
Doxology's last day on Main Street will be April 25 and the business will reopen when its new Plant Street shop is complete.
Currently at 49 S. Main St., Doxology will take one of two open storefronts in Plant Street’s former Allen & Company office building, which was purchased last November by Devnull, LLC. The neighboring storefront will house a Jet Set Pilates location.
“We’re sort-of trading streets,” Butler said. “They get a shop on Plant Street, we get a great space that allows us to stay in the community.”
Driftwood will celebrate its eighth anniversary with its May 30th grand opening on Main Street. Doxology is in its seventh year of business and will close on April 25 with the new location at 16 E. Plant St. opening as soon as the buildout is complete.
More updates
Jim Larweth’s latest Plant Street acquisition was announced on April 15 when Attic Door owners Laurie and Kevin Tarter of the longstanding restaurant at 28 W. Plant Street. The Tarters plan to retire after accepting an offer from Larweth and explained in a social media post that the new owner was “dedicated to preserving this legacy business, which has been a staple of Plant Street for over 20 years.”
Larweth’s Winter Garden properties include Chef's Table at the Edgewater and Tasting Room, which has continued operations since the 2025 purchase.
Writers Block Bookstore previously announced the closing of its Plant Street location after losing its lease. The building has been owned for nearly 20 years by JKSH Properties LLC. Operations will be consolidated with the Writer’s Block Winter Park location and its last day in Winter Garden will be April 26. The shop will participate in Indie Bookstore Day events on April 25 that are currently being coordinated.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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