FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TALKS PODCASTS

FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT RELEASES TWO NEW EPISODES OF MOVERS & SHAPERS PODCAST SERIES

The Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District (BID) has released two new episodes of its podcast series “Movers & Shapers,” featuring Bob Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of Gibbs Planning Group, and Kristen Coury, Founder, Producing Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Gulfshore Playhouse.

Gibbs is an urban retail legend who has helped develop more than 1,000 town centers and historic districts worldwide. If architect Andrés Duany is considered the Father and visionary of Fifth Avenue South, then Gibbs is its kindly Uncle who worked alongside Duany in its initial planning and has continued to shepherd it through expanded growth. In Episode 3, Gibbs speaks about the Avenue’s attributes, including walkability, accessibility, natural beauty and urban retail, in meeting the needs of the community. He also discusses the Avenue’s historic beginnings, case study development and its future.

In Episode 4, Coury discusses the Gulfshore Playhouse. Founded in 2004, the Gulfshore Playhouse has grown from a fledgling artistic startup to a world-class production company with Coury’s visionary plans to build a state-of-the-art, 45,000-square-foot home for the theater, as her priority. The new Gulfshore Playhouse is expected to break ground in October with completion scheduled for late fall 2023. Coury discusses how the organization has raised $55 million of the $60 million needed to make this dream a reality and what this undertaking means in terms of Naples’ culture and economic impact.

Launched in April, “Movers & Shapers” welcomes the community’s most influential business owners, restauranteurs, politicians, city officials, entrepreneurs and others speaking on topics of interest in the downtown Naples area. The podcast also is an opportunity for local residents and visitors to find out what is happening on Fifth Avenue.

The podcast is hosted by Fifth Avenue South BID Executive Director Bruce Barone, Jr. and is posted on the Fifth Avenue South website (www.FifthAveueSouth.com). It also is available through other social media platforms, including iTunes, Spotify and Pandora.

Featuring more than 220 businesses, including high-end shops, world-class dining, unique boutiques and galleries, and exciting entertainment options, Fifth Avenue South is the vibrant heart of Naples. For further information, visit www.FifthAvenueSouth.com.