The once-sleepy railroad town of High Springs has seen tremendous growth in recent years that has sparked a bright new era, flourishing with development. Cars are filling the once-empty downtown streets, and neighborhood developments are spreading into the countryside to house the thousands of new residents that move to High Springs each year. Historic buildings that used to sit vacant are being renovated, inviting new businesses into the charming and unique space.
More and more, High Springs is becoming a promising place to start a business. Entrepreneurs and investors are capitalizing on the growing number of visitors and residents, and there are more businesses in High Springs now than ever before. The Great Outdoors Restaurant is a major anchor to the downtown district. With live music on weekends and a stylish, rustic atmosphere, the restaurant attracts people both locally and from out of town.
High Springs Brewing Company is yet another draw for out-of-towners to come enjoy the downtown district. Additionally, these successful businesses draw crowds into High Springs, helping other businesses in the city’s growing entertainment industry thrive. The City of High Springs is expanding its entertainment district to provide visitors and residents with more fun things to do and places to go while preserving the historic integrity that gives the town its charm. Historical value is maintained, in part, by renovating old buildings rather than tearing them down, reinvesting into existing businesses and encouraging small businesses rather than commercial and chain ones to start here.
An exciting new business for High Springs is the Pink Flamingo Diner. A kind of entertainment emporium, the diner offers many things for people of all ages to do, including live music on the patio Friday through Sunday, a soft-serve ice cream station, a full outdoor bar, a gourmet coffee bar and an 18-hole miniature golf course –– the first one ever in High Springs. The Pink Flamingo was formally known as Floyd’s Diner, a favorite among residents and visitors alike since its opening in 2001. Many still remember it as that little place by the springs with the flamingo sign, off U.S. Highway 441.
The current owners, including primary owner Baram Kim, purchased the diner in June 2020, transforming the space with all-new features including the mini-golf course. General Manager Mike Smith was a manager there when it was Floyd’s. He, along with ownership, wanted to preserve the iconic pink flamingo and keep the diner true to its past, while bringing a fresh, contemporary feel. The space is updated with colorful, funky murals, neon signs original to Floyd’s and eclectic retro décor. Since its grand opening Feb. 19, the Pink Flamingo Diner has been a huge hit.
“When you walk in, the atmosphere just automatically screams, ‘Fun.’ It’s just vibrant, we have music playing from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s playing all the time. We just want everyone to come in, be happy and leave even happier,” Smith said.
Kim and his partners own the Great Outdoors and several other businesses in town and are planning to start even more, including a pizzeria, a wine and cheese bar and a retro ’50s style hotel in what used to be an old motel.Other business owners and investors have brought their dreams to life in High Springs and have contributed to its thriving entertainment industry. One of these is Kelly Barber, a financial advisor and fifth-generation resident of the area who strongly believes High Springs is a great place to invest. Barber and his wife own several historic buildings downtown, which they renovate and lease out to small businesses at affordable rates.
This not only preserves the integrity of the downtown district but bridges the gap between business owners and visible real estate. In turn, several businesses have opened in recent years in the Barbers’ buildings, including 1st and Main Hair Studio, Spins: Sweet and Savory restaurant, Madson Boutique and others. The Barbers also purchased an old bank building downtown, which has a detached building on the property he is converting into a drive-through restaurant. It will become the second location for Chomper’s Diner, which has one location in Fanning Springs. All of these High Springs businesses have seen great success, according to Barber, a promising sign that new restaurants and shops can conquer those infamously tough first few years in business.
High Springs is known as the Gateway to the Springs for its proximity to several springs in the area, including Ginnie Springs, Poe Springs, Blue Spring and the Santa Fe River. These natural attractions lure scuba divers and visitors from around the world, and the city’s multiple businesses geared toward these visitors have seen remarkable success.Among these are diving equipment manufacturer Halcyon Dive Systems and dive shop Extreme Exposure, which share the same owners and have been doing business in High Springs for more than 20 years.
Co-owner Robert Carmichael and fellow co-owner and extreme cave diver, Jarrod Jablonski, founded Halcyon and, later on, Extreme Exposure. The pair started to make their own gear after realizing a need for quality dive equipment that could stand up to the rigors of swimming miles and miles through complex underground cave systems. They soon discovered that other divers also sought better, more durable equipment, and so the manufacturing company was born. Now, Halcyon has expanded to offer buoyancy control systems, lights, regulators, masks and more for worldwide customers. Halcyon is one of the only dive equipment manufacturers in the United States, as most equipment is made in Asia and Eastern Europe, where it is much cheaper to produce.
“That’s why the elite divers, many of them around the world, will find us, because not only do we make great gear, but we stand behind it for a very long time,” said COO Mark Messersmith, who pointed out that Halcyon offers lifetime warranties on its products.
Extreme Exposure sells Halcyon equipment, trains divers and provides equipment rentals, service and repairs. It is also an instructor development center for the High Springs-based Global Underwater Explorers, a nonprofit that supports divers and dive instructors around the world and leads conservation efforts. Extreme Exposure Manager Kyle Harmon and Messersmith both noted High Springs’ supportive community and business-friendly atmosphere.
“We get along very well with businesses in the community, and if you’re talking dive shops specifically, there’s actually another one here in High Springs called Cave Country Dive Shop just with us down the road. We get along great,” Harmon said. “If (a customer) needs something that we don’t have, and they have it, we’ll send them down there, and they send people here.”
Messersmith said city leaders were helpful in facilitating Halcyon’s solar panel installation and converting the facility’s electricity source almost completely over to solar.
“The community is fantastic. They’re very supportive,” Messersmith said. “Anytime we need to do something that involves government officials, they’re always quite accommodating.”
Halcyon and Extreme Exposure have become one of High Springs’ biggest success stories, an authority on the area’s springs and true partners of the community at large. Neither Jablonski nor Carmichael are from Alachua County. They set an example that even entrepreneurs who are not local, who may lack the numerous connections that High Springs’ many-generational residents have, can find prosperity in their endeavors.
This is also true for Mary Claire Connelly, who moved to High Springs from Philadelphia with her husband and seven children roughly 13 years ago. Recently, her sister Terri Gianos, decided to move there, as well, so they could start a restaurant together. The two sisters spent nearly nine months renovating an old pizzeria at the busy intersection at First and Main streets. They opened The Steakout Restaurant serving Philly cheesesteaks, pizza, stromboli and salads in January 2021. Despite not advertising their mid-week opening, a steady stream of customers came through the door on their first day of business. Connelly announced on Facebook Wednesday night that the restaurant was open, and with so many customers following the post, they sold out of cheesesteaks by Thursday night.
The family business has not slowed down since. Without spending a dime on advertising, The Steakout is overwhelmingly busy most days. The sisters envisioned running a quaint takeout shop with only family members running it, but they have already hired two employees and are still growing. They attribute their success to the numerous visitors in town and a strong base of regulars, plus their emphasis on providing quality food and service.
“I’m not counting how many cheesesteaks we’re doing, and I’m not patting myself on the back because we did X boxes of meat. I’m looking at each and every product that goes out and wanting people to be happy. I think that’s where a good part of our success is coming from,” Gianos said.
These many new businesses are all part of a bigger picture. High Springs is no longer just a sleepy town where residents need to drive to Gainesville or Alachua for their everyday entertainment and needs. People can stay right in High Springs for both necessities and leisure. Leadership at the City of High Springs, as well as investors like Barber, are working to expand upon this new way of life.
“This is a great place, and I really think it’s a great place to invest because it is kind of a bedroom community,” Barber said. “My vision is that no one should have to go to Gainesville for just everyday life. If you’re going out for something to eat, there should be plenty of opportunities here. If you’re going to go shopping, hopefully there are places in High Springs you can shop.”