Gateway Jax has unveiled the first wave of restaurants, fitness studios and service businesses that will help anchor Pearl Square, its nearly $1 billion redevelopment of nine blocks in downtown Jacksonville’s Urban Core.
Six newly announced tenants will occupy the ground floor of Vandeveer, the district’s first mixed-use residential building, which is expected to welcome its first residents in late summer 2026.
The lineup includes a Michelin-recognized St. Augustine restaurant, an outdoor biergarten, a national bagel concept and a Mediterranean yogurt brand making its Northeast Florida debut.
“Downtown Jacksonville is emerging as one of the Southeast's most closely watched urban markets," said Bryan Moll, CEO of Gateway Jax. "Residents, visitors and companies will be drawn here by a growing ecosystem of retail, hospitality and public green space where the neighborhood itself is the amenity. The retail mix at Vandeveer has been intentionally designed to bring daily life to the Urban Core, encourage everyday activation and support the kind of walkable, connected environment essential to downtown Jacksonville’s continued evolution.”
The tenants will open along pedestrian-oriented streetscapes and public green spaces surrounding the historic Thomas V. Porter Mansion, part of Gateway Jax’s effort to create a walkable retail and dining destination within Pearl Square.
“Jacksonville’s retail landscape is evolving at an incredible pace. The curated mix at Vandeveer is a testament to the growing national appeal of the city’s urban core,” said Kelly Pulignano, senior vice president of The Shopping Center Group. "This transformational project introduces a new standard for urban living and shopping in Jacksonville. Gateway Jax’s vision for Pearl Square is coming to life as a unique, premier destination that will help define the city’s future.”
Among the new additions is Bar Citra, which will occupy 2,000 square feet. The St. Augustine restaurant received a Bib Gourmand distinction in the 2026 Florida Michelin Guide and is known for its coffee program, pastries, seasonal plates and wine list.
The Pearl Square restaurant will be the first location outside St. Augustine for owners Rachel Gant and Andrew Deming.
Murray Hill’s Buchner’s Bierhalle will also expand downtown with Buchner’s Biergarten, an outdoor concept planned for the Porter House Lawn. The biergarten will serve German beers from a vintage-inspired Citroën truck alongside shareable small plates.
Virally Famous PopUp Bagels will occupy 1,443 square feet and become the brand’s second Jacksonville location. Founded in Westport, Connecticut, in 2020, the concept serves bagels hot from the oven and encourages customers to tear and dip them rather than order them sliced or toasted.
Florida partner Kal Gullapali, of Built Different Brands, opened the company’s first Jacksonville location at the St. Johns Town Center in late 2025.
Go Greek Yogurt will open its first Northeast Florida location in a 1,141-square-foot space. The Mediterranean lifestyle brand operates more than 25 locations across the United States, Europe and the Middle East and offers Greek yogurt and Greek bowls.
The Pearl Square shop will be its third Florida location.
Two wellness and personal-care concepts will round out the initial lineup.
JETSET Pilates will lease 2,495 square feet for its third Northeast Florida studio, following locations at The Palms at Gate Parkway and Jacksonville Beach. The franchise offers high-intensity, low-impact workouts using custom-designed reformers.
Pearl Street Nails will occupy 2,032 square feet and offer manicures, pedicures, nail enhancements, waxing and organic treatment options. It is the newest concept from a regional operator with more than 20 years of industry experience and more than 135 salons across the Southeast.
The six tenants join previously announced Publix and Colletta, an Italian restaurant planned inside the restored Hotel Merrydelle.
Gateway Jax said its retail strategy for Pearl Square is centered on full-service dining and shopping, with a mix intended to balance local identity and national-brand credibility.
"Our leadership team brings direct experience from Water Street Tampa and National Landing in Arlington, Virginia, where we created vibrant, 18-hour environments where none had existed before," Moll said. "We've applied those same lessons to Pearl Square, engaging The Urban Division at Colliers for retail brokerage that balances local identity with national brand credibility. Gateway Jax, Colliers and Of Place worked collaboratively on a comprehensive retail strategy for Vandeveer’s ground floor that reflects both the character of Jacksonville and the standards of the nation's leading urban districts."
Buchner’s Biergarten and JETSET Pilates are expected to open in fall 2026. Additional tenant openings are anticipated through early 2027.
By James Cannon
Jacksonville Business Journal