Dave Andreychuk #25 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Calgary Flames in game seven of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on June 7, 2004 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning won the Stanley cup by defeating the Flames 2-1. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
For more than a decade, a familiar face around New Tampa and one of the community’s leaders, long-time area resident Dave Andreychuk, has been greeted by many a local, eager to say hello, to thank him for the Stanley Cup he helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win in 2004, and, of course, to tell him he should be in the National Hockey League (NHL) Hall of Fame.
But now…finally…those same fans have a chance to say this: “It’s about darn time!”
Andreychuk received what many feel was a long-overdue call on June 26, telling him his wait was over. The former Lightning captain is an NHL Hall of Famer.
“It’s a great feeling,’’ Andreychuk says. “I’m happy the call finally came.”
Andreychuk, who moved into Arbor Greene in 1999 after signing with the Lightning, before his family moved to their current home in Hunter’s Green, said he was on his way to the airport when his cell phone rang around 2 p.m.
He looked down and saw a Toronto number. “Can it be?,” Andreychuck thought.
Unsure if it was the media calling to ask him his thoughts on not being selected again, or someone from the NHL, he answered to discover it was Lanny MacDonald, fellow Hall of Famer and currently the chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame, with good news.
“It was really a surprise,’’ Andreychuk said. “I had no idea. I immediately pulled over to collect my thoughts. It really was very exciting.”
A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Andreychuk says he knew his day would eventually come. He has been eligible since 2009, and he thought each of the last two years might have been his day. This year, he says he hadn’t been giving it nearly as much thought.
He only hoped that he would make it into the Hall while his parents, Roz and Julian, were still around to celebrate it with him.
“That’s really what I wanted,’’ he said. “So, that it happened now, and they can celebrate it with me, is the best thing.”
Andreychuk will be officially inducted on Monday, November 13, in Toronto.
His inclusion into the Hall of Fame comes after a 23-year career that began when he was drafted in the first round by Buffalo in 1982 and made meaningful contributions in Toronto, New Jersey, Boston and Colorado before coming to Tampa Bay.
Andreychuk is the NHL’s all-time leader for career power-play goals with 273 (Brett Hull is second all-time, with 265), and is the 14th-leading all-time scorer with 640 goals. His 1,639 games are seventh all-time, and his 1,338 points tie him with Denis Savard for 29th on the all-time scoring list.
But Andreychuk’s greatest moment was captaining the Lightning Stanley Cup team in 2004. Outside of Amalie Arena, there is a bronze statue of him holding the Cup over his head.
He said he remembers taking the Cup home to Hunter’s Green the night the Lightning clinched their first championship, to party with his teammates, and then bringing it to the clubhouse a few days later to share it with the Hunter’s Green and New Tampa community.
“The support I’ve always gotten up here has been great,’’ Andreychuk said.
Andreychuk is currently the Lightning’s VP of Corporate & Community Affairs, and continues to be active in the community as a hockey ambassador. In fact, the Captain (as many in New Tampa still call him) was on hand as a dignitary for the opening of Florida Hospital Center Ice.
Owner Ken Truong (far left) and his friendly, professional staff of licensed nail technicians are available to serve you at Lee Nails & Spa in The Grove at Wesley Chapel shopping center.
Between warm weather and casual fashion, gloves are seldom worn in the Sunshine State. But, since sandals so often are worn here, that means a lot of hands and feet are out on public display.
Keeping Wesley Chapel residents well-manicured is a job the crew at Lee Nails & Spa, located in an outparcel building at The Grove at Wesley Chapel shopping center (next to the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce office), eagerly undertake seven days a week.
Available services range from a basic nail trim and polish (with many fashionable options such as American or French style in a rainbow of colors) to waxing and the trademarked Botanical Escapes Herbal Spa Treatments, such as an herbal detox formula or maybe a Chocolate Mint Bliss recipe.
While the menu of services is extensive, owner Kenny Truong says what Lee Nails & Spa really offers patrons is one of modern life’s most valuable commodities.
“We provide relaxation.”
The relaxation begins as soon as you cross Lee Nails & Spa’s threshold and enter a space of soft track lighting and mellow music.
New arrivals at the spa are quickly attended to and escorted to one of nearly a dozen manicure stations or a plush pedicure recliner with a massage function.
If someone needs to take the edge off a busy day, a complimentary glass of wine, chardonnay or merlot, is offered with each pedicure. Chilled water is an option for non-imbibers. A magazine rack filled with the latest issues of People, Allure, Glamour and other publications offers a chance to catch up on some light, non-digital reading.
Tangible results also are an objective, says Truong, who has 15 years of experience in the cosmetology field. “We’re dedicated to making our customers look beautiful,” he says.
At Lee Nails & Spa, customers can have beauty without risking their nail health. Regular acrylic nails can look great, but they can leave natural nails under them susceptible to itching and even infection. Truong says his salon offers non-acrylic nail alternatives like NexGenNails to customers.
“It’s strong, but doesn’t damage your nails like acrylic does,” he says. “It also has vitamin E in it.”
Informing customers about all of the options available to them that may provide a benefit to them is part of Truong’s business philosophy.
“We also educate customers about what kind of manicure they should get and what kinds of products can soothe and protect dry skin,” he says.
Lee Nails & Spa was opened in 2009 by Kenny’s brother Tony. Both of them emigrated from Vietnam, along with six other brothers.
Kenny and Tony each got their start in the cosmetology field while living in Cleveland, OH. Kenny took over Lee Nails & Spa last year when Tony moved to Orlando to open a new salon.
Maintaining a clean, safe and productive environment that focuses on delivering good customer service is an important element of Truong’s operation. He and his entire staff of nail technicians are all licensed through the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DPR)’s Board of Cosmetology.
According to Truong, he maintains strict sanitary standards by providing customers one-time-use liners for spa pedicures, and also uses commercially-packaged disposable materials like emery board nail files that are discarded after just one use.
There is onsite equipment to sterilize all of the durable tools that are reused.
“One of the most important things that customers love about coming to my salon is the cleanliness,” says Truong proudly.
An Emphasis On Service
Customers entering the salon are likely to be met by Truong personally, and he will graciously deliver them to a staff member who will provide the relaxing and enhancing services requested. Truong recognizes the success of his business is in the hands of the people he hires.
“Our staff is young and talented, to provide the best customer service,” he says.
One such employee is Angela Butdee, who has been working at Lee Nails for two of the three-and-a-half years she has worked as a nail technician. She expresses appreciation for the overall atmosphere of the salon as well as the beautifying task at hand.
“It’s quiet and I like that we have lots of nice customers that come here,” Angela says. “I love doing the designs for their nails.” She adds there is another important attribute for nail technicians. “When you work with nails, you have to be calm and you have to make customers feel relaxed.”
Sharon Gilbert appreciates that kind of customer experience when she comes in to Lee Nails every few weeks for a manicure or pedicure. “They take their time and they’re gentle,” she says. “I feel special when I leave.”
Gilbert also notes the hygienic standards of Lee Nails & Spa.
“It’s very clean and they use plastic linings in their pedicure tubs,” she says, adding that she got into the habit of getting a professional manicure when she taught at The University of Ohio in Columbus.
“A handshake was the first way I was going to meet someone,’’ she said. “It’s a way of putting your best self forward. Now I just do it for myself.”
While indulging in spa treatments may seem like an extravagant luxury, Lee Nails & Spa offers promotions to make its services more affordable.
Customers can join the salon’s VIP Program and get $3 off a single service or $5 off a combo service (does not apply to polish change or waxing), Monday-Thursday. To do so, text LEENAILS2 to 51660.
Other discounts, such as 10-percent-off for customers 12 years of age or younger (parents or guardians must accompany the child) and for ages 65 and older, are available, as are “pop-up” specials announced on the “Lee Nails Spa In Wesley Chapel” Facebook page.
More special deals and samples of the work Lee Nails & Spa does can be found at LeeNailSpaofTampa.com. Lee Nails & Spa is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday. It is located at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite #104. For more information or make an appointment, call (813) 907-8100.
For those who don’t know me personally, I was separated in 2006 and have been divorced since 2009 and, although I’ve done a lot of dating and had a few relationships since then, I honestly never thought too seriously about getting married again.
Two-and-a-half years ago, when I was a member of the Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Club, a fellow club member and I who had known each other through business only prior to that, met by chance at what used to be Stage Left (now Brunchies). She was sitting with a few other fellow club members and invited me to join them at their table.
By the end of that super-fun evening (it became my birthday at midnight that night), Jannah McDonald (who was working for the American Cancer Society at the time, but became the marketing and events coordinator for the Pasco Education Foundation shortly after that evening) and I had arranged our first date, where we embarked on a journey that has had a few ups and downs (as all of our friends know all too well). But ultimately, the good times far outnumbered the bad, which led to the night of the one-year anniversary party for WCNT-tv (Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Television), which was held in and outside of my office on June 30.
When we hired mine and Jannah’s favorite local band — Restless Soul (search “Restless Soul” on Facebook) — to not only provide the entertainment for the event, but also to learn a song (“Saint Valentine’s Day, by Bruce Springsteen’s guitarist, Miami Steve Van Zandt, who recorded the song with his own band, called Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, which was released in February 2017) for us to sing with them, I wasn’t actually planning anything other than to have a kick-butt invitation-only party to thank all of our friends and sponsors, but…
A couple of weeks before the event, I decided that Jannah and I should also do a little dance routine during the song’s 45-second musical interlude and it was during our first lesson (anyone who knows me can tell you that I maybe can sing a little bit, but have never been much of a dancer) at the Rhapsody Ballroom on N. 56th St. just north of E. Fowler Ave. that I decided that there would be a surprise ending to the song (you can check out excerpts of the song and the entire dance on our “Neighborhood News” Facebook page).
The evening did not go off without a hitch, which had me concerned about whether we would even get to perform the song, much less whether I would get to spring the beautiful faceted garnet-and-diamond ring I got a great deal on from my friends at Leiva’s Jewelry (in the New Tampa Center shopping plaza) on her.
Although we had a little more than 100 people on hand at around 7, the skies opened up — as they so often do during the summer here in Florida — around 7:15, while everyone was enjoying the truly amazing food from my friends Jessica and Carl Meyers of Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering in Lutz, Ramses and Ana Garcia of Las Palmas Café and Phil and Natalia from Olde Heights Bistro in Seminole Heights, plus the incredible desserts from Nothing Bundt Cakes (right now in Carrollwood, but looking to secure a Wesley Chapel location) and my friend Evelyn Barreno from 7 Layers Bakery.
The plan was for our song to open the band’s second set — and for us to do a Facebook Live event for the song — at 8 p.m. But, by the time the rain stopped shortly before 8, more than half of the people had left. Undaunted, we went ahead and performed the song when the rain gave us about a 15-minute window and I ended the song by asking Jannah if she would marry me “some Saint Valentine’s Day?” And yes, even though no one actually heard her say it, she did say yes.
Obviously, those who stuck around for it were glad they did and Jannah and I thank the hundreds of you who have already posted well wishes on Facebook.
Getting A Taste-y Reward!
Although I am now a member of the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club (which meets Wednesdays at noon at Mulligans Irish Pub in the Pebble Creek Golf Club), the Rotary club that put on the successful 2017 Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel is actually New Tampa’s original, or “breakfast” Rotary Club, which meets Fridays at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC).
In the spirit of Rotary, I agreed to help (more like forced myself on) the Rotary’s Taste coordinator (and now, newly inducted president) Karen Frashier and her committee with restaurant procurement for the event and the rest, as they say, is history. Or so I thought.
At their club’s annual banquet at TPGCC on June 23, Jannah and I were invited as honored guests and even though it was on one of my deadline Fridays, we were thrilled just to be there. Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I received the plaque on this page from outgoing president (he of the newly shaven head) Brice Wolford. Calling me “Mr. Taste” was pretty sweet, but I had to acknowledge the amazing “You Believed. You Made It Happen” inscription in these pages. Thanks so much!.
When Patrick Abad, the managing partner and VP of the Lexus of Wesley Chapel dealership scheduled to open later this year, regaled the June 21 audience at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC)’s Economic Development Briefing with updates about the area’s next luxury car dealership, he drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd.
And, he did a lot of that without even mentioning the cars.
Thanks to a local family median income in the $80,000 range, an influx of new homes on the horizon and rapid business growth, Wesley Chapel has become a hot destination for luxury car dealers. Lexus of Wesley Chapel, being built just south and west of Wesley Chapel Toyota at 5300 Eagleston Blvd. (south of State Road 54 between Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and I-75), will be joining what is growing into a booming luxury car market that already includes Mercedes-Benz of Wesley Chapel, which opened in 2015, and Audi Wesley Chapel, which will open a little later this year than Lexus.
(L.-r.) Randy Newbold of Williams Automotive Group, Steve Domonkos of the Shops at Wiregrass, Eric Johnson of Williams Auto, Jennifer Tussing of the Wesley Chapel Chamber and Patrick Abad, the managing partner and VP of Lexus of Wesley Chapel.
Abad wowed the WCCC audience with details of what will be a state-of-the-art facility that he expects will revolutionize the local car-buying experience.
“We have visited over 40 Lexus dealerships in the last 18 months, and we took the best from each one,’’ Abad said. “When we sat down with the architect, we said we want all of these things.”
Those things include simple, but expensive touches like the $2 million being spent on a double car wash. “Lexus said we didn’t have to build a car wash,” Abad says, “so we didn’t…we built two.”
A pavilion, equipped with a grill, refrigerator and televisions and able to host small corporate events, will link the Lexus dealership to the adjacent Wesley Chapel Toyota dealership. Inside, a cafe featuring fresh sandwiches and a smoothie machine, massage chairs, a business center and even a “quiet” room for those working while they wait for their cars is being incorporated into the dealership.
Abad is part of the Williams Automotive Group of Wesley Chapel, which also operates Wesley Chapel Toyota and Wesley Chapel Honda on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (or C.R. 54), the Wesley Chapel Used Superstore on S.R. 54 and Tampa Honda on N. Florida Ave.
Williams Automotive, run by brothers John and David Williams, has been chasing a Lexus dealership — there are only 236 in the country, Abad says — for years. They even did their own market study, which showed a need for a Lexus dealership in Wesley Chapel, and as one of about 500 applicants, presented it yearly in the hopes of being awarded one. Once chosen, the process included five thorough on-site interviews at Toyota.
“Two grueling years,’’ Abad said, adding that it was the first time in 12 years a new dealer had been brought into the Lexus family. He said that the success of Wesley Chapel Toyota, chosen as the WCCC Large Business of the Year in 2015, played a big role.
The new dealership is being built on eight acres of land, and though the standard Lexus dealership is roughly 20,000-sq.-ft., the Wesley Chapel location will be 64,000-sq.-ft.
“It’s bigger because we know what’s going to happen in this market,’’ Abad said. “And, we’ll be ready.”
High-tech customer care, though, will be a centerpiece. “Technology like you will not see in any other store,’’ Abad said.
When Lexus owners pull in, radio-frequency identification (RFID) will alert their customer service rep inside. An electronic tire reader will tell you if you need new tires before you even take a seat inside. WiFi in the poles in the parking lot will allow employees to better address customer needs via their tablets.
As for sales, gone are the days of what Abad called the “27 steps of the sale process.” With smarter shoppers these days due to computers and the internet, Abad said sales reps do not have to drag customers through all 27 steps.
“Customers are all at different spots in the process,’’ he says. “If they come in and know the price they want to pay, what their car is worth, what they want to buy, can’t we just skip steps 1-22 and go right to 23?”
In fact, due to tablet technology, Abad said in some cases it might be feasible to skip right to 27, and sign the paperwork for your car on a tablet in your own driveway.
Lexus will hire 100 people, and Abad said they are looking more to the customer service and hospitality industries. He also said he has received 1,200 applications from all over the country — even one from a director of concierge at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel in California.
Lexus will hit the ground running. Abad is handling a promotion called the Founding 100, which will provide various perks for the first 100 customers to buy a Lexus at the Wesley Chapel location. It includes upgrades like a lifetime warranty, lifetime oil changes and car washes, as well as other VIP services.
The promotion already has been a hit. Six months before Lexus is set to open, 95 cars already have been pre-sold. “The average Lexus store sells about 100 monthly,’’ Abad said. “We’re doing 100 the first week.” Or more. Abad added that Lexus of Wesley Chapel they may widen the promotion for additional customers.
“I think this is going to be great for the community,’’ he says. “I think you are going to be proud of what we do.”
For more information, check out Lexus of Wesley Chapel’s website at Lexus OfWesleyChapel.com.
At Discovery Village at Tampa Palms, residents enjoy a fun and outstanding lifestyle, whether they need supervised independent, assisted living or memory care.
Tampa’s newest and most advanced senior-living community is now open! Discovery Village at Tampa Palms, located in New Tampa, is located just minutes from the area’s best shopping, entertainment and health care facilities.
This 105-unit residence features suites and upgraded one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, and offers three levels of care, making it the perfect community for seniors of any lifestyle.
Our Supervised Independent lifestyle is ideal for independent seniors who desire only minimal assistance with everyday activities.
For those seniors needing a bit more support, we offer an all-inclusive, no care level Assisted Living lifestyle which provides complete assistance with all activities of daily living.
Lastly, Discovery Village’s all-inclusive no care level Memory Care lifestyle is designed to accommodate seniors with dementia-related diseases. Each lifestyle comes with our exclusive three-year “rent lock” program which provides a financial value unlike any other senior-living community in Hillsborough County.
Discovery Village at Tampa Palms is established from a new era of bold, energetic senior living, complete with resort-style amenities and a wealth of social and recreational activities. The community’s Grande Clubhouse offers a sensational dining room that provides three gourmet meals with tableside service daily, as well as a private dining room for special family celebrations.
There also are numerous social areas that are convenient for entertaining and mingling with neighbors, including a game room complete with a full-size pool table and several card and other game tables for hours of friendly competition.
Residents can enjoy daily happy hour celebrations or evening nightcaps in The Legends Club & Bar. The clubhouse also hosts the luxurious Silver Cinema Movie Theater, complete with a theater-style popcorn machine, so residents can keep up with the newest releases or reminisce with one of their favorite childhood movies.
Of course, to ensure they always look their best, a full-service, professional beauty salon and spa with barber shop is available to all of the residents of Discovery Village.
Happy & Healthy
Health and wellness are top of mind at Discovery Village at Tampa Palms.
The senior-equipped fitness center includes state-of-the-art exercise machines, as well as free-standing weights and yoga mats, ideal for even the most health-conscience enthusiast.
Year-round water fitness can be enjoyed in the outdoor heated pool, which boasts a gradual-entry ramp to streamline access. For residents who might be feeling a bit under the weather, relief is always close by with a fully monitored nursing station available on-site.
The Discovery Zone Media Center will blow residents’ minds with a plethora of cognitive brain fitness tools, as well as a multifunctional craft center and activity room for inspiring the creative soul.
Additional services include an on-site medical director, on-site therapies and an on-site, Medicare-certified home health care agency to ensure all of your health and wellness needs are met.
But, what makes Discovery Village at Tampa Palms so unique are the six lifestyle programs that come together to create a senior living experience unlike any other.
These programs provide residents with fun, stress-free and easy living. Socialize with neighbors, enjoy fine dining, get out and about with chauffeured transportation and take advantage of the health and wellness opportunities. Plus, weekly housekeeping and concierge services all make life the best it can be.
Sensations – Dining
Some of the most exciting times happen three times a day at Discovery Village. That’s when residents sit down in the “Sensations” dining room to enjoy healthy, delicious meals made from scratch, complete with friendly tableside service, sparkling china and linen tablecloths and napkins.
Our Executive Chefs prepare daily menus filled with international cuisines and artistically prepared meals to suit every palate. Using the freshest ingredients available, our chefs create mouth-watering appetizers, entées and desserts that keep our residents’ taste buds tingling. You’ll also love the selections during themed parties and other special events.
Celebrations – Activities
Stay active and continue to enrich your life with Discovery Village’s Celebrations program. Our full-time Activities Director ensures that there is always a variety of activities and events going on. From exercise to parties, seminars to games, you’ll find something to enjoy with friends and neighbors each day. Whether at the community or on-the-town, you’ll find it difficult to decide what to do next!
Dimensions – Wellness
Social, intellectual, spiritual, physical, medical and emotional wellness are important aspects of life at Discovery Village.
Residents have ample opportunity to get involved in our comprehensive wellness programs. From yoga to water aerobics, educational classes to spiritual gatherings, there is always something fun and interesting going on at our communities to fill your mind, body, and soul. Our professional team members are always nearby to help you enjoy the best possible quality of life.
When you need to get out and about, our professional drivers will get you there with our complimentary scheduled transportation. Check the schedule for regular trips to nearby locations such as dining, shopping, religious services and other fun excursions or for personal appointments, like going to your doctor’s office. Just make a request with the Concierge a couple of days in advance and we will make sure you get there on time.
Impressions – Housekeeping
Our housekeeping team makes a lasting impression in keeping your community and home clean, allowing you more time to do the things you enjoy. Expect excellence from dedicated and conscientious team members who are committed to the utmost in quality for the care your home deserves.
Expressions – Concierge Services
Concierge services at all of our communities take the hassles out of your life and put conveniences in.
Erik Kellar Photography
We can make reservations to local restaurants or a must-see show. Need a beautiful flower arrangement sent to a friend or family member? We’ll have them delivered. We’ll also help make your move smooth and stress-free. We can assist with scheduling your move, disconnecting household services, help with furniture layout and placement and offer complimentary interior design consultation. We are at your service!
At Discovery Village, residents are graciously cared for by a team of uniquely remarkable professionals offering the utmost in comfort, happiness and healthy living. The elegance and splendor of the community are carried throughout, from furnishings to décor to luxury-appointed senior apartment homes.
Every detail was thoughtfully executed to provide residents with a sense of elegance and pride. Discovery Village at Tampa Palms will forever change the landscape of senior living and deliver on our promise of exceptional care and exceptional value.
Call (813) 605-2400 or visit www.DiscoveryVillages.com to schedule a tour today and enjoy lunch on us!
