MYCBS4 Gainesville: Celebration Pointe to Open New Stores Thursday

April 18, 2018
news

When you drive on I-75 near Archer Road in Gainesville, it’s hard to miss the ongoing progress of the new, massive Celebration Pointe development.

It’s been a spectacle for years, but for some the wait is coming to an end.

“As of tomorrow, we have Kilwins, we have the theater, Tommy Hilfiger and Nike,” said Sean Mcintosh, Celebration Pointe’s asset manager. “But over the next several months there will be additions coming almost on a monthly basis.”

Even with these shops and restaurants coming slowly but surely, the development is still attracting a crowd.

“It’s amazing being that we’ve had one tenant open in the promenade area and Regal as an anchor…how much traffic we’ve seen in this area,” Mcintosh said. “People are just enjoying the space.”

That one tenant being the Kilwins chocolate shop. With the smell of all of its candy, there’s no wonder why the people flock right over.

“They are really excited about Celebration Pointe and Kilwins,” said Julian Immanuel, owner of Kilwins at Celebration Pointe. “We’ve had a lot of feedback from students and families that know Kilwins from other places, and they’re really happy that we’re coming here.”

Even some local flavor will be added with Ragae Shack Café on its way come summer.

The beginning of Celebration Pointe is just a small glimpse into what this whole area will actually hold.

“It’s a mixed use development and there are different components,” Mcintosh said. “There’s a residential component that will go into 2020 and maybe into 2021. The second phase of what we call City Walk, which is the retail restaurant area, is expected to start next year.”

Until then, Celebration Pointe is open for business hosting a growing number of restaurants and shops, with more to come.