Here’s a look at all the restaurants, stores that could be coming to the Milton/Pace area
In the months and years ahead, northern Santa Rosa County will have new restaurants and businesses. There’s so much development going on that it can be hard to keep up.
Below is a quick snapshot of possible developments, as well as what we know so far about each. Keep in mind that plans being submitted means the project still has steps to take to be granted approval.
Also, if we missed one, or you’re curious about a development not listed here, email us at editor@srpressgazette.com.
Jim ‘N Nicks
Planned location: 4625 Highway 90 in Pace, just beside Davenport Lane. La Hacienda, KFC and Chili’s are businesses in the vicinity of the planned location.
Where it stands: Santa Rosa County sent a site plan approval letter to the business on May 31.
What is Jim ‘N Nicks? Jim N’ Nicks only has two locations in Florida currently open – Niceville and Pensacola. The Pensacola restaurant opened in July. The company has 48 total locations, with the majority being in Georgia (18) and Alabama (17).
Jim ‘N Nicks started in 1985, inside an old pizza restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama. The restaurant’s menu includes pulled pork, ribs, chicken and more.
Timeline for opening: Jim ‘N Nicks has not announced a timeline for the restaurant’s opening.
McDonald’s & Starbucks
Planned location: A McDonald’s and Starbucks will open on Dogwood Drive, near the new Publix.
Where it stands: Two buildings – presumably the McDonald’s and the Starbucks being built – are under construction with a lot of progress being made.
Another McDonald’s? There are currently two McDonald’s in Pace, both on Highway 90 and two in Milton on Caroline Street and Highway 90. Starbucks has three locations in Pace.
Timeline for opening: It’s unclear, but construction on both buildings is well underway. Neither McDonald’s nor Starbucks had not provided a timeline as of press time.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Planned Location: The restaurant would be located on U.S. 90 in Pace, right at Watkins Street, very close to Target.
Where it stands: Plans were submitted in November 2023 for the Buffalo Wild Wings, but there has been little movement – at least in the form of documentation – since then.
Other locations? Buffalo Wild Wings has locations in Navarre and Pensacola.
Longhorn Steakhouse
Planned Location: The restaurant would be located on 4758 Highway 90 in Pace.
Where it stands: Plans were initially submitted in September 2023. In June, Longhorn Steakhouse requested a variance for signage, considering there would be no direct entrance from Highway 90.
Other Locations: There are no Longhorn Steakhouse locations currently in Santa Rosa County. The closest is in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Shores and Destin.
Timeline for opening: A Longhorn Steakhouse spokesperson said it does not have a comment on this location at this time.
Wawa
Planned location: Plans have been submitted for two potential Wawa locations, at 7212 U.S. Highway 90 and on the corner of Berryhill Road and King George Parkway.
Where it stands: Plans were submitted for the Wawa location on Berryhill Road in March.
Other locations: A Wawa spokesperson said the company has two stores under construction in Pensacola, and that Wawa plans to open up to 20 stores in the Panhandle in the next 10 years.
Timeline for opening: At this point, plans have only been submitted. Wawa could not confirm any details about either proposed Santa Rosa County location.
HTeaO
Planned location: HTeaO, an iced tea franchise, submitted plans in April to open a location at 5055 U.S. Highway 90 in Pace. The development’s plans show an auto parts store and another restaurant as part of the plans as well.
Other Locations: The closest HTeaO location is in Santa Rosa Beach. Most of the company’s locations are in Texas. Only four are in Florida.
Timeline: HTeaO officials have not been reached for comment. At this point, plans have only been submitted.
Quiktrip
Planned location: At the intersection of Avalon Boulevard and San Jose Street.
Other locations: There are currently no QuikTrip locations in the Sunshine State, but the one in Milton won’t technically be the first, as other planned Florida locations will be completed first.
Timeline: At this point, plans have only been submitted for the planned location. Quiktrip confirmed its interest in Milton via a statement from Corporate Communications Manager Aisha Jefferson: “QuikTrip is in the early planning stages of entering Milton, FL. We are currently in development on Avalon Boulevard and San Jose Street. Milton’s highly-traveled interstate and strong economy makes it ideal for our Travel Center Concept. We are excited and look forward to being good neighbors in the community.”
Chipotle
Planned locations: Near the new Jim ‘N Nicks and proposed Buffalo Wild Wings on Highway 90 in Pace. This development is near Target.
Other locations: There’s only one Chipotle in Santa Rosa County, but another one has been approved for Navarre, located at 8333 Mikajack Ave. The Navarre location will open this winter.
Timeline: At this point, plans have only been submitted for the Pace location. Chipotle could not confirm anything regarding the Pace location but said “we are exploring opportunities to bring our real food to the Pace community.”
Sky’s Pizza Pie
Planned location: Sky’s Pizza Pie will open at 4275 Woodbine Road in Pace in the old Beef O’ Brady’s building.
Other locations: Sky’s currently has a location on North Davis Highway in Pensacola.
Timeline: Sky’s said on its Facebook page that it’s Pace location will open in either late July or early August. No exact date has been announced.
Anytime Fitness
Planned Location: Anytime Fitness will open a location at 4551 Woodbine Road in Pace. Plans, which were approved in April, called for a 16,000 square foot multi-tenant building. The Anytime Fitness would be 12,000 square feet, and there would be two 2,000 square foot buildings attached.
Other locations: There’s an Anytime Fitness on Caroline Street in Milton, in Gulf Breeze and in Pensacola.
Timeline: Construction of the building has not started.
Tractor Supply
Planned location: Tractor Supply will open a location in Five Points at 5516 Woodbine Road in Pace. Significant progress has been made on the construction of the building.
Other Locations: Tractor Supply has locations on Caroline Street in Milton, in Navarre and in Pensacola.
Walmart
Planned locations: There are two Walmarts where plans have been submitted – one in Pace and one in Milton. The one in Pace will be located at 5774 West Spencer Field Road. The Milton location will be in the old Beall’s building at 6209 Highway 90.
Timeline: Walmart confirmed it had submitted plans for the Pace location in April.
“We’ve submitted plans for a new Neighborhood Market in the Pace community, scheduled for a late-2025 completion,” said Alicia Anger, director Global Communications at Walmart. “The store will include more than 55,000 square feet of shopping space, with a variety of grocery, fresh produce and home products to choose from. The plans also call for an adjoining liquor store and fuel station.”
No information has been released by Walmart on the Beall’s location. Milton City Manager in waiting Ed Spears noted the new neighborhood market during remarks on the Fiscal Year 25 budget and said after the meeting that they’ve met permit requirements from the city of Milton, and that they are now in the process of getting building permits from Santa Rosa County.
Spears said the plan is to demolish the old Beall’s building to construct the free-standing neighborhood market to allow for a drive-through for the pharmacy.
Costco
Planned locations: OK, this one isn’t in Santa Rosa County, but if this store opens, it figures to get a lot of traffic from Milton and Pace. Plans have been submitted for a Costco store at 181 East Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. The store would be 161,780 square feet, according to plans submitted by Thomas Engineering Group from Tampa, Florida. A gas station is also included. The Nine Mile location would be about 7 minutes from a shopping area that includes Target and Kohl’s.
Closest Locations: The closest Costco is currently in Mobile, Alabama. There are 33 Costco locations in Florida, with the closest to Santa Rosa County being in Tallahassee.
Timeline: This is still very early as plans are only submitted, and Costco does not comment on locations that are beyond 2-3 months from opening.
Happy Place Pub & Play
Planned location: Happy Place Pub & Play will be located at 5661 Quintette Road in Pace. Quintette Road is right off of Woodbine Road.
What is Happy Place Pub & Play? Happy Place Pub and Play says it combines a bar, restaurant, and arcade for family fun.
Timeline: The pub said via Facebook that it will officially open on Thursday, July 25 at 11 a.m.
CEFCO
Planned locations: A new Cefco is being built at the corner of West Spencer Field Road and U.S. Highway 90.
Timeline: Construction is well underway. No official opening date is known.