Hack suggested Borders' recent financial problems may be responsible for the apparent indecision about a New Tampa store. After Borders' fourth-quarter earnings fell 10 percent short of Wall Street analysts' expectations, the company announced it will sell its underperforming All Wound Up toy store unit. Things not far behind, said Hack. Bennigan's on the southeast corner of the site is slated to open within 150 days of the June start of the restaurant's construction, Hack said. A Kinko's copy center being built at the northeast corner is scheduled to open next year.
Bread is under construction at the front of the site.
New Tampa residents have long said a bookstore would be warmly received, far preferable to duplicating existing retail shops, more chain restaurants and fast-food outlets.