Zombie survival experience and indoor trampoline park among new tenants and enhancements at Artegon Marketplace

Artegon Marketplace updates Orlando

Artegon Marketplace on International Drive has unveiled enhancements, new tenants and expansion plans for the year-old marketplace.

The new developments represent a multi-million dollar investment by the property’s owner, New York-based Lightstone, and will generate a forecasted 400 new jobs by the end of 2016.

The reveal features a significant transformation to the center’s most distinguishing feature: its collection of over 165 artisans selling hand-crafted items. Instead of being housed in cages, Florida’s largest daily indoor artisan marketplace now boasts fully built-out custom storefronts themed to reflect each merchant’s goods.
Examples include:
• A stone brick façade adorned with hand-made doilies, tea cups, door knobs and other European shabby chic items welcomes guests to enter Via Francesca, selling hand-crafted gifts and accessories, including painted glassware, hand-stamped flatware and jewelry.
• SOS Art Gallery’s exterior (pictured above) is crafted from hundreds of variant colored wooden planks – echoing the eclectic and wide variety of hand-made cards, artwork, and other gift items showcased within.
• Elemental Bonsai & Tea Garden’s rice paper doors create the feel of a journey to Japan.
• The storefront of Bowes Signature Soy Candles, selling hand-poured candles and related items, is reminiscent of a turn-of-the-century New England shop with gas lamps flanking the entryway.

Slated to join the artisan marketplace’s existing line-up of anchor tenants and in-line stores are Sky Zone indoor trampoline park, occupying 24,000 square feet (opening soon); the area’s first NYZ Apocalypse, a unique interactive zombie survival experience within a 45,000-square-foot space (early 2016, see video below); and Pita and Spice Co. restaurant (early 2016).

The shop-local options at Artegon Marketplace will grow substantially by the end of 2016 with the opening of Eat Street, a 25,000-square-foot food hall, inspired by such culinary bazaars as Seattle’s Pike Place and Boston’s Faneuil Hall. Guests can select from a wide array of fresh delectables, all from local vendors – many sourcing farm-to-table ingredients. A farmer’s market, held on select days, and cooking classes will complement the hall.

“Since its opening one year ago, Artegon Marketplace’s bold new retail experiment – unlike any other in the U.S. – continues to evolve,” said Lightstone Chief Creative Officer David Miskin. “We have acquired what was once an underperforming mall and transformed it into a thriving, eclectic retail destination that defies the norm.”

Additional enhancements and developments include:
• Cinemark’s newly renovated, luxury-styled theaters (scheduled for completion in December)
• ARTegon Co-op, an ever-evolving gallery featuring well-known national and local pop artists, including area favorites SKIP, Chris “Tobar” Rodriguez and Boy Kong
• New plush common area furniture and fresh, modern tables and seating in a variety of configurations – long community tables, high tops and more
• A bicycle-powered mobile device recharging station
• Eclectic, artistic and interactive elements and visual accents, such as From Artegon With Love, a postcard mailing station (fill out a card and the center will mail it for free) and a community chalkboard for creative expression by guests
• Remodeled bathrooms
• Guest Ambassadors – many students from UCF’s Rosen School of Hospitality Management – who are focused on providing exemplary customer service

For operating hours, directions and more information, visit Artegon.com. See our segment about the new additions on the Nov. 5, 2015 episode of Orlando Attractions Magazine: The Show.

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