A 405,000-square-foot, Target-anchored shopping district is opening in phases on Lake Nona's western edge—here's what's already open and what's coming.
Lake Nona West is a 405,000-square-foot open-air lifestyle center in southeast Orlando, developed by Tavistock Development Company on 54 acres along Lake Nona Boulevard just east of Boggy Creek Road. It is anchored by a roughly 150,000-square-foot Target scheduled to open July 26, 2026, joined by Nordstrom Rack (opening August 2026), Dick's Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Barnes & Noble, Total Wine & More, Homesense, and Sephora. The center opens in phases through late 2026 and into early 2027, with dining led by Cañonita, an elevated Mexican concept from Tavistock Restaurant Collection. Lake Nona West sits minutes from Orlando International Airport and the Brightline station near the Boggy Creek Road exit off State Road 417.
Here's something Lake Nona residents have wanted for the better part of two decades: a Target you can drive to in a few minutes. For years, the trade-off of life in this fast-growing corner of southeast Orlando was a gorgeous master-planned community with a walkable Town Center—but for a big-box run, you were headed to Waterford Lakes, The Loop, or the airport area. That changes with Lake Nona West.
Let's be real about the timing, though, because it matters if you're planning a trip. Lake Nona West isn't one grand-opening ribbon-cutting—it's rolling out in phases, and as of summer 2026 only a handful of stores have actually opened. So here's the honest lay of the land on what's open, what's coming, and why this is a genuinely big deal for the area.
What Exactly Is Lake Nona West?
Lake Nona West is a 405,000-square-foot open-air lifestyle center built by Tavistock Development Company, the same developer behind the rest of Lake Nona. It spans 54 acres along Lake Nona Boulevard, roughly a quarter mile east of Boggy Creek Road, near the Boggy Creek exit off State Road 417.
Unlike an enclosed mall, it's designed as a pedestrian-friendly district: shaded walkways, landscaped plazas, and national retailers mixed with dining and services. Tavistock leaned into its signature "placemaking," adding 30 large-scale murals by Miami studio Chalk & Brush and a 20-stall ultra-fast EV charging hub powered by Mercedes-Benz. It's reportedly the second-largest retail project built in Florida in the last five years—so "big deal" isn't hype here.
The Store Lineup: Who's Coming (and Who's Already Here)
The headliner is Target. At roughly 150,000 square feet, it's one of the chain's larger-format stores, complete with a full grocery section, a CVS Pharmacy, a Starbucks cafe, and Target Optical. It's now open at 6065 Lake Nona Boulevard.
The rest of the roster is a strong mix of retail and dining:
- Nordstrom Rack (~26,000 sq ft) — scheduled to open August 2026
- Dick's Sporting Goods & Golf Galaxy (66,562 sq ft combined) — late July 2026
- Barnes & Noble, Total Wine & More, and Homesense — already open (these were among the first tenants, from mid-May through June 2026)
- Sephora and JETSET Pilates — rolling out later in 2026
- Cañonita — an elevated Mexican restaurant from Tavistock Restaurant Collection, making its first appearance outside The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas
- Plus Just Salad, Kilwins, Drybar, and Gloss Nail Co.
The key takeaway: openings continue in waves through the fall and into early 2027, so the center you visit in September will look different from the one you visit at Thanksgiving. Pre-leasing has already topped 300,000 square feet, which tells you demand is real. For the full retail picture, our Lake Nona shopping guide pulls it together, and you can compare the original walkable core in our Lake Nona Town Center shopping guide.
A Little History: Why This Took So Long
Lake Nona turned 30 in 2026, and for most of that run its retail story centered on the Town Center—a boutique, chef-driven, walkable district by design, not a place for a big-box anchor. But as the population exploded (Lake Nona covers about 17 square miles), the gap for everyday national retail became impossible to ignore. Residents were, frankly, tired of driving for a Target run.
Tavistock locked in the Target lease back in June 2024—a deal significant enough that CoStar named it a national retail deal of the quarter and NAIOP Central Florida named the overall project its 2024 Retail Deal of the Year. Tenant announcements rolled out through 2025, construction ramped up, and the first stores opened in May 2026. Lake Nona West isn't a sudden arrival—it's the payoff of a multi-year bet on how much this area has grown.
Why Should Lake Nona Residents Care?
Beyond the obvious convenience, this development reshapes a few things worth knowing if you live here or are thinking about it:
It fills a real daily-life gap. Target, sporting goods, home goods, wine, and quick-service dining clustered minutes from the villages around Town Center—Laureate Park, Northlake Park, VillageWalk—is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade, not just a shiny amenity.
It's built for how the area moves. Tavistock added two roundabouts on Lake Nona Boulevard and connected the center to Lake Nona's Beep autonomous shuttle network. Still, be honest about traffic: locals already report Lake Nona Boulevard and Narcoossee Road getting busier, and grand-opening crowds will make it worse before it settles. For the road picture, see our guide to getting around Lake Nona.
It's minutes from what makes Lake Nona, Lake Nona. The center is a short hop from Lake Nona Medical City and its major employers, and only minutes from Orlando International Airport and the Brightline station.
The Honest Pros and Cons
The Pros:
- National retail and everyday essentials finally close to home—no more cross-town Target runs
- Walkable, shaded, open-air design with public art and fast EV charging
- A dining lineup that includes a genuine first-to-market concept in Cañonita
- Hundreds of new jobs and a boost to the local tax base
- Easy access from SR-417 and proximity to MCO and Brightline
The Cons:
- It's opening in phases—most tenants aren't open yet, so temper expectations through 2026
- More retail means more traffic on already-busy Lake Nona Boulevard and Narcoossee Road
- Open-air means you'll shop in Florida heat and afternoon rain (the canopies and shade help, but they don't eliminate it)
Our Take:
If you already live in Lake Nona, this is close to an unambiguous win—the convenience alone justifies the buzz. If you're relocating and weighing this area, Lake Nona West is a real point in its favor, but don't treat every store as open today; check current opening dates before you build a shopping trip around a specific tenant. For where to eat once you're there, our Lake Nona restaurants and dining guide is a good next stop.
What the Neighbors Know
Longtime residents will tell you Lake Nona West is less about the stores and more about what they signal: this part of Orlando has graduated from "up-and-coming" to "arrived." A 405,000-square-foot, nationally anchored lifestyle center doesn't get built where developers have doubts.
The savvy move right now is patience. Homesense, Barnes & Noble, and Total Wine are open; Target lands July 26; Nordstrom Rack follows in August; and the rest fills in through the fall. Bookmark it, watch for opening announcements, and know that by 2027 this will simply be part of the everyday fabric of living out here—the kind of convenience that quietly makes a good community even better. 🛍
For the current tenant lineup, opening schedule, and event updates, visit the official Lake Nona West website.
Thinking about calling southeast Orlando home? Browse the latest Lake Nona listings, or reach David Myers at 407.801.3286 or through our contact form for personalized advice about the neighborhoods closest to Lake Nona West.
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