A reader reports to us this morning that there’s a new gas station in West Boca that’s offering better prices:
Just FYI the gas station at Kimberly and Hampton is 2.59. It’s a hidden secret. The new sign wasn’t working I will get a better photo later. It’s also Marathon now. 20 cents cheaper then Chevron.
We have had a tool on our website, through MapQuest, that shows gas prices in West Boca. And there is also an app called Gas Buddy that shows gas prices to users on mobile devices. We checked out what we could find both on our page and through Gas Buddy, which seems to be more popular and updated more frequently by users. From what we could see the “new” gas station is not a particularly good deal. Gas Buddy shows that station’s price as higher than what our reader reported, and the nearby Chevron as less expensive. But of course those apps can be inaccurate. If you want to save even more money on your fuel then check out this Murphy USA survey that could let you win free gas if you win. That’ll help you a lot if the gas prices continue to rise. We’ve always felt that the Cumberland Farms at Sandalfoot and 441 has the best prices in West Boca, and it looks like that’s still true. We hear complaints all the time about bums or troublemakers hanging around that gas station but we’ve never noticed any issues.
We’re seeing progress on new stores. We previously reported that Pei Wei is coming to Glades and 441 (the new building in the Home Depot plaza). We weren’t sure before but we are now. The store sign is up and they’re busy on the inside getting it ready. We still think it’s at least a month away but this is real progress. None of the other spaces in the new building are anywhere close to this.
Next up we just learned that a Smoothie King will open in Mission Bay Plaza. This came on us fast. It opens tomorrow morning. The menu is focused on healthy smoothies, with categories including Fitness, Slim, and Wellness, along with some other options. Most of them start at $5 or so with large ones (40 oz) approaching $9. There was some activity inside but we couldn’t get in or get a good picture of the inside. Grand opening with ribbon cutting will be tomorrow around noon.
We’ve also reported on a new organic market, 4th Generation, coming to Boca Lyons Plaza. They seem to be behind schedule and we don’t see much progress inside. –Update: A reader tells us 4th Generation expects to open in August.– However, there is a new place opening next door, Fashion Scoop. A sign on the door indicates they’re hiring experienced retail staff.
Boca Theater and Automation (“BTA”) the premier provider of turn-key, custom built luxury A/V and building automation systems in South Florida, announced today that it will be relocating its corporate headquarters and Technology Experience Center to a brand new state-of-the-art facility in Boca Raton, Florida. West Boca locals may remember them in their previous location next door to Ben’s Deli in The Reserve shopping center at 441 and Clint Moore. “This move is a milestone in the evolution of our business,” said BTA’s CEO and Founder Jeff Galea. “We reached a turning point that necessitated choosing a new location that would not only accommodate our growing team, but also better serve our customers. We can now showcase the top of the line systems we are proud to provide, and demonstrate the value we bring to these solutions. We could not have taken this company to the next level without the incredible support of our customers, the talented BTA staff, and the close relationships we have cultivated with the manufacturers with whom we partner.” The new 8,500 sq. ft. facility located in Hamptons Plaza (on the southwest corner of Lyons and Kimberly) features the latest technology for collaboration with BTA’s customers and partners. Featuring audiovisual displays capable of demonstrating BTA’s cutting edge integration techniques, a fabrication facility designed for enhanced productivity and quality assurance, and a workspace for employees that maximizes the flow of information through the use of the latest networking technologies, BTA is poised to transform the luxury A/V industry. The former Wells Fargo Building was also retrofitted with premier LED and solar lighting throughout, providing an energy efficient and optimal lighting environment for our customers and staff. “This new facility is equipped with all the necessary resources for our experienced in-house staff to have complete flexibility in testing, designing, installing, and supporting customized integrated solutions for our clients nationwide,” said BTA’s General Manager, David Vranicar. “This high-quality workspace will help us continue to attract and retain the most qualified talent in the industry.” BTA’s new Technology Experience Center and corporate address is 9020 Kimberly Blvd., Boca Raton, Florida 33434.
About BTA: Boca Theater and Automation is a premier provider of turn-key custom built, luxury A/V and building automation systems in South Florida. They create easy to use systems that simplify your life, increase safety and save energy. Founded in 2001 by Jeff Galea, BTA is focused on delivering luxury A/V and building automation systems to residential and commercial properties. The systems integrate entertainment, lighting, shading, climate, communications, security and life safety controls into your home or office environment. For more information about Boca Theater and Automation visit www.bocatheater.com or call 561-999-9024. This article was sponsored by Boca Theater and Automation.
Last year, I took my daughter to Curls Rock Hair Studio in Boca Raton and discovered DevaCurl. DevaCurl makes hair products for girls and women with curly hair. This wonderful product really enhanced her curls and cut down on the frizz. Her hair has never looked better! Unfortunately, these hair products are not cheap. Luckily I discovered that Amazon is selling the 32 oz size for under $30. Other DevaCurl products are also being sold at very good discounts.
In comparison, Sephora sells a 12 oz bottle of the no poo conditioning cleanser for $20 and the 32 oz bottle for $40. Ulta, located at 9882 Glades Road (Westwinds of Boca, near DSW), sells the same product for $19.95 and $39.95. Harmon Face Values, located in Boca Greens Shopping Center, also sells DevaCurl products. The price is the same as Ulta but you can use a 20% Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon. If you have curly hair, I highly recommend these products! The Amazon deal is particularly good if you have Amazon Prime’s free shipping.
It was an impressive “pre-opening” for the new Saks Off 5th store in Somerset Shoppes. We stopped by a little after 6 pm and the place was packed, as you can see above and in our 360º video below:
Parking was a little contentious immediately in front of the store, but if you went down toward Men’s Wearhouse there were plenty of spaces available. The grand opening is tomorrow (Thursday). For details see our Facebook post. We took a little time inside to record a more news-like video. But we’re still pretty new at video so this one isn’t the greatest:
Video from the Saks Off 5th pre-opening event today. Article to follow soon.Still working on our video skills. This one is slightly out of focus, but we'll get better at it.
We previously reported that Saks was coming back in October. It’s a pretty big store, taking the place of the old Loehmann’s. While it seems large to us, we learned from their VP of Marketing Robby Schnall that they have larger stores in places like Aventura. Due to the smaller size they had to make some choices and to our disappointment they have chosen not to carry kids clothes at least for now. We did notice a very large array of women’s shoes: There is, of course, a men’s section. We’d guess it’s around a quarter the size of the women’s section but that’s only a guess. We were also impressed with how young the customers seemed. This time of year we typically see a lot of seniors. But we were told that the senior crowd came earlier in the day, closer to the 4 pm opening. We also just like the look of the store. It’s bright and although it’s got a lot of merchandise inside, it has nice lines and is very bright.
