After four decades dressing Winter Park from the same Park Avenue corner, mother‑and‑daughter boutique Tuni says it has been given 30 days to pack up and vacate its longtime storefront so a national retailer can move in. The Blackwelder family, which owns the shop, announced the short notice over the weekend and said the building’s landlord is bringing in a national brand to take over the space. The owners stress this is not the end of Tuni, and say they are already hunting for a new Winter Park address.
Owners call the timeline daunting
“It’s daunting,” co‑owner Paige Blackwelder told reporters, noting that staff and ownership have very little time to find, sign and build out a new location. Blackwelder said Benderson Development bought the building about two years ago and recently told Tuni the lease would not be renewed because a national retailer is slated for the space. The store says it has not been told which brand that will be. The news, delivered in a Facebook video over the weekend, triggered an outpouring of support from longtime customers, according to the owners. As reported by WKMG ClickOrlando.
A 40-year Park Avenue fixture
Tuni first opened on Park Avenue in 1986 and has grown into a go‑to destination for designer women’s wear, personal styling and private shopping events. Local merchant listings place the boutique at 301 S. Park Ave., at the corner of Park and New England, where it has been part of the avenue’s retail mix for generations of shoppers. According to Tuni's website and the Park Avenue District directory.
Development, refresh and retail pressure
City leaders are in the middle of a multi‑phase Park Avenue Refresh that includes upgraded lighting, new sidewalks and underground utilities, a public works facelift officials say is meant to keep the street charming while preparing it for future demand. That effort, along with landlords repositioning prime spaces for higher profile tenants, has arrived alongside a wave of new openings on the avenue. Some merchants say the steady parade of fresh faces brings extra pressure for smaller independents that helped make the strip a draw to begin with. The Park Avenue Refresh project and recent leasing moves are detailed in city documents and local reporting. As outlined by the City of Winter Park and reported in coverage of a secretive steakhouse club.
What’s next for Tuni
The owners say Tuni is not closing for good and that they are actively searching for a new Winter Park location, although they had hoped for more than a 30‑day window to make such a big move. The Park Avenue District told News 6 it is committed to supporting the boutique and helping identify options for Tuni to remain in the district, while employees described the abrupt timeline as emotionally jarring. News 6 also reported that calls to Benderson Development seeking comment were routed to voicemail and that the company has not publicly confirmed a future tenant for the space. As reported by WKMG ClickOrlando.
