Nine small businesses operating inside Clermont's Downtown Exchange have been told to leave by Sept. 30, changing the ground-floor mix at the historic 639 8th Street building. The landlord told WKMG that it used termination-of-convenience provisions in the tenants' agreements and plans to turn the space over to one new tenant.
The lease question
The notices gave the businesses 45 days to vacate, according to WKMG's reporting. Florida's statutory baseline for terminating a nonresidential tenancy without a fixed term is shorter: Section 83.03 of the Florida Statutes provides for 15 days' written notice for a month-to-month tenancy, unless the parties' agreement requires something else. The landlord said each affected tenant was notified under a contractual clause permitting termination on 30 days' notice and that no lease was ended in violation of its terms.
The affected operators include A Little Hello Co., Sparkle Creations, Yodi Brodi, The Healthy Nut Café, Pat's Soft Serve, On-The-Go Pickleball Shop, Sapore di Napoli and DiVilma, according to the businesses and local community posts cited in the report. Dawn Mancuso of A Little Hello Co. told WKMG that she had spent thousands of dollars building out her stationery booth and now must decide whether to relocate or operate online while recovering that investment.
One tenant replaces nine
The landlord said Divino Market LLC has signed a new lease and is not an expansion of an existing restaurant. It described Divino as a new concept expected to open later in 2026, with plans to employ local workers; specific property details have not yet been announced, according to WKMG. The landlord also said deposits will be returned promptly and that it will assist with relocation and timing where possible.
The public reporting does not establish whether the rent levels of downtown Clermont, the building's redevelopment potential or another business consideration was the decisive reason for the change. It does show a sharp shift in occupancy: independent vendors that shared the floor are being replaced by a single planned operation, leaving the businesses to find new space on a short timetable.
A downtown being reshaped
The move comes as Clermont considers larger changes in and around its historic core. The proposed Lumberyard District would add 392 apartments and approximately 53,000 to 55,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, office and entertainment space, according to the South Lake Tablet. That proposal is evidence of planned growth, not proof that it caused the Downtown Exchange lease terminations.
Parking is another unresolved pressure point. WKMG reported that some business owners and residents questioned how a potential downtown parking garage could affect traffic, storefront visibility and the area's character. As of that report, Clermont had not approved the garage's location, design or size.
Those projects and debates provide context for the Downtown Exchange turnover, but they do not resolve the immediate issue for the nine operators: their existing space is scheduled to end Sept. 30, and the next location, cost and timing of their businesses remain unsettled.
