ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Two businesses have closed near the Beachwalk development on County Road 210 in St. Johns County, raising questions about the future of the area.
BurgerFi is permanently closed, with tables stacked inside and a sign apologizing for the inconvenience. Nearby, the Daybreak gas station is shutting down, with its windows boarded up and the gas pumps taped off.
The closures come as a surprise to some because Beachwalk — known for its lagoon — was expected to become one of the county’s major new destinations.
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Seth Neiman, owner of Island Fin Poké, said the development has not progressed as business owners were originally told it would.
“We were all sold a bill of goods,” Neiman said. “We were told something was going to be here that’s not here.”
Neiman said he came to this location in hopes of landing big business and was counting on retail and development.
“Even though Margaritaville would be great for me, if I’m still here, that’s what we were told was going be here. It was supposed to be like a mini town center behind,” he said.
The county has since approved a four-story hotel with 111 rooms in December, according to county records. Plans for 68 cottages were approved Sept. 4.
Neiman said the new hotel and cottages could help bring more visitors and customers to the area.
“With a 110-room hotel and 68 cottages, and having a restaurant that is right in front of it, I think this is going to be a very valuable spot,” he said. “Two years is not a short time.”
For now, Neiman is trying to keep Island Fin Poké open and has had to lower staffing numbers.
We contacted the Daybreak gas station’s corporate office for comment but received no response.
We also reached out to the developers for comment on timelines and progress and have not heard back at the time of this publication.
