Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

The Yardery expected to open in Mount Dora soon

1/1/2025

ABOVE: Rendering of the Mount Dora location provided by The Yardery.

In what has become an eclectic dining destination, downtown Mount Dora will be adding a new restaurant concept with the opening of The Yardery sometime this month. The two-level eatery and bar had originally planned to open a year ago.

The approximate 5,400 square-foot restaurant includes a roughly 2,000 square-foot bar on its open-air second floor. The ground floor will feature relaxed al fresco dining, another bar, and fun yard games like cornhole, foosball, Connect Four, ladder toss and Giant Jenga. The Yardery (think yard plus eatery) has a modern farmhouse style and features a casual outdoor dining menu with plenty of entertainment options for guests to add to their experience. The family-friendly restaurant’s friendly and apropos motto is “Eat, drink and play in the yard.”

RELATED: Local Mount Dora Restaurant Guide

The menu features “backyard food with a twist” and includes favorites like the Yardery Burger, Cajun fish tacos, barbecue chicken flatbread, in-house smoked ribs, and honey-hot fried chicken. Guests can also imbibe in The Yardery's signature cocktails, craft beer and wine selection.

Recently, Botanico opened in Mount Dora which also offers yard games, swings and picnic tables in its fenced yard, and there is another outdoor restaurant opening in Ocoee in early 2025 dubbed The Backyard that’s following the same trend.

The Yardery is located at 221 N. Baker Street between the municipal parking lot and the downtown parking garage. Its popular Sanford location opened in 2022. If all goes smoothly, the new pet-friendly Mount Dora location will open this month. A third location is expected to open in New Smyrna Beach later this year.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.

Big Lots to close all stores amid financial woes

1/1/2025

Big Lots, the discount retailer with a location in Eustis, announced last month that it will cease operations and close all of its stores across the country. The store is known for its cheap prices and wide selection of home goods, electronics, furniture, and everyday essentials.

According to the company, “going out of business” sales began immediately at all locations to “protect the value of its estate,” according to the company’s press release. Customers can take advantage of steep discounts as inventory is cleared out.

"We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale. While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction, in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate, we have made the difficult decision to begin the GOB process," Big Lots President and CEO Thorn said in the company’s press release.

The decision follows years of declining sales, increased competition, and challenges stemming from the shift toward online shopping. The company, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September. Previously, it had operated more than 1,400 stores nationwide. Big Lots has pledged to provide severance packages and career support services to affected employees.

The company, which initially rose to prominence as a closeout retailer, struggled to adapt to changing consumer habits. Competition from online retailers like Amazon and big-box chains such as Walmart and Target reportedly eroded its market share.
Big Lots is another sign of the challenges facing traditional brick-and-mortar retailers in a rapidly evolving industry. “This is part of a broader trend where mid-tier retailers are struggling to compete,” said Mark Edwards, a retail consultant. “Consumers are shifting their spending habits, and companies that can’t adapt quickly are being left behind.”

The closure marks the end of a retail brand that has been a fixture in American shopping plazas for decades. Founded in 1967 as Consolidated Stores Corporation, the company rebranded as Big Lots in 2001 and became known for offering name-brand products at heavily discounted prices. The Eustis store is located at 405 Plaza Drive in Eustis

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The Yardery expected to open in Mount Dora soon

Big Lots to close all stores amid financial woes

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

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