More than a year after hurricanes battered St. Pete Beach and months after a fire tore through Dolphin Village, businesses inside the shopping center are still struggling to recover.
Now, organizers hope a new weekly community market can help bring customers back.
The Saturday Sunset Market at Dolphin Village will launch as a recurring waterfront event designed to drive foot traffic and economic support to businesses still reeling from the loss of two of the plaza’s biggest anchors: Publix and CVS.
Florida Penguin Productions, the group behind the Corey Avenue Sunday Fresh Market and the returning St. Pete Beach Seafood Festival, is organizing the effort.
The market will feature local vendors, artists, musicians, food sellers and family-friendly programming aimed at turning Dolphin Village back into a gathering destination for both residents and tourists.
The push comes after a difficult stretch for the longtime shopping plaza on Gulf Boulevard.
In May 2025, a fire that began inside the CVS spread into Publix and neighboring storefronts, causing extensive damage throughout the center. Businesses there had only recently begun recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton before the fire delivered another major setback.
Since the loss of Publix and CVS, business owners in the plaza have reported steep declines in customer traffic, creating growing concerns about the long-term viability of some remaining storefronts.
CVS later confirmed it would not reopen at the site, while Publix has said it intends to return but has not provided a reopening timeline.
Against that backdrop, organizers say the Saturday Sunset Market is intended to create consistent activity while helping businesses survive the rebuilding process.
“The goal of the Saturday Sunset Market is simple – bring the community together while helping the remaining businesses at Dolphin Village regain the foot traffic and support they desperately need,” organizers with Florida Penguin Productions said in a prepared statement.
The market is expected to include local artisans, food vendors, live entertainment and sunset-focused community programming along the waterfront plaza. Organizers hope the recurring event becomes both a tourism draw and an economic boost for businesses navigating an uncertain rebuilding timeline.
Dolphin Village has long served as one of St. Pete Beach’s central commercial hubs, making its recovery especially visible within the beach community.
