November 26, 2024
Las Olas Boulevard isn’t just a street; it’s a vibrant hub where dining, shopping, and culture thrive. From world-class restaurants to boutique shops, this iconic destination creates experiences that cater to every taste and style.
“We have well-known merchants, high-end chef experiences, and new residential buildings that create that live, work, and play environment. The new growth brings a younger, more vibrant, and professional patron to the Boulevard,” says Jodi Jeffreys-Tanner, founder and owner of Las Olas Capital Arts and Vice President of the Las Olas Association.
Keep reading to discover how Las Olas Boulevard continues to evolve, blending its historic charm with fresh energy and exciting new retail opportunities.
Fort Lauderdale’s Most Iconic Street: Las Olas Boulevard
The Urban Land Institute named Fort Lauderdale as a top 18-hour city for the fourth year in a row, alongside destinations like Charlotte, Denver, and San Diego. These cities are magnets for population growth due to their livability and have a strong concentration of residents, employees, and visitors in an active, growing downtown.
Las Olas Boulevard is a perfect example of why Fort Lauderdale continues to receive this recognition. While many popular downtown retail streets nationally have struggled to adapt to the post-pandemic environment, Las Olas is thriving due to DowntownFTL’s emergence as one of the most in-demand places to live in the country.
Newer offerings along the Boulevard like Moxies, Flemings, PLANTA, and Fogo de Chao will soon be complemented with another slate of concepts new to Fort Lauderdale, including Earl's Kitchen + Bar and Sixty Vines. Charlie Ladd, DDA Chair, notes that these new restaurants will complement the energy and feel that national brands like Britto, Lilly Pulitzer, Lululemon, Warby Parker, YETI, and Tommy Bahama have brought to Las Olas. With The Whitfield, downtown’s first five-star boutique hotel on the way, these expectations will continue to grow.
“As the downtown residential population has exploded with a young, highly-educated, higher-income demographic, the expectations of the clientele on Las Olas have grown more sophisticated," said Charlie Ladd of Barron Commercial Development.
Las Olas By The Numbers
Interest in spending time on Las Olas continues to rise with DowntownFTL seeing a 53% increase in tourists visiting since 2021 over the last 3 years. The Boulevard is on track to exceed 2023’s visitation level of 4.8 million guests, demonstrating that interest in Las Olas continues to remain strong. Total foot traffic has increased by 28% since 2017, demonstrating the Boulevard’s growing appeal.
With this transformation underway, Jeff Evans from Comras Company reports that he receives calls almost daily from restaurateurs hopeful of an opportunity along Las Olas Boulevard. Even with all this momentum, Las Olas remains one of the more affordable urban retail destinations for operators looking to tap into South Florida’s growing population centers.
One example is a new concept, Worthwyld, set to open in 2025 in the former Royal Pig Pub site by David Coba, the founder of European Wax Center.
What does it all mean? As Las Olas continues to introduce more options to serve Fort Lauderdale’s growing population and visitor base, it’s time to make major investments to enhance the walkability of Broward’s most iconic street.