A historic building in downtown Sarasota that once housed an acclaimed pizzeria hit the market with a multimillion-dollar asking price just months after the restaurant closed.
The two-story, 4,169-square-foot retail building at 27 Fletcher Ave., just east of Washington Boulevard and the Regal Hollywood movie theater on Main Street, was listed for sale for $3.28 million in a LoopNet listing posted Sept. 17. The asking price breaks down to about $785.56 per square foot, significantly higher than the Sarasota County average of $517 per square foot, according to LoopNet.
Built in 1925, the historic building formerly housed the now-closed Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana and Pastaria. The restaurant opened in Sarasota in 2019 after a year of renovations to the century-old
building but closed earlier this summer.
LoopNet reports that the property features 50 parking spaces and is being represented by Harry E. Robbins Associates, Inc. The building still contains its commercial kitchen infrastructure and "a turnkey path for a new restaurant, cafe or retail concept," the listing reads.
The property was previously purchased in 2017 for $619,000, according to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser. It is currently owned by Bavaro Realty Holdings Sarasota, LLC.
What happened to Bavaro's?
Bavaro's was known for its acclaimed pizza and originally expanded to the area from Tampa. However, the downtown restaurant, located east of Washington Boulevard and the Regal Hollywood movie theater permanently shut its doors in July.
The opening of the Sarasota restaurant came about a decade after Dan Bavaro and his family relocated from New Jersey and opened the original Bavaro's in Tampa in 2009. Bavaro's also has locations in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as at Tampa International Airport and Benchmark International Arena.
"The reality of business is that sometimes concepts flourish, and other times they become opportunities to learn, grow, and gain valuable experience," the statement announcing Bavaro's closure read. "After much thoughtful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our beloved Sarasota restaurant."
As its name would suggest, Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana and Pastaria specialized in Neapolitan pizza cooked for roughly 90 seconds in a wood-burning oven, and numerous pasta dishes, as well as appetizers such as ricotta meatballs.
As detailed in a 2019 Herald-Tribune Bar Tab column, Bavaro's also featured an "Italian focused" bar menu with drinks at the time including a caprese martini made with basil-infused vodka and olive oil and served with a basil, cherry tomato and mozzarella garnish, as well as classics like the Negroni and Aperol spritz.
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
Kendal Asbury is the real estate and development reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Have an idea, tip or question about development? Send her an email at kasbury@usatodayco.com. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Instagram @wordsbykendal, and support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Historic downtown Sarasota building listed for $3.28 million | Exclusive
