For years, a stroll through the historic Fair Oaks Village offered boutique shopping, hair salons and historic sights, and almost invariably a brush with our famous local roaming chickens. But when the sun dips low and dinner wraps, a nettlesome void has loomed. For too long, the village hasn’t enjoyed a dedicated dessert spot to cap a warm summer evening. Enter The Roost, a newly minted, family-owned ice cream shop that recently celebrated its grand opening at 10100 Fair Oaks Blvd. The...

On a recent morning in the heart of Fair Oaks Village, the doors to a vacant building stood open, inviting passersby to take a peek. Inside, a backhoe and piles of rubble told one story. But if you listened closely to Derek Clark, you could imagine another: the clink of glasses, the buzz of conversation, and the easy rhythm of what Clark calls “island time.” That vision—equal parts brewery, restaurant, and gathering place—is taking shape as Palm Tree Brewing Company. It’s Clark’s most...