Sarasota's First Baptist buys cleaners, strip center.(BUSINESS WEEKLY)(Foundations)(Column)

Byline: Kevin McQuaid

The First Baptist Church of Sarasota is known more for its spirituality than its secular business acumen, but earlier this month, it demonstrated a little of the latter.

It did so by acquiring the Main Street Cleaners and a small, single-story strip center adjacent to the Main Street church for $4.9 million, property records show.

Senior Pastor William Hild said the church bought the property, which measures about one-third of an acre, from Il Panificio owner Nick Malone for "defensive purposes."

"We all know what's happening downtown," Hild said. "And that property is zoned to allow a 10-story building. Plus, it …