San Marco butcher shop Cline’s Custom Meats is expanding with a second location in St. Johns County.
The owners hope to open Nov. 1 in a 1,300-square-foot space at Parkway Place Shoppes at 1385 St. Johns Parkway. The shop will replace Planet Smoothie.
St Johns County issued a sign permit Oct. 23. Jacksonville-based Taylor Sign & Design is the contractor for the installation at a project cost of $2,380.
Co-owner and head butcher Joe Cline said the St. Johns County move is motivated by demand.
“I didn’t realize how many customers actually do make the drive up here on a Saturday (to San Marco) to come see us,” he said. “They’re ready for us.”
Cline founded the market in 2018 with his wife, Louda, who serves as culinary director. The original shop opened at 1625 Hendricks Ave. north of San Marco Square and relocated to a larger space at 1225 Hendricks Ave. in July 2023.
It sources its meat from Jacksonville-based Vause Farms.
Joe Cline, a Fort Lauderdale native, served in the Navy in Jacksonville from 2001 to 2004 before relocating to Fort Myers.
“And then me and my wife had visited Jacksonville with some friends who had been here for quite a few years, and she kind of threw it in my head and said, ‘Hey, would you be willing to move me back to Jacksonville?’
“Fort Myers was great, but not where I wanted to be.”
Cline said he will spend the bulk of his time opening the new shop, but is confident he’s leaving the San Marco location in capable hands.
“We’ve got a great staff that’s been with us for quite a few years. And so I’m going to be going down and opening that shop and running and getting it off the ground and making sure everything’s dialed in, like we did here,” he said.
Both locations will operate 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
SRS Real Estate Partners said Oct. 1, 2024, that it completed the $6,497,562 sale of Parkway Place Shoppes in St. Johns County.
Rettner Building Management Corp. of New Rochelle, New York, bought it Aug. 19 through Bathgate Plaza LLC.
The seller was Corner Lot of Jacksonville through CLDG Parkway Place 3 LLC.