NYC Hotspot Ketchy Shuby Lands Massive Three Story Venue in Downtown West Palm Beach

Key Points

• NYC hotspot Ketchy Shuby signed the largest food and beverage lease in Palm Beach County this year, taking over a 13,000 square foot historic building in downtown West Palm Beach.
• The three-story venue will include a ground-floor restaurant, a second-floor cocktail lounge and nightclub, and a rooftop bar with a targeted opening in fall 2026.
• The deal signals growing confidence in downtown West Palm Beach as experiential hospitality and nightlife continue to drive foot traffic, leasing demand, and asset values.

Why This Move Matters to CRE Investors

 

A cult NYC restaurant nightlife concept is headed to West Palm Beach, marking a major vote of confidence in the city’s downtown resurgence. Ketchy Shuby signed the largest food and beverage lease in Palm Beach County this year, taking over the historic 13,000 square foot former Banko Cantina building at 114 S Olive Avenue. Its three-level food, drink, and entertainment format, and New York energy signal growing momentum for experiential hospitality in South Florida.

About the Project and Location

Ketchy Shuby’s West Palm Beach debut will transform a landmark 1923 building into a multi-level culinary and nightlife destination that blends historic character with modern design. The ground floor will be a globally influenced New American restaurant, balancing classics with creative plant-based fare designed to work from day to night. The second floor will be a high-energy lounge and nightclub with curated music, immersive lighting, and a DJ-driven atmosphere, bringing downtown Manhattan-style nightlife to South Florida. The rooftop will offer open-air cocktails, social gatherings, and late-night energy under the Florida sky.

Scale and Significance for Downtown West Palm Beach

The 13,000 square foot build-out spanning three levels makes this the largest food and beverage lease in Palm Beach County this year, showing strong confidence in West Palm Beach’s downtown core. As investors track hospitality and mixed-use demand, this underscores how lifestyle-driven tenants and experiential operators are driving leasing velocity and redefining the city center as a destination for dining, nightlife, and cultural energy, attracting both locals and visitors alike.

Brand Background and Appeal

Founded in 2023 by hospitality veteran Jamie Mulholland, Ketchy Shuby quickly became a downtown Manhattan favorite with its tropical meets urban aesthetic, lush greenery, natural materials, and warm lighting that evolves from vibrant social restaurant by day to pulsing lounge by night. The brand currently operates its flagship SoHo location and a seasonal Southampton outpost called Ketchy Beach, giving it strong East Coast visibility and a built-in audience to support expansion into Florida.

Why Investors Should Care

For real estate investors, landlords, and brokers, this is more than just a restaurant opening. It is a high-profile experiential tenant signing into one of Palm Beach County’s most visible downtown corridors. Experiential hospitality uses, like multi-level food and nightlife destinations, drive foot traffic, increase nearby retail and residential demand, and support higher valuations for adjacent retail and mixed-use assets. Securing this type of tenant is a bullish signal for downtown West Palm Beach’s continued evolution as a vibrant 24-hour live-work-play destination capturing both local spending and tourism dollars.

NY Continues Flocking to South Florida

Ketchy Shuby’s entrance into West Palm Beach underscores how lifestyle-driven hospitality concepts are expanding into South Florida, fueling downtown activation and supporting broader commercial real estate value creation. For investors tracking hospitality-anchored redevelopment and core retail activation, this deal should be on your radar because it reflects growing confidence in experiential demand and the region’s ability to attract marquee operators with proven pedigrees.