Down Alt A1A From Frenchman's Reserve, Downtown Palm Beach Gardens Is Filling Up With Things to Do

What does the shopping center at the bottom of your road look like once the renovation is finished? Frenchman's Reserve's own directions put the community entrance 1.3 miles north of PGA Boulevard on Alternate A1A. At the south end of that stretch, where PGA meets Alt A1A, is Downtown Palm Beach Gardens. Its renovations began in 2020, and the Palm Beach Post reported in late September that construction across the complex is done, apart from work inside individual stores.

That makes this fall the center's first season without construction. The tenants arriving now share a theme. Most of the new arrivals give people something to do, play or watch, and the businesses taking the empty storefronts reflect that.

Six Years of Construction, Then a Clean Slate

The renovation was hard on the businesses that stayed open through it. Elizabeth LeGore owns Vagabond Apparel Boutique and Vagabond Apparel Kids, and she described those years to the Palm Beach Post:

"The construction was rough, and it was right after COVID. Things are starting to get back to life. We definitely need that."

The same report said store owners had found it hard to attract new shops after the work started. Some customers weren't sure which stores had stayed open. New stores have opened steadily since then. The center's owner, EDENS, puts the property at 403,000 square feet, according to a Life Time announcement from October. The largest new investment since the work ended came from a gym that expanded across the street.

The Anchor Is a Gym That Grew Across the Road

Life Time opened its Palm Beach Gardens athletic country club in 2022. The building is 136,000 square feet over four stories and includes a rooftop beach club and a Life Time Work lounge. In its October 8 announcement, the company said it now has a second location across the road from the club: six new pickleball courts designed for leagues, tournaments, events and open play. The courts are indoors and open to Life Time members. The new space also has lounge areas, a retail wall of athletic gear and a grab-and-go cooler with food and drinks.

The main club changed too. Life Time added 45 weekly CTR classes, and the new studio is already open. It is also expanding the third-floor exercise area to 31,000 square feet in total, which the company said it expected to open later this fall. Susan Mistri, Life Time Palm Beach Gardens' senior general manager, said in the announcement that members have shown "tremendous enthusiasm for pickleball, our studio classes and our strength and cardio training spaces, and we've seen the need for more."

A business that adds courts across the street and grows its workout floor in the same season is betting on daily visits. The smaller tenants that followed are designed for the same kind of stop.

The Storefronts Filling In Around It

Most of the new arrivals are small and specialized, and several are built around browsing for fun rather than errands.

Go Yummy has a following. The Palm Beach Post called it central to the viral Swedish candy craze and noted it has been popular with social media food influencers. A candy shop by the carousel, a painting studio and a trading card store are destinations people visit for the experience.

What Comes Next Follows the Same Pattern

Several more tenants have been announced. Escapology, an escape room operator with 12 other Florida locations, was announced for this fall. So was Go Greek, a yogurt bar and cafe with six other Florida shops. Go Greek is moving into the space Fro-Yotopia used to occupy, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Two restaurants are set for early 2027:

1. Bo Woods BBQ, a new barbecue restaurant.
2. Naked Farmer, which serves a locally sourced, seasonal menu. It is also opening an eatery at Tanger Outlets in West Palm Beach this winter, and the two will be among its first Palm Beach County locations.

Volo Medical, a new brand, is planned for winter 2026 or 2027. Once these open, the center will have an escape room, a frozen yogurt cafe and two sit-down restaurants within a short walk of the courts and the carousel. That fits with the events the center already runs on its own calendar.

The Calendar Is Built for Staying Late

The Downtown Carousel runs daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDENS lists rides at $5 each or five for $20. With a same-day receipt from one of the center's shops or restaurants, five rides cost $16. The discount only applies after you've already shopped or eaten there, which shows the center wants the carousel to keep people around longer.

After dark, the center's events calendar shows recurring live music at Voodoo Bayou and Avocado Cantina. Both also run afternoon happy hours. Yard House runs a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and a late-night happy hour as well.

The biggest event before the holidays is the Outdoor Movie Night on Friday, December 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. The center's outdoor events take place on the Green Space at 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue.

Beyond the Center, the City Fills the Next Few Weekends

Some of the season's events take place a short drive west, at city venues rather than in a shopping center. The City of Palm Beach Gardens is hosting its Gardens Harvest and Holiday Bazaar on Friday, November 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, November 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's at the Burns Road Community Center, 4404 Burns Road. The city lists more than 70 local vendors, admission is free and all ages are welcome.

Three weeks later, the city's tree lighting takes place at The Gardens North County District Park on Saturday, December 5, from 4 to 8 p.m. According to Palm Beach Gardens Now, Santa arrives and the tree is lit at 5:45 p.m., with photos with Santa from 6 to 7 p.m.

One more recent opening north of the community is worth a stop. After two decades at Donald Ross Village, Sal's Express reopened on September 28 as The Pizza Connection, at 4580 Donald Ross Road, Suite 109. The Palm Beach Post reported a bright remodeled dining room and an expanded menu, with owner Fabio Bartolotta still in charge.

If you want to talk about how a finished, busier town center 1.3 miles down Alt A1A fits into what your Frenchman's Reserve home is worth this season, Jeanne Gordon would be glad to walk through it with you. Request Your Home Valuation and we'll start with your street.