Cabinet & Stone International Specializes In Unique Home Decor Items

Hui Yu is the president of Cabinet & Stone International, which sells and installs kitchen and bathroom cabinets, granite and marble countertops and vanities on N. 56th St.

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel homeowners considering a new look for the new year can find plenty of design options for their kitchen and bath areas at Cabinet & Stone International on N. 56th St., just south of the Hillsborough River and across the street from King High in Tampa, just south of Temple Terrace.

With 3,000 square feet of showroom space displaying cabinets, sinks and fixtures, along with a warehouse ten times as large that is filled with merchandise that’s ready to be delivered and installed, customers benefit from Cabinet & Stone’s variety and convenience.

“We provide a one-stop shop, from measuring, to design and installation and give a really quick turnaround time,” says long-time New Tampa resident Hui Yu, who runs the business with her brother, Ron. “We can do a kitchen within a week.”

Services provided begin with helping a customer develop a home-improvement vision, either online at CabinetnStoneIntl.com or at the N. 56th St. showroom, which is less than 30 minutes from most points in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

Cabinet & Stone International provides one-stop shopping for upgrading kitchens and bathrooms at the company’s Temple Terrace showroom on N. 56th St.

Hands-on involvement includes a personal consultation  between a customer and a design professional, measuring the kitchen or bath and installing the purchased products. Tying all of the pieces of a remodeling project together, from a design perspective, is one of the things Hui says she enjoys about the business.

“If a customer is open to what we can do, we tell them about up-to-date trends and can give suggestions, like what paint color will go best with the cabinets they choose,” she says.

Ron agrees that there’s a lot of satisfaction in working with customers.

“I like to help the customer design the kitchen and pick out the cabinets and granite and work with them from start to finish,” he says.

Visitors to the showroom can view first-hand all of the cabinets, countertops, sinks and related hardware. There are display kitchens in the main customer service area and bathroom vanities available for viewing in an adjoining showroom.

Marble countertops are available in colors and styles ranging from Baltic Brown to Blue Barracuda. If customers want to explore more options, Cabinet & Stone design consultants can refer them to one of their local vendors to pick out a slab with just the right veining and finish to be incorporated into a functional masterpiece.

All cabinets at Cabinet & Stone are made of wood, not particle board. The fronts are all solid wood, such as oak, maple or birch, with plywood boxes. Choices range from American Classic model cabinets made of solid oak with a honey-colored stain, to the modern lines and accents of the Manhattan Espresso cabinet, constructed of maple wood and stained to a richly dark hue. Other color stains on the menu include cherry, toffee, mocha, café and several shades of white, such as French vanilla and creme de blanc.

The finishing touches to any cabinet makeover are the knobs and handles and there’s a complete selection of Jeffrey Alexander brand hardware from which to select.

By working directly with a manufacturer in China, Hui and Ron are able to maintain a high level of quality in their merchandise and keep their warehouse stocked with competitively priced inventory that they import.

“Our customers are paying less to get more,” says Hui.

A Little History…

Since initially opening its doors in a smaller storefront on nearby Hillsborough Ave. in 2004, Cabinet & Stone International has expanded considerably, drawing customers from across the state to its current showroom, as well as nationwide to its website.

“At the time that we opened this, we didn’t think it would get this big,” says Hui, who attributes much of the company’s growth to its current level of about 500 orders a month, and to satisfied customers like Carlos Curnow telling other people about their experience.

“I went to Home Depot and Lowe’s, but they (Cabinet & Stone) had the best price and I was able to pick it up quicker,” says Curnow, who bought two bath vanities for his home.

In addition to individual retail consumers, Hui and Ron also serve commercial customers, like real estate agents who need to refurbish a house before it goes on the market, developers building new homes and out-of-state decorating businesses that want to sell Cabinet & Stone’s line of products.

Marketing the company’s goods and services goes beyond word of mouth. Hui says advertising in the Neighborhood News serves her company well because she knows her ads, which frequently include special offers, are reaching people who are potential customers.

“We know that it goes to every single household,” she says.

As for promoting the company on digital platforms, visitors to Cabinet & Stone’s website can view cabinets, countertops, vanities and sinks in photographs illustrating the products from detailed close-ups to depictions of finished installations. Hui credits the website with extending her company’s reach far beyond the local market.

The Cabinet & Stone International Facebook page provides flexibility to highlight new products and recent projects, including before-and-after photographs that show how much a kitchen or bathroom’s appearance and functionality can be improved when you add the right cabinets and fixtures.

For “DIY” enthusiasts who want to install their Cabinet & Stone purchases themselves, the company’s YouTube channel — Cabinet & Stone INTL — has videos showing how to assemble everything from a spice rack to a three-drawer base cabinet.

Whether customers visit in person or online, whether their projects are big or small, Hui and Ron and their awesome staff offer the same commitment to fulfilling every customer’s needs.

“We want to be able to provide for whoever needs our unique line of cabinets with good service, quality products and competitive pricing,” Hui says.

To learn more about how Cabinet & Stone International can help with your kitchen and bath remodeling needs, call 887-5658, visit the showroom at 6606 N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace or go online to CabinetnStoneIntl.com, or check out the ad on page 51.

The Frost Family Opens Its 5th Local McDonald’s!

If you’re a fan of McDonald’s, you’re probably a fan of the Frost family. Patriarch Jack Frost (third from left in photo) got tired of the frost nipping at his nose in his home state of Wisconsin (where he opened his first McDonald’s), and relocated his family to our area more than 30 years ago, opening the first of five local Mickey D’s in 1985 on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Today, Frost and his sons John (left in photo) and Chris (far right) and daughter Jen own eight McDonald’s restaurants, including all five of the locations in our distribution areas (two in New Tampa and now three in the Wesley Chapel area). The most recent opening happened just before we went to press with our latest issue, as the 6,300-sq.-ft. (about as large as the location on 54, which is the second largest in Florida) McDonald’s on S.R. 56, between the new Longhorn Steakhouse and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse (in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets) has opened.

Equipped with a large “play place” for the kids and with more sit-down space than most McD’s, Chris Frost says that the new location focuses on customer service, and after watching the pre-opening training of the location’s employees, I can assure you that you will be greeted by lots of smiles and  “let me get that for you right away” attitudes.

And, if you check out the ad on page 44 of our current Wesley Chapel issue, you’ll see a Grand Opening special of 20 McNuggets for only $5 (through Feb. 19). For more info, stop in 24-7 (or for the official Grand Opening on Sat., Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) at McDonald’s (2609 Creek Grass Way, Lutz) or visit McDonalds.com.

A Must-See: The Shen Yun Chinese Dance Show’s 2017 Florida Tour

You can check out the beautiful Shen Yun traditional Chinese dance show in St. Petersburg and Lakeland between now and Feb. 8.

If you can make it to only one show a year, let Shen Yun be your show of choice. And, New Tampa residents have two weekends when you can check out this awesome dance spectacle fairly close to home — on January 27-28, at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, and February 7-8, at the Lakeland Center.

Since its inception, this classical Chinese dance company has taken off with, literally, flying colors. The pageantry of dance and music is a stunning display of Chinese civilization—with dancers spinning and leaping through the air in brilliant handmade costumes that take your breath away. 

Shen Yun Performing Arts had humble beginnings as a small nonprofit organization based in upstate New York. It was established by a group of talented ethnic Chinese artists who came together with a shared vision—to revive genuine traditional Chinese dance, music and culture and share it with the world. When it started touring in 2006, Shen Yun was an instant success.

Shen Yun has toured more than 100 cities worldwide, performing in front of millions across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. One of its trademarks is that each new season the company creates a brand-new production, which remains secret until the day the curtain finally rises.

More Than Entertainment!

But, sheer popularity is not the only reason why you should experience Shen Yun. Perhaps because of its profound mission, watching Shen Yun gives you the feeling of partaking in something historic, in the resurrection of a long lost world – the world of ancient China, the Middle Kingdom that can no longer be seen even in China today. It is a world where divine beings and humans interact, a magical world of myth and legend. It is a world that speaks a universal language. The performance includes bilingual MCs who provide brief preludes to each story.

Many audience reviews speak of leaving the theater with indescribable happiness, inspiration and even a newfound sense of peace.

The performance “touched the deepest part of my soul,” wrote Maria Banks from Los Angeles in one review posted on Shen Yun’s guestbook. “Shortly after returning home, my tears broke through again and again. It feels as though my heart’s been washed clean. Gratefully yours.” And, it is a world that speaks a universal language. The performance includes bilingual MCs who provide brief preludes to each story. But more importantly, classical Chinese dance and music speak directly to the heart, resonating with the audience on many levels.

Not Made in China

Shen Yun is completely independent of the regime of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. In fact, even though the company annually performs to sold-out theaters around the world, it actually is not allowed to perform in China.

Over the last six decades, China has experienced one communist campaign after another aimed at destroying traditional culture. Mao Zedong (Tse-tung)’s Cultural Revolution of the ’60s and ’70s, in particular, sought to completely eradicate this ancient heritage. Young Red Guards were mobilized to smash sacred statues, burn books, and defeat the Four Olds, which included the system of virtues that guided Chinese morality for thousands of years.

“Actually, in China today, you can no longer see performances of genuine traditional Chinese culture,” says principal dancer and choreographer Yungchia Chen. Chen grew up in China, but later moved to Taiwan, where he won numerous awards throughout his dancing career, and finally found his calling with Shen Yun. “China has many talented dancers, but the choreographers aren’t allowed to choreograph any traditional pieces for them to perform. Shen Yun is different.”

“Shen Yun is making every effort to bring back the most authentic, most beautiful part of Chinese culture—through dance,” he says. “For example, the story of a mother tattooing four words on her son’s back is about loyalty. The legend of splitting the mountain is about filial piety, and the tale of Wu Song battling the tiger is about courageously helping others.”

Five Millennia on Stage

“There are countless stories in the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization,” Chen says. “The challenge is to find stories you can depict on stage. In a play, actors can speak, but in dance you have just a few minutes to tell a story…with clarity, and in a moving way.”

Year after year, Chen and his colleagues succeed in doing just that. Shen Yun’s performances have become a staple for many celebrities and veteran theatergoers alike. The company’s success also has attracted a constant stream of new talent.

Shen Yun is home to an impressive number of artists from around the world. And, these artists take Shen Yun’s mission to heart. This can be seen in their energy and joyful enthusiasm on stage, as well as their seamless cooperation, the type that can only arise from a common sense of greater purpose.

“When dancing, sometimes there is an instant when you feel like our hearts are all together, united,” says Shen Yun choreographer Michelle Ren. “That moment is really sacred,” she says. “And in it, you can see pure beauty.”

Shen Yun will be performing at St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theater January 27-28; at The Lakeland Center February 7-8; and at the Venice Performing Arts Center Feb. 10-12. For tickets and information, visit ShenYun.com/FL.

Enjoy UFC, The NFL & More At Peabody’s Billiards & Games!

Don’t think for even one second that just because I moved our Neighborhood News office to Wesley Chapel three years ago that I have ever forgotten about my former neighbor in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms — Peabody’s Billiards & Games.

Peabody’s is one of the few things I miss about the old office. New Tampa’s entertainment complex tradition since 1998 (which has been non-smoking inside for several years now; there are tables outside for smokers) is still owned by Bryan Peabody and is one of the best and most underrated restaurants in our distribution areas.

First of all, I know you can get wings and burgers at pretty much any sports bar, but how many of them also serve true, NY-style pizza, by the whole pie and the slice? And, you can even get toppings on half a pizza at Peabody’s, so your cheese slice fans and pepperoni, sausage, etc., fans can both get what they crave.

But, while we’re talking burgers and wings, Peabody’s burgers (and sandwiches) are served with your choice of three kinds of fries — curly, crinkle- and my favorite, the skin-on, straight house-cut. Order ‘em extra crispy, like I do, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Peabody’s super-popular house-cut fries are usually tossed in Kosher salt and parmesan cheese, but they’re a little messy that way for my taste, so I order them plain.

The burgers themselves are thick and juicy and I see a lot of the younger patrons going with the breakfast burger, which is topped with cheese, applewood-smoked bacon and a fried egg. It’s yummy that way, but I usually just get the Peabody’s classic, although there’s also cowboy (BBQ sauce and bacon) and black bean vegetarian options.

Even though I’m not the biggest wing lover, I’ve always thought that Peabody’s has the biggest, crispiest naked (unbreaded) wings in town. I order them extra crispy (of course), with a sauce (like the Daytona, sweet chili or hot garlic, among so many others) on the side (that I honestly only use sparingly because the wings honestly don’t need it).

Peabody’s also has great appetizers like a really popular spinach and artichoke dip, Spanish nachos (with homemade chili), loaded potato skins and brew-battered onion rings. The house, Caesar and blackened chicken salads are all great and I really like the agave balsamic and raspberry vinaigrette (and Caesar) dressings.

The place also is famous for its wraps and sandwiches. Editorial assistant Celeste McLaughlin and I both really enjoyed the new ribeye Philly cheesesteak sandwich and graphic designer Blake Beatty (a long-time Peabody’s fan himself) loves the New Tampa Cuban. There’s also great grilled cheese, grilled or blackened chicken sandwiches, an authentic cold Italian sub and Buffalo and West Coast turkey wraps, all of which have gotten high marks in our office.

And So Entertaining, Too!

If you’re like most everyone who lives in the Tampa Bay area, you’re probably aware that the NFL playoffs are about to begin and I assure that there is no better place to watch every NFL Sunday Ticket game — or all the big UFC fights.

And of course, Peabody’s has beautiful pool tables, dart boards and other games, plus great food and beverage specials every day, from $1 Taco Tuesdays to $1.25 pizza slices on Wednesday and many others, including great lunch specials for $10 or less. And, Peabody’s Palms Lounge has great DJ dance music every Wed.-Sat. night.

And, Peabody’s food can now be delivered by Uber Eats! In other words, you just can’t beat it!

Peabody’s Billiards & Games (15333 Amberly Dr. ) is open every day, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For more info, call 972-1725 or visit PeabodysTampa.com. And, don’t forget to tell them that the Neighborhood News sent you!