Samantha Taylor Fitness Continues To Help Women Look & Feel Their Best

Samantha Taylor (left) has helped thousands of women like 80-year-old Lynn Smith get into the best shape of their lives.

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced gyms to close in March, it took Samantha Taylor Fitness just 48 hours to completely pivot its method of delivery so that clients of the private training studios could continue their workouts virtually.

“We were doing 13 virtual workouts a week within two days,” says Samantha, the CEO who began her career in the fitness industry 28 years ago and launched her own business more than 20 years ago. Today, there are four Bay-area Samantha Taylor Fitness studios, including Wesley Chapel, Land O’Lakes, Carrollwood and Palm Harbor.

But now, the fitness studios have reopened and clients are given many options to work out safely, whether it’s in person or online. “During this difficult time, one thing you don’t want to do is put your health and fitness on the back burner,” says Samantha. “That’s not going to help you reduce your risk.”

She says that the CDC website lists obesity as one of the highest risk factors for not only contracting Covid-19, but also for having increased complications.

“Everyone’s body responds differently, but you have a better chance of it not affecting you as much if you’re healthier and have balanced blood sugar,” Samantha explains. “Statistically, if you’re healthy, even if you do get Covid-19, you’re more likely to get over it easier.”

Samantha says she understands that some people still may be fearful of going to a gym in person and if so, Samantha Taylor Fitness continues to offer virtual options, including recorded workouts that can be followed at home or virtual workouts with a private trainer via Zoom.

But, she’s quick to point out that a recent study of 2,873 gyms by the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association) analyzed millions of gym check-ins to determine that only 0.002% of the active gym members studied had contracted Covid-19.

“Some people might think gyms are a place Covid-19 is spreading, but it’s not,” says Samantha, likely in part because people coming to the gym are not as high-risk (because high-risk people are choosing to stay home) and have stronger immune systems as a result of being generally healthy.

She encourages anyone concerned about coronavirus transmission to visit her website at SamanthaTaylorFitness.com to see a comprehensive list of how the studios are responding to Covid-19, including protocols such as limited class size, social distancing within classes, and sanitizing equipment between each class.

“Samantha Taylor Fitness centers are private studios,” she explains, “not overcrowded gyms. We have plenty of space to spread out in all four of our studios.”

The Wesley Chapel location has its own standalone building off of S.R. 56, near I-75, in the Cypress Ridge Professional Center. Samantha moved the studio there in 2018 from its former location on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The new studio is bigger, with a larger personal training room, specialty rubber floors, and a private, first-floor entrance.

For Women Only!

All of the Samantha Taylor Fitness studios offer a women-only environment where clients can choose personal training in the form of 1-on-1 private training, group training, semi-private personal training or “fitness boot camp” classes. All workouts last just 30 minutes.

A recent “Cooking with Emi” segment had Samantha Taylor Fitness private chef Emi Covone teaching members of Samantha’s online community how to make cauliflower waffles, or “chafes.”

Before choosing  between the programs at Samantha Taylor Fitness, a potential client is invited to participate in a body transformation analysis, where you meet with a membership specialist in person, on the phone or via Zoom, to go over the many options available at the fitness studio. But, it’s not just about working out.

“The only way to make lifelong, lasting changes is to learn how to eat,” explains Samantha. “It’s not about being on a diet or starving yourself, but figuring out how to eat in a way that you really enjoy that is simple and maintainable (for you).”

She says people can diet temporarily, but if they don’t learn to eat in a way that’s realistic and sustainable for them, they won’t stick to it.

She adds that the pandemic has led to many people complaining about weight gain, and it hasn’t slowed.

“The ‘Quarantine 15’ has now turned in to the ‘Quarantine 20 or 25,’” says Samantha. “If you don’t start making changes in the new year, that could possibly continue to increase, and you’ve increased your risk factors for Covid-19 even more.”

To help with teaching you how to eat, Samantha Taylor Fitness offers online cooking classes with in-house chef Emi Covone every week on its private, members-only webpage. Every week, a new, healthy recipe that has been approved by Samantha Taylor Fitness’ licensed dietitian Shannon Barker is shared with members.

In the new year, cooking classes will continue, along with other events and programs, and even free webinars. 

To see what new programs are coming up, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com.

A Supportive Community

At Samantha Taylor Fitness, women also find a supportive community, which Samantha says makes it fun and helps women stay on track. And, while her 2020 six-week weight-loss challenge and awards banquets highlighting the studios’ success stories were virtual, Samantha says to check the website for updates for 2021.

Lynn Smith is still pumping iron at age 80.

At 80 years old, Lynn Smith is a Realtor who doesn’t yet have an eye towards retirement. She has been working out with Samantha for nearly a dozen years. When she first started, she had never exercised in her entire life. “I want to live to be 100,” Lynn says, “so I figured I’d better do something about my health.”

Lynn adds that those early days were extremely hard. “I had no muscle strength,” she says. And, while she wasn’t obese and didn’t have a lot of weight she needed to lose, she says she lost about 10-12 pounds and kept the weight off. “Samantha taught me the importance of muscle strength.”

She says now it’s easy, and even fun. 

“I go three times a week, and the trainers challenge us every day,” Lynn says. “I look forward to it. The sessions are nonstop for 30 minutes, which is doable for just about anybody.”

Lynn likes that she works out in a very small group and that it’s for women only. “The trainers are very experienced and compassionate,” she says. “They want everyone to be successful.”

When she faced personal tragedy when her husband of 48 years suddenly passed away in August, Lynn says, “It was a big loss in my life. I’m so grateful that I have Samantha Taylor Fitness and that family to count on. I never really stopped going from the time my husband passed away. Everyone was very encouraging. Of course, you can’t wrap your arms around somebody like you could in the past but they’re there for me.” 

Lynn adds, “I’m very proud to be where I am at my age. It’s never too late to start. I encourage anyone reading this to get started at whatever age they are.”

The Wesley Chapel Samantha Taylor Fitness Studio is located is at 26908 Ridgebrook Dr. For more information, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com, call (813) 377-3739, or see the ad on page 25.

Here Are The 10 Best Restaurants To Open In Our Areas In 2020!

With the possible exception of the hotel/tourism industry, there’s little doubt that the restaurant business was among the most Covid-affected industry sectors in Florida in 2020.

And, although many of the new eateries that opened in Wesley Chapel in 2020 were delayed by the pandemic, the past year was still one of the busiest for new restaurant openings in both Wesley Chapel and New Tampa.

Among the new eateries that opened in 2020 in (and adjacent to) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa were the following and please note that ALL of these restaurants will make my list of “Gary’s Favorites” in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 2020 in our next issue:

1. Treble Makers — The dueling piano entertainment venue that opened in The Grove at Wesley Chapel during the early stages of Florida’s restaurant re-openings, Treble Makers was one of the few newcomers to register more than a blip with our readers, finishing as the 4th Favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel and Favorite American Restaurant in both of our distribution areas in our 2020 Reader Dining Survey & Contest. If you haven’t tasted chef Kevin Maggard’s coconut curry grouper, fried calamari or grilled filet mignon, you owe it to yourself to check out Treble Makers for a dueling piano show on Friday or Saturday night‚ or anytime!

Via Italia’s Bolognese

2. Via Italia — With so many different kinds of pizza on the menu, you might think that Via Italia, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa was “just” a pizza place. All of the different styles of woodfired pizza are great, but try any of Via Italia’s fresh pasta dishes. Owner Roberto Maganuco has both pesto Genovese and pesto Siciliano dishes (which are amazing), but don’t wait as long as I did to try the linguine with white clam sauce — it’s the best I’ve ever had in Florida. Via Italia was voted the #9 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa by our readers, but it surely would have finished higher had it been open longer…or in a normal year.

3. Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill — Again, Zukku-San opened too late to get any reader votes this year, but it is a beautiful new restaurant with a full liquor bar, great sushi and Japanese specialties (including the best tempura and chicken teriyaki we’ve had in years) and a true South Tampa vibe. Look for Zukku-San to register with our readers in 2021, too. 

4. Rock & Brews — Considering how packed the place has been (even with social distancing) inside and out since the moment it opened, we were a little surprised that the first Tampa Bay link in this small chain (on S.R. 56) — inspired and owned in part by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of the rock group KISS — didn’t get any votes at all from our readers, until we realized that it didn’t open until a week before we shut down the voting. With great live music on the weekends and everything from unique bruschetta to sweet heat fried chicken and even pizzas on the menu, Rock & Brews will likely make our 2021 top-10.

Lima’s seafood ceviche

5. Lima Peruvian Chicken — Anyone who looks up “Peruvian cuisine” online will find out that it is considered the #1 Latin cuisine and top two or three in the entire world — and Lima has authentic Peruvian rotisserie chicken, fish and seafood ceviches, baked scallops and so much more that it’s a shame some people thought it was another Mexican place that replaced El Pescador in mid-2020 in the New Tampa Center plaza on BBD. When I announce my favorite restaurants (new or existing) in New Tampa next issue, Lima will be in the top-5.

6. Florida Ave. Brewing Co. — Another hotly-anticipated entry that opened too late to receive reader votes this year, the former location of Sports & Field on S.R. 56 has a unique menu, with items like bibimbap bowls, Chinese sticky ribs and smoked gouda lobster mac & cheese, to go with more typical sports bar fare, an amazing craft beer selection, full liquor bar and private tasting rooms.

7. Oronzo Honest Italian — –One of two fast-casual Italian places in our area to make this list, owner Dan Bavaro (who also owns Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletano in South Tampa)’s Oronzo serves house-made pasta with delicious sauces and toppings, as well as pizza-style flatbreads, unique piadina sandwiches, plus salads, desserts and more — and now serving beer and wine! Located on BBD in New Tampa, it’s worth the drive to check out Oronzo, a truly unique concept. 

8. Aussie Grill — Although I’ve always enjoyed the Outback Steak House, here is another unique fast casual concept, this one  from the folks at Bloomin’ Brands, that I really love — and not just because Jannah and I live across the street from its S.R. 56 location. We definitely give thumbs-up to the bacon burgers and the topped grilled chicken and the order-ahead system is outstanding.

Pasta di Guy’s meat oven-baked pizza

9. Pasta di Guy —  Although he didn’t need to add his yummy (love the cheese!) oven-baked pizzas for me to be a fan, Cordon Bleu (London)-trained chef and owner Guy Carmeli keeps making this already-popular fast casual Italian eatery better and promises to keep adding new house-made pastas like fresh spaghetti (but, the strozzapreti is still my favorite) and probably more appetizers. I love the creamy pesto, vodka (1/2 Alfredo & 1/2 marinara), aglio e olio (garlic & oil) and beef bolognese (which does carry a $2.50 upcharge) sauces and I pretty much add Guy’s fresh sausage to everything.   

10. (tie) Chuck Lager America’s Tavern — Jannah and I love the atmosphere and many of the dishes at this third link in the U.S. of a new chain with a menu created by celebrity TV chef Fabio Viviani. With a little more diverse menu and some better fish options, Chuck Lager could climb on at least my list of favorites for 2021. 

10. (tie) Mahana Fresh — This second location (the original is in Bradenton) fast casual concept on BBD in New Tampa is different than most other “bowl culture” places because it offers not only three different kinds of grilled chicken, but also tender grilled steak as a protein option. There also are multiple kinds of rice and spinach salad as a base, but I’m kind of addicted to the kale crunch salad, as well as the sesame ginger broccoli, garlicky cilantro green beans and Mediterranean tomatoes.

Other new restaurants that opened in 2020 that I considered for this list:

 Michi Ramen (New Tampa) — When Michi Ramen opened before Oronzo on BBD in New Tampa, it was set up beautifully as a takeout-only, so I was stunned when I saw what a gorgeous restaurant it is inside, once it opened up during Covid. The pan-seared Japanese-style gyoza (pork dumplings), tempura-style soft-shell crab, and popcorn-style fried chicken with spicy mayo are my favorite appetizers. I’m not the biggest ramen fan, or Michi Ramen would surely have made my top-10 favorite newbies.

Main Event — Yes, we realize that the bowling and entertainment center is more than “just” a restaurant, but Main Event did host one of the first North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting events following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ pandemic-caused shutdown of just about everything here in the Sunshine State.

Double Branch Artisanal Ales — Again, Double Branch, located in The Village at The Grove of Wesley Chapel, doesn’t yet qualify as a “restaurant” — at least not until its kitchen opens — but it has offered pizzas from a food truck outside the craft beer brewery and should open a kitchen inside in 2021. Even so, enough of Wesley Chapel’s craft beer-crazed residents voted for it as their Favorite Bar in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel for it to finish in this year’s top-5 in that category.

Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. — As a transplanted native New Yorker, I appreciate the “legit” kettle-boiled-then-baked bagels and “Brooklynized” water used for the bagels and coffee at this new favorite on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, which could contend for “Favorite Breakfast” in our distribution areas with our readers next year and already scored with yours truly this year.

Crumbl Cookie — Although it also opened too late to make a splash in this year’s Reader Survey, not since Nothing Bundt Cakes opened in the Shops at Wiregrass has any new dessert-only place created such a stir in our community. The decadent churro and s’mores cookies are our favorites of Crumbl Cookie’s rotating flavors so far and the flavors of creamy ice cream also are rotated weekly.

Arepa Mia (Lutz) —  Located in the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd., this authentic Venezuelan eatery offers a variety of meat-filled arepas and empanadas, as well as tequeños, chicken wings and even Venezuelan soups. Everything definitely looks, smells and tastes homemade, so I would love to see this menu expanded.

Gu Wei Noodle House (New Tampa) —  This super-authentic Chinese-style (definitely not New York-style) Chinese restaurant opened late in 2020 at the former location of  Sukhothai off BBD (near the AMC 20 Movie Theater). Noodles are Gu Wei’s specialty but I prefer the stir-fried rice with my dishes. Even so, I have enjoyed the pan-sautéed pork dumplings, the beef with broccoli, which is mild on the menu, but I ordered it spicy — and it was.

Special Mentions — Although there has been a Bonefish Grill in Wesley Chapel for years, Jannah and I love the new S.R. 56 location, which has lots more parking as well as seating at the bar. Yes, the menu is the same as always, but again, Jannah and I live across the street from Bonefish now.

And, even though Moschella’s Italian Eatery & Market opened only nine days before the end of 2020 and doesn’t have dine-in restaurant seating, what this new gourmet shop does have are prepared foods as good or better than most restaurant fare.

Let me know if I missed any that opened last year that you love!

Wesley Chapel’s Outstanding Seniors

The Outstanding Senior Award is given to one senior each year in Pasco County on the basis of academic record, service, leadership, citizenship, and evidence of commitment to school and community. The award is selected by a panel of School Board employees and community members. Congratulations to this year’s Wesley Chapel representatives.

MATTHEW RAVENNA, CYPRESS CREEK HIGH
Extracurricular Activities: Varsity Basketball, Student Government Treasurer, National English Honor Society, Creative Photography for Conservatory of the Arts and Painting.

Scholarship: I consider myself scholarly because I have been on the “A” (Principal’s) Honor Roll since I can remember. I have dedicated many hours of studying to prove to my teachers that they are doing a great job. I have always wanted to make sure that each teacher understood that I cared about their class and wanted to excel. I have enjoyed being able to teach my peers if they needed help and conversing with my parents about my accomplishments.

Service: I volunteer for numerous organizations because I believe it is necessary to give back to your community. I genuinely care for those in need. With more than 165 volunteer hours, I have worked many sporting events, delivered beds to ABC families, parked cars for fund raisers, worked basketball camps for fund raisers, helped with Special Olympics, provided photography for football team videos and assisted students with classwork and homework as a Pack Leader for two years.

Citizenship: I strive to be an outstanding citizen by being a positive role model for my peers. In basketball, church, friend gatherings, or school, I present myself in a respectful manner, which many of my coaches and teachers have acknowledged. In fact, if I needed assistance from any of my previous coaches or teachers, they would be there with open arms; as I have done the same through respect, and an open mind—ready to learn.

LYNN ASARE-BEDIAKO, WIREGRASS RANCH HIGH

Extracurricular Activities: Band (percussionist), Orchestra (violinist), Unity Club, National Honor Society and Key Club.

Scholarship: Currently ranked 2nd in my class, I have a weighted GPA of 4.65. I received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award for passing my AP exams with a score of a 4 or higher. 

I will be graduating with my Associate in Arts college degree as a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and an AP Capstone diploma. I also placed 2nd in Engineering at Pasco’s Regional Science Fair for my sound engineering project. 

Service: With 200 volunteer hours, I regularly engage with nonprofit organizations that help serve low-income communities, elderly communities, and raise awareness and profits for our local arts programs. I play violin during the holidays for Metropolitan Ministries, (participate in) gift-wrapping events, and perform at memorials, funerals, festivals and celebrations at my church. I also volunteer at Feeding Tampa Bay and at numerous other events annually through Key Club. 

Citizenship: Through Unity Club, I strive to be respectful to all and help others in need through our anti-bullying and mental health awareness campaigns. Honesty, responsibility, and civility have been instilled in me by my mother and through the pillars of our disciplined band etiquette. 

As a first-generation American, I understand the privileges that come with being a citizen and I always aim to be an active and upstanding one.

SYDNEY BAUER, Wesley Chapel

Extracurricular Activities: National Honor Society, Varsity Girls Soccer Captain, Yearbook Editor-in-Chief, Pack Leader and Positive Coaching Alliance.

Scholarship: Being a good student means completing assigned work on time and being willing to mentor and help my peers. As a pack leader, I tutor underclassmen and provide them with the tools that have helped me get to where I am today. 

Success in the classroom has always been something I have been willing to work hard for. I believe that with hard work, you can do anything you set your mind to.

Service: Service builds character and allows one to be more aware of their surroundings. Service provides opportunities to experience life through another point of view. While providing service, a huge goal of mine is to inspire those I am helping. I dedicate a lot of my time working with younger students by tutoring, motivating, and driving them to greater achievements. Knowledge and success lead directly to growth in and out of the classroom.

Citizenship: Over the last four years of high school, I have been an active journalism member, editor-in-chief, a member of National Honor Society, and an active Positive Coaching Alliance member. Through my participation in all extracurricular activities and philanthropy, I have been able to share my knowledge and experience to those around me. A key factor to my contributions to the community and the classroom starts and ends with providing service to others.

Feel The Thunder At The Wesley Chapel District Park!

The latest addition to the Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Rd. in Wesley Chapel is a street hockey rink, which New Tampa resident Joe Rao drove up to try out one day recently. The rink, part of a partnership between the Tampa Bay Lighting and Pasco County, will host leagues this spring, whenever Covid-19 allows. (Photos: Charmaine George)  

The Wesley Chapel District Park (WCDP) on Boyette Rd. may not be as large as the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus a few miles to its south (see pgs. 8-10), but its own little mini-sports campus is rounding into shape nicely.

The latest addition is a new Tampa Bay Lightning-sponsored street, or ball, hockey rink, which officially opened a few days before Christmas. It was constructed just a few steps away from WCDP’s new 17,800-sq.-ft. indoor basketball facility, which broke ground in July and is expected to open by late summer 2021.

“It’s nice to see the park growing and offering more and more opportunities for kids to play different sports,” said District 2 commissioner Mike Moore, who has coached a variety of youth teams at WCDP, but the only basketball and volleyball offered at the park has previously been only outdoors.

In a public-private partnership between the Stanley Cup champion Lighting and Pasco County, two street hockey rinks were built in Pasco — one in Holiday, at the J. Ben Harrill Recreation Center, and the other at WCDP.

The virtually-held ribbon-cutting ceremony for the rinks were held in Holiday and were attended by Tampa Bay Lightning CEO Steve Griggs, former Lightning general manager and 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Jay Feaster, former Lightning defenseman Jassen Cullimore and Stanley Cup captain Dave Andreychuk.

“We are very proud to open these two rinks today as part of our pledge to build 10 ball hockey rinks across the Tampa Bay area,” said Griggs. “These two rinks that we opened will give local youth the opportunity to get outside and play the great game of hockey. The Lightning would like to thank Pasco County for their enthusiasm and support in helping us make this a reality for everyone in Pasco County.”

The other rinks the Lightning have opened in the Tampa Bay area are in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Polk counties. They are of the Lightning’s Build The Thunder 2.0 and Connect the Thunder outreach programs. In 2015, through the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) Industry Growth Fund, the Lightning announced a $6 million grass roots hockey development initiative to be delivered to young people throughout the Bay area.

The NHL club finalized its agreement to build the two rinks in Pasco County last January.

Wesley Chapel already has the popular AdventHealth Center Ice — the largest indoor ice skating/hockey facility south of New York in the United States — so Pasco County was an ideal location, says Josh Dreith, the Lightning’s community manager.

“I love Pasco County,” he said. “There is a ton of Lightning fans in Pasco, and a ton of engaged kids as well.”

The county supplied the land and built the pads the rink is built on, and the Lightning built the actual rink, which is 120 feet long by 60 feet wide, has a full dasher-board system and a scoreboard. The Lightning also is providing the equipment, and will host a series of clinics to get the program going. 

The county and Lightning will then coordinate actual league play, which could begin as early as March 2021, but will be dictated by Covid-19 conditions. The rink also will offer plenty of free play time to the public.

For more information, visit LightningMadeHockey.com.

Touch Nail Spa Opens New Location In New Tampa

Touch Nail Spa co-owner Timmy Pham invites New Tampa to check out the second location of Touch Nail Spa, which opened earlier this month in the Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., (next to Sprouts), where all of the nail and pedicure techs wear masks and gloves and all customers have to wear masks and wash their hands to enter the spa.

Long before Covid-19 changed how everyone does business, Touch Nail Spa in Wesley Chapel, which is owned by the husband-and-wife team of Timmy Pham and Tiffany Ha, specialized in cleanliness, excellent customer service and relaxing spaciousness. What started as a 3,200-sq.-ft. nail and beauty salon in 2017 expanded to nearly 5,000 square feet as the largest nail salon in Wesley Chapel.

Now, Timmy and Tiffany have their sights set on doing the same in New Tampa, where a second Touch Nail Spa officially opened Dec. 12 in The Village at Hunter’s Lake, in between The Coder School and Sprouts Farmer’s Market off Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

To celebrate, Timmy and Tiffany are offering all customers 10 percent off any service through Jan. 12.

The new salon has all of Touch Nail Spa’s signature, well, touches — it is 3,500 square feet, boasts high ceilings for better ventilation, has rows of comfortable leather pedicure chairs lining the walls, and there are tables offering 32 manicure stations in between.

Like the popular Wesley Chapel location, Touch Nail Spa in New Tampa offers a relaxing and luxuriously-designed environment to enjoy a pedicure and manicure — appointments are encouraged for safety reasons — as well as some of the salon’s other offerings, including eyelash extensions, waxing, facials and even licensed massages.

“We try to make this an experience,” says Timmy. “We want people to come in and go, ‘Wow, that is beautiful.’ And then, our customer service completes the package.”

As for Touch Nail’s Covid-19 safety precautions, Timmy and Tiffany have continued what they already were doing in the first salon — Timmy called it “flawlessly clean, with all tools and surfaces constantly being sanitized” last year, before coronavirus — and takes it to another level. 

When you walk in, you are greeted by a sign asking you to walk to the back on the salon, where two sinks are set up for hand washing, which all customers are required to do. Masks are available for those who may have forgotten theirs, and hand sanitizer also is readily available.

Once you are ready to go, Touch Nail Spa offers a complimentary beverage with every service, such as water, soda or even wine, which is served in a chilled glass (limit one per adult customer with proper I.D.). Timmy also is proud of the extra touch of keeping the drinking glasses for customers in a glass cooler, keeping them free of dust and germs.

Although there are 32 stations for manicures, only every other one or two is in use, to create proper social distancing. And, plexiglass partitions separate the technicians from their customers, with enough room on the bottom to comfortably slide your hands through.

The pedicure chairs look as expensive as they are — which Timmy says is $4,500 a pop. And, he is quick to show you that he can walk in between each one.

“We don’t pile customers on top of each other,” he says. “Lots of room here.”

There are 22 pedicure chairs in all, which can accommodate big groups or parties in non-pandemic times (or socially-distanced groups currently).

The chairs are a soft brown leather, and the foot baths are colored gold and have adjustable leg rests. As an extra layer of protection, the foot baths are covered by a disposable plastic liner held in place by elastic, preventing the spread of foot fungus and bacteria.

“Between each customer, we sanitize and clean the chair and the liner goes in the trash,” Timmy says. “It’s very clean.”

While the pandemic has been particularly hard on salons, Timmy says he still has roughly 45 employees in Wesley Chapel and, as business ramps up, New Tampa will probably have the same. For now, he has brought some of his best technicians, all of whom are State-licensed in cosmetology, over for the launch of the New Tampa Touch Nail Spa. “Our customer service is what sets us apart,” Timmy says. “They love what they do. They know how to make the customers happy. We listen to them, and they leave happy.”

A variety of spa manicures and pedicures are offered, and even the “Simple Touch” pedicure (just $27) includes a callus treatment, pineapple sugar scrub, hot towel wrap and lotion massage, along with nail trimming and shaping, buffing and cuticle grooming.

For an even more spa-like experience, a variety of “Hot Touch” and “Organic Touch” pedicures are offered ($47-$62). These include a hot stone massage for your legs and feet, plus additional treatments — such as specialized exfoliation for the bottom of the feet and a mask for legs and heels. Timmy says the Orange Burst and Milk & Honey pedicures are among his most popular. 

Touch Nail Spa also offers discounted prices for children under the age of 11.

You can add additional services like French and gel polish, or dipping power, acrylic nails and nail design.

The new Touch Nail Spa has “every color” of nail polish, as well as state-of-the-art pedicure chairs. Your safety is always at the forefront at Touch Nail Spa, where all surfaces are sanitized regularly and nail techs wear masks and gloves and are separated from their manicure clients by plexiglass shields.(Photos by Charmaine George)

 And, just like at the Wesley Chapel location, the color choices are seemingly limitless. Touch Nail Spa carries roughly 1,700 colors, available in both regular polish and gel, giving you access to 3,400 bottles of colors. For those who prefer dipping powders, which add a layer to your nails that is as strong as acrylic but healthier for your nails, there are 2,000 choices.

“We have every color,” Timmy says.

Touch Nail also offers deals for its customers. Timmy says if you come in on your birthday and purchase two services, you’ll receive 50-percent off the more expensive service. You must show ID that it is your actual birthdate, as the offer is not valid any other day.

The salon also offers a new customer reward program. Upon arrival, sign in on one of Touch Nail’s iPads, and register for your free membership. Rewards members receive 1 point for every dollar spent, and when you reach 500 points, you receive $25 off a pedicure service.

You also can now purchase e-gift cards for both locations online at the spa’s website, TouchNailAndSpa.com.

There are more than 50,000 nail salons in the country, and many are barely surviving due to the dangers presented by Covid-19.

Timmy says his two locations aren’t immune to the pandemic’s reach, but unlike other salons, Touch Nail’s many layers of safety protocols allow the spas to offer the level of social distancing that your typical strip center salon can’t.

The New Tampa Touch Nail Spa (8630 Hunter’s Village Rd.) is open Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sun. Walk-ins and appointments are welcome. The Wesley Chapel Touch Nail (27233 S.R. 56) has the same hours as New Tampa.

To make an appointment at either location or for more info or call (813) 973-4111 or see the ad on pg. 18.