Main Street Merchant Tries to Bring Appeal to Mid-Town

Marcia Devine wants to create an eclectic shopping oasis along one of Dunedin's most busy and vapid roads.

And she's bringing neighboring merchants with her.

Devine, the owner of Novel Blend, a new art, collectible and consignment shop, is trying to rally mid-town Main Street merchants in hopes of bringing downtown Dunedin flavor to the State Road 580 corridor.

She started by completely transforming the building at 1075 Main St.

What was once an outlaw Internet gambling cafe is now a quiet, clean respite on one of Dunedin's most heavily trafficked roadways, providing coffee to customers looking for unique items for their home or as gifts. 

She dreamed of the idea many years ago in her previous career, and didn't want to live her retirement wondering, "what if?"

"It was on my life bucket list," Devine said. 

She opened the business on Nov. 17, and has since embraced Dunedin Chamber of Commerce networking opportunities and established a mini-network of like-minded business owners, such as Star's Family Restaurant, Our Place Dunedin, and Atlantis Bistro, who face the same identity struggles on the State Road 580 corridor. 

Devine celebrates the grand opening of Tanya Pistillo's Wandering Star Gallery inside her building and she's invited several businesses to be a part of it, creating a full-day affair Saturday, March 9.

She hopes the event will spread awareness and a culture of sharing customer bases, not just for her business, but neighboring merchants also.

The daylong festivities include coffee, tea and wine tastings, snacks, belly dance demonstrations, bagpiping, children's activities and caricature drawings, all from local restaurants, wineries and artists.

Want to Go?

• Where: Novel Blend, 1075 Main St.
• When: from 8:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9 

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