Ford’s Garage On The Way

Yelp! photo
Yelp! photo

Ford’s Garage, which mixes the vibe of old school service stations with burgers and craft beers, is one step closer to becoming one of Wesley Chapel’s new neighborhood hot spots.

Eric J. Hendra of Hendra and Associates, a consulting engineering and surveying firm in Tampa, officially submitted a preliminary site plan application for Ford’s Garage of Wesley Chapel in March to Donna Huber, Pasco County’s Senior Development Review Technician.

The restaurant will be located adjacent to the Pollo Tropical on the Northeast corner of S.R. 56 and Grand Cypress Drive (east of Wesley Chapel Blvd.) directly across from the Tampa Premium Outlets.

It will be owner Marc Brown’s fifth Ford’s Garage location. Brown, of South Tampa, started the chain in Fort Myers in 2012, later added locations in Estero and Cape Coral and recently opened a location in Brandon.

The project, wrote Hendra in the preliminary site plan application, will be a “local restaurant with nostalgic vehicles highlighting the Ford’s Car manufacturer products.” Brown and his ownership group has a licensing deal with Ford Motor Co., so car enthusiasts will enjoy the attention to detail if previous locations are any indication.

The Ford’s Garage menu generally focuses on a vast selection of burgers, chicken, steak and salads, and a variety of popular macaroni and cheese variations according to many reviews on Yelp!. It also boasts more than 150 different types of craft beers in bottle and on tap.

There will be 7,211-sq.ft. of indoor seating, and a 1,192-sq.ft. patio area, according to the proposed site plan. The restaurant will include “static mounted Ford Vehicles for icons located within terminal islands along with a antique non-working fuel dispenser.”

There will be 92 parking spots.

Special Needs Teens And Adults Walk The Red Carpet At St. James’ Annual ‘Prom’

RedCarpetAffair5 copy

On a Saturday night last month, they got ready like anyone else would for their prom. Tuxedos were buttoned, hair was styled, nails were painted. For some in attendance, it wasn’t their first prom – but it was just as special.

St James United Methodist Church hosted its seventh annual “Red Carpet Affair” under balloons, lights and the sounds of laughter. Nearly 280 special needs adults, ranging from age 16 to 52, attended the Red Carpet Affair with their caregivers for a night of fun, food and dancing. For some, it was also a night of hope.

“Many of us graduate high school and move on to new social structures,” said Carlene Barbeau, who started volunteering with the Red Carpet Affair in 2012 because of the joy it gave her brother Matt. “But, in the special needs community, graduating high school often leads to a lack of a social world.”

Carlene says St. James hosts the Red Carpet Affair to remind our friends that they are special, beautiful in their own unique ways, and can still have a whole lot of fun in life. “Plus, the volunteers have a blast, too,” she says.

Posing for prom pictures are (l-r) Eric Thompson, Lindsay Danner, Tristan Snapp and MacKanzie Conour.
Posing for prom pictures are (l-r) Eric Thompson, Lindsay Danner, Tristan Snapp and MacKanzie Conour.

Since January, a team of ten volunteers met multiple times to make the plans to make the Red Carpet Affair a night to remember. Their goal: to make their special needs friends feel like the celebrities they know them to be.

That evening, a “Diva Room” gave women a place to have their hair styled by professional stylists, and makeup done by makeup artists. They were offered shrimp and chocolate-covered strawberries while they were given a manicure. The church’s sanctuary was transformed with light walls, balloon sculptures and floral arrangements. Live Fusion Entertainment blasted some of the most popular songs on the radio and lights spun and flashed.

As the guests arrived, they were greeted by cheers as each walked into the event on the red carpet. Two professional photographers captured smiles in portraits the guests took home as souvenirs of their evening. But, that was all only part of the magic.

Chrissy Hoerner walks down the red carpet on prom night.
Chrissy Hoerner walks down the red carpet on prom night.

Liz McCafferty, director of communications at St. James, says, “The true beauty of the night was in the spirit of community.”

She explains that a community of 120 volunteers, ages 12 to 91, gathered together to cut carrots, dance, hug and create a community for those who are sometimes forgotten. “That community is rooted in love,” Liz says. “Love for our differences and love that we all enjoy a great conga line. And a great conga line it was!”

If you would like to be part of next year’s Red Carpet Affair, or are interested in events tailored for those with special needs, please contact Sally DePalma at specialconnections@stjamestampa.org.

—Submitted to the Neighborhood News by St. James UMC