Historic Downtown Sanford will soon have a fabulous new venue to grab an elevated cocktail and delicious bite as the successful Baldwin Park staple The Wildflower opens its 2nd location on Wednesday May 10th in the old Smiling Bison space. Located at 101 S. Magnolia Ave. in Magnolia Square next to Hollerbach’s German Restaurant, this highly anticipated gastrobar is finishing its buildout, staffing, and training and very shortly will provide yet another amazing option to Sanford’s burgeoning culinary scene.
Co-owner Ricky Galicia and his family have been in the restaurant business for decades. Growing up in St. Augustine, Ricky shares that his family operated a restaurant outside of the Castillo de San Marcos, where as a child and younger man, he learned the restaurant business. After a stint running the cocktail program for Norwegian Cruise Lines, consulting with a prominent sushi pop-up and with Wolfgang Puck on his Disney Springs location, Galicia and his family have been involved with the opening and operation of several establishments, including The Nest in Baldwin Park, Odd Birds cocktail bar in St. Augustine and The Wildflower in Baldwin Park.
For his latest endeavor, Galicia is partnering with his sister Fabiola Galicia and brother-in-law Manuel Martinez on this 2nd second location for The Wildflower in Sanford. “Our Baldwin Park location is mainly a cocktail bar with some bites,” said Galicia, “but the Sanford location has a full kitchen so things will be run a little differently.” Patrons should still expect to find that cocktails will be the main event and focus, but Galicia explains that the food and menu will still be part of the show. “We will focus on putting our best foot forward and focus on quality,” says Galicia. “It will be a welcoming vibe for everyone, not clubby or overly noisy. A place to sit and have a conversation. Drinks will be “classics” but the house cocktails will be creative and we have put thought into each one of them.” Expect the menu to have both hot plates and cold plates, tapas and 4-5 main entrees that will be ‘simple but delicious’ with a kitchen that stays open until 10:00 alongside the late-night cocktail bar.
When asked what attracted him to Historic Downtown Sanford, Galicia was quick to mention he has been eyeing our destination for over a while now. “I came for a drink one night at Bitters and Brass and ended up at The West End Trading Co down the street. It was a Monday and it was packed. The energy was great. So I came back on different nights, scoped out the scene and saw all the growth and decided this is where my next spot would be. Sanford has a little bit of everything and I dig the culture and events.” He added “Our concept here will be sophisticated but not intimidating at all. I am most excited for this project as any project I have worked on. It checks all the boxes – location, space, menu, community and more.”
Excitement among the residents and within the City of Sanford is building. Sanford Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Pamela Lynch states, “Soon to sprout in Historic Downtown Sanford, The Wildflower will blossom shortly and we can’t wait! Magnolia Square is the perfect location for this contemporary, art-deco establishment and brings to life, a building that has sat vacant for many years.”
Lynch mentions the building, located conveniently at Magnolia Square in the heart of Historic Downtown Sanford, was originally built in 1910. The two-story building originally served the Sanford Herald, our local newspaper that has operated since 1908. Over the years, the rusticated concrete block building with the appearance of a small sixteenth century Florentine palazzo has been home to various organizations, businesses, and restaurants but most notably the popular Smiling Bison and since 1976 has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A new chapter for this historic Sanford venue begins!
The Wildflower Provisions & Cocktails
101 S. Magnolia Ave.
Sanford, FL 32771
407-878-5529
Open for Lunch, Dinner & Late-Night
Tues-Thu: 11am-12am
Fri-Sat: 11am-2am
Sun: 11am-9pm
