A fashion entrepreneur who built a successful brand by blending coastal-inspired style with modern sophistication is doubling her retail footprint with a new upscale storefront at Water Street Tampa.
The downtown district’s developer, Strategic Property Partners (SPP), announced Oct. 27 that three new businesses will add to the neighborhood’s growing collection of retail, wellness and lifestyle offerings. Those include Sirena City Haus Boutique, beauty and wellness concept Ayu Bottega and fitness studio [solidcore].
Sydney Boright, owner of Sirena City Haus, called the expansion a natural evolution for the brand she launched in late 2024. She also credited SPP for welcoming locally owned businesses rather than focusing exclusively on ultra-luxury retail.
“I think the people who make Tampa are the businesses in Tampa,” Boright said. “And I think the best way to grow your community is to reach from within, rather than bringing outside companies in.”
Boright, a University of Alabama graduate with degrees in fashion merchandising and social media management, opened the original Sirena Boutique on Cypress Street after noticing the lack of independent retail options in Tampa.
Following college, the Delaware native accepted a corporate role but quickly grew disenchanted with cubicle life. She also found herself longing for the thriving boutique culture prevalent in other cities.
“And I was like, you know what, I’m gonna open a clothing store,” Boright said.
She designed a logo on her flight home from a family trip to Vermont and subsequently spotted a space for lease on Cypress Street. Boright approached the landlord, negotiated two months of free rent, painted the walls and built out the storefront with discount furniture.
The 800-square-foot boutique quickly found an audience by targeting a demographic that Boright felt retailers largely ignored.
“Elevated women in their 20s, who aren’t dressing like they’re in college anymore, but aren’t necessarily dressing like they’re going to a PTA parent meeting – I wanted to hit that niche,” she explained. “So many people are moving to Tampa in their 20s. We’re not wanting to wear cropped tops, either.”
“I kind of wanted something that was a blend of everything,” she added. “If you are in your 50s, I still have something for you. And if you’re in college, I still have something for you.”
Sirena bridges the gap between high-end and accessible fashion. Boright stocks specific brands typically only found online, eliminating the sizing guesswork and return hassles that frustrate e-commerce shoppers.
Her curating strategy centers on versatility and longevity. “I don’t want people buying stuff for $200 and then wearing it one time,” Boright said. “I want it to be pieces that you can build your wardrobe around and that can go with things that you already have.”
The new Water Street location will cater to a slightly different clientele while maintaining the brand’s core identity. Boright plans to double her inventory and incorporate more evening wear, anticipating demand from guests staying at the nearby Tampa Edition hotel and local gala attendees.
“I knew I couldn’t just duplicate what I have five miles away,” Boright said. “I wanted to make our Water Street location a bit more elevated.”
Boright will also keep the Cypress Street location. She said customers, who often stop on their way to Tampa International Airport for last-minute outfits, appreciate the convenience.
Incorporating local businesses is essential to cultivating an authentic neighborhood culture, Boright said, particularly in a district anchored by an arena, hotels and restaurants. She already hosts monthly pop-up events at her Cypress location, partnering primarily with fellow female-founded businesses like Ayu Bottega, which will be her next-door neighbor at Water Street.
“When areas are really cute and quaint, and then they … only bring in outside big companies, I think it takes that community feel and quaintness away from it,” Boright said. “It’s the people that are building it that make it feel different.”
SPP CEO Josh Taube agreed. His firm has “always envisioned Water Street as a neighborhood where people can find a little bit of everything, all within walking distance,” he said in a statement.
“It’s important to bring together the right mix of complementary offerings and give people more ways to enjoy the neighborhood.”
Sirena City Haus will open in late December or early January. Ayu Bottega is targeting a November opening, and [solidcore] has scheduled a soft launch for Nov. 12.
