Long Beach will welcome a new downtown mixed-use development with food and entertainment on Thursday at 4 p.m. at the grand opening for Long Beach Towne Center on Jeff Davis Avenue. The live/work complex features four retail spaces and four luxury apartments in the heart of downtown.

Friendly City Yogurt occupies one retail space. The business has been open a week and owner Sandra Boddie said she has been overwhelmed by the support the shop has received from the community.

“We’ve never owned our own business before,” she said. “I did not realize how much joy it could bring.”

The complex has a coastal cottage atmosphere with the 5,400 square feet of retail space divided among three buildings with a central courtyard. Friendly City and Lois’ Florist are in one building fronting Jeff Davis, and Melissa’s Specialty Cakes is in another. Two apartments are on the second floor of each building.

A one-story building on the far side of a central courtyard is available to one large tenant or can be divided for two tenants.

Developer Billy Legier Jr. said each 1,100-square-foot luxury apartment has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a balcony. The million-dollar project contracted to Douglas Cook Enterprises is just the first phase of the development.

Legier said he is working with Tom Christ Architects on plans for a retail village to be built behind the first phase.

“We are very excited to be part of the incredible revitalization of downtown Long Beach,” Legier said.

For more information, call 504-330-3863.