Our story
A Village Worth Saving
Five historic bungalows. Five independent businesses. One irreplaceable corner of Sarasota, and the community campaign to keep it that way.
How it began
Old Florida Character in the Heart of Sarasota
Nestled along a tree-lined stretch near downtown Sarasota, a cluster of historic bungalows has quietly become one of the city's most beloved destinations. Built in the early 20th century, these charming structures embody the warmth and human scale of old Florida, a style of place that has largely vanished from the modern landscape.
Over the years, five independent businesses found their home here: a beloved breakfast house, a German biergarten and restaurant, an art studio & gallery, a tour company, and a cookie cottage. Each is independently owned. Each has built a loyal following. Together, they have created something rare: a walkable, community-centered village where locals and visitors alike return again and again.
Our Journey
The Bungalows Are Built
The historic bungalows are constructed, reflecting the vernacular Florida architecture of the era: modest, welcoming, and built to last.
A New Chapter Begins
Independent entrepreneurs discover the bungalows and begin establishing businesses, drawn by the character of the buildings and the promise of an authentic gathering place.
Five Businesses, One Community
The full roster of five businesses takes shape. Word spreads across Sarasota. The village earns a reputation as a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike.
Recognition & Growth
Press coverage in Sarasota Magazine, the Herald-Tribune, and regional travel guides brings wider attention. The village becomes a symbol of what makes Sarasota special.
The Threat Emerges
Rising land values and redevelopment pressure put the village's future in question. The business owners and community begin exploring what it would take to preserve it permanently.
The Community Responds
A grassroots preservation campaign launches. Sarasota rallies around the village, because some places are too important to lose.
The challenge
Why the Village Is at Risk
Sarasota's rapid growth has made the land beneath the bungalows extraordinarily valuable to developers. Without a path to community or owner-controlled stewardship, the village faces the same fate as countless other beloved local landmarks across Florida: demolition to make way for generic development that erases the character that drew people here in the first place.
The five business owners, some of whom have operated here for well over a decade, are not simply tenants. They are the village. But they cannot secure its future alone. This campaign exists to change that, by bringing together the Sarasota community to ensure these bungalows, these businesses, and this place endure.
5
Historic bungalows to preserve
5
Independent local businesses
200,000+
Annual visitors to the village
Our mission
Preserve the Past. Protect the Future.
The Sarasota Bungalow Village campaign exists to secure permanent community stewardship of these five historic bungalows and the businesses inside them, ensuring they remain a vibrant, accessible, and authentically Sarasota destination for generations to come.
Preserve the Architecture
These early 20th-century bungalows represent a vanishing style of Florida vernacular architecture. Saving them means saving a piece of Sarasota's visual and cultural identity.
Protect the Businesses
Five independently owned businesses, their employees, and thousands of loyal customers depend on the village's continued existence. Preservation means their futures are secure.
Strengthen the Community
The village is a rare, walkable, human-scale gathering place for all of Sarasota. It cannot be replicated once it's gone, and it doesn't have to be lost.
Be part of the story.
Help write the next chapter.
Every donation, large or small, moves us closer to securing the village's future permanently.