Historic St. Armands Circle Enchants Florida Resort Guests
St. Armands Circle, just minutes from Longboat Key Club & Resort, is a favorite of our Florida resort guests. Distinctive in concept, history and beauty, St. Armands provides an unforgettable experience for Florida resort guests from all over the world.
St. Armands is an enchanting circle of boutiques, shops and gourmet restaurants set amidst lush tropical landscaping, courtyards and patios, antique statuary and contemporary architectural design, all of which creates an atmosphere of warmth, elegance and style. Florida resort guests can relax in the restaurants, explore the shops - from trinkets to treasures, gourmet snacks to candlelight feasts - or just sit in the sun.
Today, more than 100 stores on St. Armands Circle pamper Florida resort guests from all over the U.S. and many foreign countries, but in the early 1900s, the area was just a mangrove island too far from the small fishing village of Sarasota to attract much attention.
The key was first bought in 1893 by a French fisherman - Charles St. Amand - for $21.71. His name was misspelled “St. Armand” on the deed. Visionary circus magnate, John Ringling, purchased the St. Armands Key property in 1917 and planned a development that included residential lots and a shopping center in the form of a circle. Unfortunately, the depression got in the way and it took until the 1950s for St. Armands to begin to draw real business - and Florida resort guests.
John Ringling’s influence is still evident today in the planning and design of streets radiating from the circle at the island’s hub and the Italian statuary from his personal collection strategically placed around the key. This shopping circle that attracts Florida resort guests looks very much as Ringling originally envisioned it, with the palm lined medians, park-like setting, and tropical landscaping.
St. Armands Circle is an experience all Florida resort guests will want to include in their Florida beach vacation. From the exclusive shops to the cozy European-style cafŽs. It’s part of what makes your stay at Longboat Key Club & Resort all yours.