Latest reporting from the Business desk.
Business
Clearwater-headquartered hellocare.ai will deploy AI-assisted virtual care technology across St. Luke's Health System hospitals in southern Idaho, adding to the company's base of more than 100 U.S. health systems.
Business
Pitmaster Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe plans to open Squiki Tiki, a tiki-themed barbecue restaurant, at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach in December, featuring smoked meats, tiki cocktails and tropical decor.
Business
Morgan Stanley Investment Management paid $31.1 million for The Preserve at Dunedin, a 106-unit assisted living and memory care community at 2010 Greenbriar Blvd. in Clearwater, as part of a $91.1 million two-property Florida portfolio deal.
Business
Salt & Sky, a rebranded rooftop bar with Gulf views and a new 947-square-foot event space, has opened at the AC Hotel Clearwater Beach
Business
Former White House guest chef Will Artley, a "Chopped" competitor and Culinary Institute of America graduate, has joined the Clearwater Beach Sheraton Resort on Sand Key as executive chef, overseeing four dining venues including the beachfront Rusty's Bistro.
Business
Clearwater City Council unanimously approved a development agreement for a nine-story, 144-room hotel at 10 and 18 Bay Esplanade, demolishing the Palm Pavilion Inn's 30 overnight units while preserving the original 1926 restaurant now operating as Crabby's Beachside.
Business
Visit Florida data shows statewide tourism fell 1.4% in the first half of 2026, with Canadian visitors down 13.9% year-to-date amid tariff tensions — a concern for Clearwater Beach as the area's top international market heads into off-season.
Business
Boardwalk Pizza is opening a second Clearwater-area location at 1751 S. Highland Ave. within a month, while Playmakers Bar & Grill, tied to former Downtown Pizza owners, is converting the old Ker's WingHouse on Ulmerton Road into a sports bar.
Business
New five-year rental-car concession contracts at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport would increase monthly revenue by 43.6% and generate an estimated $28.2 million, with the Pinellas County Commission set to vote Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Business
Jazz legend Chick Corea's former Clearwater home at 2124 Laurence Drive sold Aug. 14 for $2 million, $500,000 below its May asking price, while an 11-unit Clearwater Beach vacation rental portfolio on Mandalay Avenue fetched $4.25 million three days later.
Business
The Clearwater CRA voted Aug. 3 to sell the long-vacant National Guard armory at 706 N. Missouri Ave. to St. Benedict Holdings LLC for $2 million, clearing the way for Yo Mama's Foods to build out warehousing, manufacturing and offices with a commitment to create up to 30 full-time jobs, at least 10 from the North Greenwood community.
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Business
Clearwater-born Frenchy's restaurant group is opening its sixth location in Safety Harbor after acquiring the former Bar Fly space, with renovations expected to wrap by September 2026.
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Business
Soul Sicilian Fusion, a family-owned restaurant at 516 Cleveland Street co-owned by Nello Menza and Natalya Harrison, was named the Clearwater CRA's August 2026 Business Spotlight winner, adding to its recent recognition as Best Italian Restaurant in Clearwater.
Business
The Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition's "Village" project will bring 10-12 permanent storefronts in repurposed shipping containers to North Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Tangerine Street, with containers arriving by December and full operations expected by early 2027.
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