Pictured: Jeff and Robin Snell's newly opened Cariloha store in St. Armands Circle offers premium bamboo goods, such as sheets, mattresses and clothing.

Six months ago, Naples residents and owners of Cariloha Naples at Mercato Jeff and Robin Snell decided to expand their Cariloha store collection to Sarasota by opening a new location at St. Armands Circle. The new store will carry the same high-quality, unique and sought-after bamboo products offered at the other numerous Cariloha locations across the country and in many popular cruise ports.

Jeff, originally from Minnesota, and Robin, who is from North Dakota, initially met and got married while in college, but later divorced and moved on separately, advancing in their respective careers, Jeff working as an airline pilot and Robin in the financial aid office at the University of North Dakota. Thirty years later, the pair found each other again and have now been happily married for the past six years.

The Snells discovered Cariloha products while on vacation and knew it was a business opportunity they wanted to bring back to Southwest Florida. “I can’t fly anymore because of back issues, so we went on a cruise to the Caribbean and that’s where we initially saw these products,” Jeff says. “Afterwards, we opened a store in Naples and now, with the Sarasota location, we have the top two stores in the country.”

The Snell’s Naples store is currently the top-selling and most successful Cariloha store in the country. However, Jeff says that the couple’s new location in St. Armands Circle is currently on track to surpass the Naples location by the end of the year. “It all depends on what happens in the fall, but both stores are doing fantastic.”

For Cariloha and bamboo goods amateurs, the store’s bamboo sheets and mattresses are a must-try and the overall best-selling products. “Our sheets are 100% bamboo sheets. They are as good as it gets,” Jeff says. “And the mattresses also sell very well. They’re bamboo mattresses, so they keep you cool and there are no chemicals in them. They’re 100% pure and certified chemical free.”

Along with the sheets and mattresses, the store also offers bamboo blankets, towels and clothing. A line of baby bibs, blankets and rompers is also available. The bamboo fabric is known for being incredibly soft and comfortable while also being breathable, making it perfect for infants and adults alike.

The Snells are now the only private Cariloha franchise owners in Florida. The husband and wife duo purchased the new St. Armands Circle location from its previous owner after he retired. “Now, we actually have products in the store. Prior, the previous owner was basically just having people drop ship items from the company,” Jeff says. “We still offer that, but we also sell everything that the company offers inside the store, with the exception of the mattresses.”

Cariloha Sarasota, 349 St Armands Cir, Sarasota, (941) 388-0412, 10am-9pm Monday through Saturday, 11am-6pm Sundays.

Pictured: Jeff and Robin Snell's newly opened Cariloha store in St. Armands Circle offers premium bamboo goods, such as sheets, mattresses and clothing.

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