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If you’re looking to travel somewhere warm to shake off these winter blues, here are five reasons for visiting Florida’s gorgeous Emerald Coast (the Florida Panhandle):
1. White-sand beaches everywhere
2. Para-sailing
3. Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise or Dolphin Encounters
4. Shipwreck Island Water Park
5. Pier Park Shopping, where the new Cariloha store is located!
With more than 1.5 million businesses in the state of Florida, Cariloha is the only one that offers an entire store experience that revolves completely around bamboo-based products. Cariloha’s hats, shirts, polos, dresses, shorts, skirts, socks, bed sheets, bath towels, jewelry and more are all made from unique bamboo blends.
The new 840-square-foot store is independently owned by owner-operators, Randy Williams and Cindy Rush, who moved to Florida from Michigan years ago in search of beautiful beaches and warmer weather. Cariloha is located in Pier Park, which is surrounded by numerous resorts, hotels and popular restaurants; e.g., Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, etc.
The Cariloha retail establishment doesn’t claim to be the ‘greenest’ store on the planet, but, rather a step in the right direction. “The store will bring something unique and enjoyable to the area,” said Randy Williams, store owner. “During the tourist season, we’re confident that the Cariloha store will not only generate business for the store itself, but also for stores in the surrounding areas. Several neighboring states’ customers are within a short drive of our store, which will have a positive effect on sales.”
The name, Cariloha, derives from the blending of Caribbean style with Hawaiian aloha spirit. This is embodied by the store’s exclusive collection of bamboo products and island-inspired wares, which are sure to attract visitors looking to capture their Florida vacation memories. Cariloha Panama City Beach staffers encourage visitors to touch and feel the bamboo-soft difference of the apparel, bedding and towels for themselves.
“In addition to the tourists, the local residents and customers have already shown excitement for the new Cariloha store, which is very reassuring as a business owner,” said Williams. “Having an earth-friendly bamboo store in an area that’s known for amazing beaches and water activities, including being one of the top 10 nicest beach locations in the country, made a lot of sense to us.”