Chef Theirry Beaud, who co-owns the Pistache restaurant on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach, will open a new seafood restaurant at 251 Sunrise Avenue in Palm Beach, to be called PB Catch, according to Eater. The space, which was previously the Deco restaurant and lounge, will be helmed by chef Aaron Black, and is expected to open in mid-December. [Eater] [more]

Brooklyn-based Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has opened its second South Florida location, setting up shop on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach. The new spot follows the company’s first Palm Beach County foray in Palm Beach Gardens. The coal-fired pizzeria is located at 1 North Clematis Street Suite 110. Grimaldi’s also has a location in Fort Myers. [Eater] [more]

When Ann Taylor Loft left Palm Beach’s Clematis Street in January 2010, Principal of WGCompass Realty Jonathan Satter had trouble attracting a new tenant to the space. Sixteen months later the storefront is still empty and the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority has offered a helping hand.

The DDA is launching a contest Friday called The Great Shop Showdown in which applicants will be invited to submit a video proposal detailing their business concept. [more]

Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell and Clematis StreetTwo sites on West Palm Beach’s Clematis Street have been granted exemptions to the area’s five-story height limit by the city commission, clearing the way for two developments near the City Center complex. The sites are 500 Clematis, near the corner of Quadrille Boulevard, and 335 Clematis, near City Hall. The approval, which is final, was 3 to 1, with the nay vote coming from Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell, who warned that granting exemptions could open the floodgates for other developers looking to build big, citing Fort Lauderdale as an example. Indeed, the owner of 510 Clematis Street has already asked for an exemption, too, though he was denied. “We have a historic district for a reason,” Mitchell said. “Las Olas changed from something that was charming. Everyone got excited about bigger was better. But guess what? No offense to Fort Lauderdale, but no, it’s not bigger or better. All of the charm of old Fort Lauderdale is gone.” [Palm Beach Post] [more]

The block-by-block renaissance of West Palm Beach’s Clematis Street continues to progress as a pair of new tenants take up residence. Habatat Galleries, an art gallery specializing in contemporary glass, will move into 539 Clematis from Boca Raton after builder owner Jonathan Gladstone said he waited two years for the right tenant. Cabana, a pan-Latin restaurant, will also relocate to Gladstone’s 7,500-square-foot, two-level building from its current location one block east. An Italian restaurant will take its place at 118 Clematis. [Palm Beach Post] [more]

West Palm Beach is losing the tapas place Clematis Social, which will
close just six months after opening. But the space won’t stand empty in
West Palm Beach’s eateries lineup on Clematis Street. Reef Road &
Rum Bar will replace the Spanish food place this fall. It’s schedule to
open in September. [more]