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This Sarasota retail shop will close at the University Town Center by the end of the year

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This Sarasota retail shop will close at the University Town Center by the end of the year

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Almost two years after opening a second Elysian Fields at The Shoppes at University Town Center, the Sarasota gift shop catering to the metaphysical will be closing that location.

Tony Gillette, who owns Elysian Fields with his wife Ruta Gillette, told the Herald-Tribune he plans to keep open the company’s main store at 1273 S. Tamiami Trail.

The expected last day of operation at the UTC store will be Friday, Dec. 27, a news release stated.

“As we wind down, we will be offering clearance sales on select merchandise, but not all items will be included. Additionally, store fixtures will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis, with prices posted in-store,” the release said.

Gillette said the business saw strong sales in its first year at the UTC location.

“Your second year you should see big gains,” he said. “We didn’t see gains and actually saw a decline. What appears is that we were splitting customers between the two stores.”

He had expected the busy parking lots at the popular shopping destination would mean new customers to Elysian Fields.

However, he said the regional shoppers that frequent University Town Center were not as interested in the local independent brand as he had hoped.

He described UTC as a regional shopping destination where larger, more established brands may have more success than smaller, independent operations like his.

“They know national brands,” he said. “Not the small independent stores.”

Gillette purchased the Sarasota business in 2018. A former regional manager for national retail companies, Gillette thought expanding the Elysian Fields concept to the University Town Center was a “no brainer,” as a large portion of their existing customer base came from the Lakewood Ranch area.

Closing the University Town Center location will allow the Gillettes to focus on the remaining location, Tony Gillette said, although the company now has some debt from the expansion effort.

Gillette said the property’s owner, Benderson Development, “treated me very well” despite the business having three years left on a five-year lease.

“They offered to take it back at the end of the year,” he said of the location.

Gillette said he is hopeful to see Elysian Fields continue operations in Sarasota for years to come.

“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the customers, friends, and supporters who welcomed us so warmly at UTC,” he said. “While this chapter is coming to a close, we hope to continue serving you at our flagship store in Sarasota, which has been a cherished part of the community for 33 years.”

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