Sur La Table, Warby Parker appear headed to St. Johns Town Center

Permit applications show housewares store, fashion eyeglass retailer taking a divided former Williams-Sonoma space.


The Warby Parker store at the Highland Village Shopping Center in Houston. Warby Parker's owner is seeking to build-out space at St. Johns Town Center.
The Warby Parker store at the Highland Village Shopping Center in Houston. Warby Parker's owner is seeking to build-out space at St. Johns Town Center.
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Housewares store Sur La Table and fashion eyeglass retailer Warby Parker appear to be prospective tenants at St. Johns Town Center in the closed Williams-Sonoma space.

Williams-Sonoma closed recently and its roughly 6,500-square-foot space at 4712 River City Drive, No. 109, is being prepared for two tenants.

Sur La Table, a housewares company based in Seattle, will take 5,049 square feet at that address, according to a building permit application filed with the city.

No contractor is listed for the $500,000 build-out.

Sur La Table has more than 100 stores in at least 32 states and the District of Columbia.
Sur La Table has more than 100 stores in at least 32 states and the District of Columbia.

Similar to Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table sells cookware, bakeware, dinnerware, glassware, kitchen tools, knives, small appliances, grilling accessories, décor and specialty foods, coffee and tea.

The company opened in 1972 and has expanded to more than 120 stores in at least 32 states and the District of Columbia. It has seven in Florida.

Sur La Table did not respond immediately to an email requesting comment.

Warby Parker, which is the operating name for New York-based JAND Inc., is shown as the user of 1,460 square feet of space at 4712 River City Drive, No. 107.

The city is reviewing a permit application for a $300,000 build-out for JAND in the end space of the former Williams-Sonoma near California Pizza Kitchen.

In a reverse of stores closing because of internet sales, Warby Parker began online in 2010 and opened its first storefront in 2013.

It now has more than 90 stores in 30 states and in Canada, including four in Florida in Miami, Boca Raton and Tampa.

Warby Parker started as an online business and now has more than 90 stores.
Warby Parker started as an online business and now has more than 90 stores.

Warby Parker says it keeps prices low by designing and producing its own eyewear rather than having a manufacturer do so.

Warby Parker declined to comment.

The space is being split after the city issued a permit Tuesday for Vision Contractors Inc., of Kennesaw, Georgia, to build an interior wall and install a new storefront entry at a cost of $75,000.

Simon Property Group is the owner. Simon had no comment.

Williams-Sonoma closed in March. An employee said previously the company wanted to open in another Jacksonville location but had not decided where.

 

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