BRADENTON BEACH – The new Leah Chavie Skincare boutique at 115 Third St. S. hopes to soon serve beer and wine to its patrons.
On Thursday, Sept. 17, the city commission authorized Building Official Steve Gilbert and City Planner Luis Serna to draft a special use permit order to be signed by Mayor John Chappie and Planning and Zoning Board Chair Ken McDonough as part of the applicants’ alcohol service approval process.
Illinois residents Leah Chavie and Lance Houia recently relocated to Bradenton Beach and opened what is now their second skincare boutique, joining their first one in Chicago that opened 10 years ago.
Their new boutique operates in former office space now leased from the adjacent Old Bridge Village condominiums.
When presenting the special use permit request, Gilbert said, “They just want to add beer and wine as a service to their clients when they come in for a relaxing day at the spa.”
Gilbert said the boutique property is located in a C-1 zone district and the city’s land development code requires a special use permit for beer and wine sales in that zoning district – in addition to a state-issued alcohol license.
Gilbert said the special use permit process typically includes a $2,500 application fee and public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Board and the city commission. But there is a provision in city code that allows city staff to request authorization to work with the mayor and planning board chair to expedite the process and reduce the application fee.
“In this particular case, the business in its location meets all the requirements of the land development code. The beer and wine license is tied to an internal business process,” Gilbert said.
Providing public comment as an Old Bridge Village resident, Planning and Zoning Board member David Bell asked if the special use permit would run with the land or expire if the current tenants vacate the building.
The commission stipulated the special use permit will expire if the current tenants leave.
“Can they become a package store? Can they become a bar?” Bell also asked.
“Bars are prohibited in a C-1 zone district and a special use permit won’t get you there,” Gilbert said.
Mayor John Chappie noted the special use permit is for beer and wine only.
Commissioner Marilyn Maro, a longtime beautician and cosmetologist, asked if the state of Florida allows alcohol service in an establishment that holds a state-issued cosmetology license.
City Attorney Ricinda Perry said she’s been offered wine at several salons in Florida, but she suggested a stipulation that notes the special use permit approval shall not conflict with any other state or local licensing requirements.
During a visit to the boutique on Thursday, Chavie and Houia discussed their new business venture.
“We just moved down here from Chicago. We came here for Valentine’s Day and loved it. When the quarantine was going to happen, we packed up our dogs, drove 19 hours and stayed at the Anna Maria Inn for two months,” Chavie said.
“We have our own skincare line, makeup and other products. Now we’ll have beer and wine. We’re going to try to do charcuterie boards, hummus platters and light bites. We may do some meditation classes and Lance does motivational speaking,” she said.
Houia is the CEO of TruSlf and plans to soon launch the TruSlf social media platform he says will serve as a more positive alternative to Facebook. He’s already created the Anna Maria Island Businesses Facebook group that now lists 131 members.
“We are over the moon about being here and looking forward to seeing where we go,” he said.
Chavie said the couple intends to travel back and forth between Bradenton Beach and Chicago to conduct their business operations.
