SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Present the 2025 Business Spotlight Winners.
Body
SUMMARY:
On August 18, 2025, the CRA Trustees approved the continuation of the Business Spotlight Program to highlight locally owned businesses within the Downtown Clearwater and North Greenwood CRA districts. The program is intended to showcase businesses that contribute to economic vitality while strengthening community identity and visibility within redevelopment areas.
For the 2025 program cycle, a total of nine businesses were selected as Standard and Legacy Business Spotlight recipients. Legacy businesses are recognized for their long-term investment and sustained presence within the CRA districts.
The selected Business Spotlight recipients, listed by featured month, include:
• Direct Mail 2.0 (Legacy) - February - Downtown Clearwater
• One Stop Shoppe (Legacy) - March - Downtown Clearwater
• New Vision Behavior Health - April - North Greenwood
• Tequila’s Restaurant (Legacy) - May - Downtown Clearwater
• Hatchet Hangout - June - North Greenwood
• Social Sips Café - July - Downtown Clearwater
• Soul Sicilian (Legacy) - August - Downtown Clearwater
• Downtown Pizza - September - Downtown Clearwater
• Emily’s Restaurant (Legacy) - October - Downtown Clearwater
Throughout the upcoming year, each business will be featured through coordinated marketing efforts with Public Communications to include professional video, storytelling and digital promotion, to support business retention, increase awareness, and reinforce district identity.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
2.1 Strengthen public-private initiatives that attract, develop, and retain diversified business sector.
3.1 Support neighborhood identity through services and programs that empower community pride and belonging.
