PHOTO VIA THREE BIRDS CAFE FACEBOOK PAGE
At least nine commercial buildings in downtown Winter Garden have sold for millions of dollars in the past year, forcing some longtime businesses to close after their leases were not renewed, or they couldn’t afford the raised rent.
Three Birds Cafe (Website), a popular women-owned cafe that has operated at 2 W Plant Street [GMap], a gateway property to historic downtown Winter Garden, for seven years, will close on February 26, after owner Ashley Morton received a letter from her new landlord saying her lease would not be renewed. The building was sold on December 31 for a reported $2.2 million.
Down the street, home decor shop, Driftwood Market (Website), announced on social media that its lease was also not renewed the same day that Three Birds shared its news.
Six of those aforementioned nine buildings were sold to entities tied to James Larweth, founder of Anton RX and Anton Health (Website), a pharmaceutical rebate management company based in Winter Garden. The sale prices ranged from $1.8 million for a building at 20 S. Main Street [GMap] to $10.3 million for the historic Edgewater Hotel.
The Edgewater Hotel was sold in August to Legacy Edgewater LLC, which has connections to Larweth. The 28,855 SF property at 99 W. Plant Street [GMap], built in 1926, had been appraised by the county at $2.57 million in 2024. At least three other buildings on Plant Street and Boyd Street were sold in October, November, and December. The Boyd Street location is home to an Anton RX office.
Larweth has not publicly shared details about his plans for any of the properties, though we’ve reached out for comment.
Winter Garden Economic Development Director Marc O. Hutchinson shared a statement with Patricia Tolley of Orlando Business Journal, saying the city is aware of the recent purchases and their impact on local businesses. Read her full report for some excellent interviews with downtown business owners.
“We know that these businesses are valued parts of our downtown brand, and we recognize the deep concerns expressed by residents, fellow business owners, and patrons,” the statement read. “Property ownership and lease agreements are private, contractual matters between property owners and tenants. The City does not have the legal authority to intervene in or control these private real estate transactions or lease decisions, provided they comply with applicable laws and codes.”
