Edward Jones Goes Big With New Office On Bruce B. Downs 

The team at the new Edward Jones office on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel includes (l.-r.) William Morales, Jimmy Tovar, office administrator Karn Weigel, Natalie Matos, office admin Cathy Giacinto, Paul Eliot & Scott Peterson. (Photos by Charmaine George)

The financial world is, for many, more precarious than ever these days.

Jobs and benefits are in flux, the stock market is all over the place, inflation is leaving a mark and the economy is either booming or teetering on destruction, depending upon who you ask.

Trying to decide how to shield your savings and investments from this potential storm isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. That’s why, when financial advisor William Morales is asked for one piece of advice, it’s this: come see us at Edward Jones.

“It doesn’t cost you anything, other than time,” says Morales, referring to Edward Jones’ free consultation. “That’s really it. That hour you sit down and talk with an Edward Jones advisor, you’ll get answers to questions you have and uncover questions that you never thought of yourself.”

At Edward Jones, a handful of financial advisors — Morales, Paul Elliott, Natalie Matos, Scott Peterson and Jimmy Tovar — are here to guide you from their new office on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., which opened earlier this year in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel across BBD from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. The new office’s Grand Opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held on May 6.

Edward Jones offers a wide range of financial services, advising clients on retirement and college savings, business plans, wealth strategies and investments, life, long-term care and disability insurance, annuities and credit.

“We do everything,” Morales said. “The core of what we do is planning. The investments, that hasn’t changed, but it’s all about how we’re connecting with clients and understanding what their goals are…we know there’s a lot of people out there who should be talking to us that aren’t, so making sure we have a presence in our community is a big part of why things are moving differently.”

Morales has had his office in Wesley Chapel for years and has lived here since 1998, but now, sharing a larger workspace with other advisors with different levels of experience, different backgrounds and from different places, is a boon to clients.

“At the end of the day, it’s what can we bring to the client experience?,” says Elliott, who has been with Edward Jones since 2012. “In a single office, maybe I have an idea I want to run by someone. I tell the client I’ll make a phone call or check with an email, to ask what do you think? That’s very different from calling one of the other advisors in the office and getting maybe a different point of view. I think that’s good for the client.”

While there are many services offered, the most common questions are about retirement, by those already retired or those just getting there.

At Edward Jones, the approach is to build a relationship with clients before money and investments are even discussed.

That’s because instead of promising what they can do for you, at Edward Jones, the advisors are more interested in what you see when you look into the future.

“What are you trying to accomplish?,” Matos says is often the first question. Once a client has laid out their own plan, the investments to get them there act as the vehicle.”

Peterson, a University of Pittsburgh graduate who has worked in financial services for more than a dozen years, says he will ask clients to close their eyes and describe how retirement might look.

“Where are you, who is with you, what are you doing and what are your plans for that day?, “ he says. “Tell me about it,” and, whether you are at the beach or in the mountains or babysitting your grandkids in another state, “there is no wrong answer. You tell me what you want it to look like, and then we’ll go from there.”

That is a message shared by every Edward Jones advisor. 

“When people ask what I do, my break-the-ice answer is I make dreams come true,” says Morales, smiling. “I’m kind of joking but I’m not, because it is really what I do. We spend a lot of time trying to uncover what someone’s goals are, and what their vision of the future is, and then we try to build a personal plan towards that goal. Everything we do revolves around the client’s needs and goals.”

And, everyone is different. Some clients have grand plans for retirement, others just want to make sure they have enough to live well, and there are thousands of points in between.

Every answer is different as well, depending upon the current situation of the client. The team at Edward Jones says they don’t shy away from the tough conversations, when a client’s vision of retirement is clouded by some current realities. 

“It’s powerful to tell a client, ‘I know you want to retire at this age but, according to the models, it’s not going to work…BUT, if we tweak this and change this up this look what happens,” says Tovar, a Wesley Chapel resident since 2003. “This is where we come in.”

Your Financial ‘Toolbox’

Edward Jones has a variety of answers for each situation.

“We’re not a one-trick pony,” Elliott says. “I like to think of myself as a contractor and I have a toolbox and no bias for any of my tools. I sit down with my clients like an architect and ask what are we going to build? If I only get to use my hammer that day, then that’s fine.”

And, because Edward Jones has no proprietary products or services, Peterson says there is no incentive to use a tool that may not be the best one. “The end result is the only thing that matters to us.”

That’s important to retirees and pre-retirees, who have a number of heady concerns when it comes to their respective futures. Things like health care costs (the No. 1 concern, according to most surveys), taxes, savings and investments are important issues. So, the toolbox has to be big.

At Edward Jones, financial advisors have Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations, and many of them have acquired further credentials, including the CFP (Certified Financial Planner), AAMS (Accredited Asset Management Specialist), CRPC (Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor), ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) and state insurance licenses, according to its website.

That level of service, says Matos, is why so many families keep coming back. She says generations of families have stuck with her over the years, and she hopes to build a similar long-lasting clientele in Wesley Chapel at Edward Jones.

“We care about people, we care about the community and that’s why we’re here,” says Matos, a University of South Florida graduate who has worked in the financial industry for 28 years.

“That’s the bottom line.”

Edward Jones is located at 2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 120, in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel. The new office’s hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. , and 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Friday. For more information, call (813) 991-7034 or visit EdwardJones.com.

Excellence In Eye Care At Costco Adds A Second Eye Doctor 

The addition of Dr. J. Carson Woolwine (left) to the practice of Dr. David Scamard (right) at Excellence in Eye Care at Costco means more hours and appointments for customers looking for great optometry service. (Photo: Charmaine George)

As life gets back to a more normal routine as the Covid-19 pandemic finally fades, independent Doctor of Optometry David Scamard, O.D., is pleased that his Excellence In Eye Care is growing. More and more patients are discovering and appreciating both his office’s convenience and, well, excellence.

Five years ago, Dr. Scamard moved his Excellence In Eye Care, LLC, to inside the Costco next to the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56. Prior to that, his office was located a couple of miles west off of S.R. 54 in Lutz.

Now, J. Carson Woolwine, O.D. — a 2016 graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry — has joined Dr. Scamard at the practice. 

The addition of Dr. Woolwine has led to expanded availability for appointments. Excellence in Eye Care is now open six days a week, where it previously was open only five. 

A second exam room also was outfitted, so that two patients can be seen simultaneously. Both exam rooms offer top-of-the-line equipment with state-of-the-art technology.

Offering the latest technology has always been important to Dr. Scamard. He and Dr. Woolwine use a high-tech retinal imager to view the internal structures of the eyes. They also use a digital refractor, which is faster, more accurate and more efficient than the old-style refracting devices. Many patients also like the digital refractor because they don’t usually have to have their eyes dilated.

All of the equipment is electronic and controlled by a computer. It ties in with the practice’s electronic medical records, too, for a streamlined and convenient patient experience.

Costco shoppers have gotten used to seeing Dr. Scamard over the last five years, but many of his patients have known him much longer. He opened his first private practice on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa in 2002 and has taken care of patients in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz and Land O’Lakes ever since.

Dr. Scamard earned his undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa and received his O.D. degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.

The combination of his decades of experience and commitment to keeping his practice on the cutting edge of eye care technology has allowed Dr. Scamard to help some patients when others couldn’t.

Mike Roth says he was born with an incurable virus in his right eye, but for most of the 29 years of his life, it didn’t really bother him. That all changed last year when he started having trouble with his left eye.

He went to his ophthalmologist, who couldn’t figure out the problem and sent him to a specialist. The specialist then sent him to another specialist, who sent him to an eye institute in Miami.  

Fortunately for Mike, he happened to be playing ultimate Frisbee with a teammate whose wife worked for Dr. Scamard. She told the doctor about Mike’s frustrating issue, and Dr. Scamard offered to take a look.

Although Mike did also see the specialist in Miami, he visited Dr. Scamard, too, and both doctors came to the same conclusion.

“It turns out the virus had switched eyes and began to attack the optic nerve in the other eye,” Mike explains. Eventually, his retina detached, causing blindness, and he had to have surgery to repair it. The surgeon suggested he be fitted for contacts, which was basically a lifelong dream come true for Mike.

“I’ve worn glasses every day since I was five years old and no one would fit me for contacts because they weren’t sure how the virus would react,” says Mike. But, Dr. Scamard said he was a good candidate for contacts and was willing to help him. “That was something I was crazy excited for.”

Mike had his surgery a little over a year ago and has now been wearing contact lenses without any problems for eight months. 

“My experience (with Excellence in Eye Care) has been nothing short of incredible,” Mike says, explaining that Dr. Scamard found answers for him when many other doctors gave up. He also truly cared about Mike’s situation and his well-being. “Dr. Scamard has personally reached out to me a couple of times just to see how things are going.”

Scamard explains that he is able to help people like Mike — and many others — because he and Dr. Woolwine offer the latest innovations in contact lenses. 

“There’s even a contact now that helps prevent bacterial growth, which makes it healthier for the eye,” Dr. Scamard explains. “There has been a constant improvement in the technology and materials we have to work with.”

The entire process from eye exam to putting the glasses on your face or contacts in your eyes can be completed right there in Costco. You don’t need to be a Costco member to visit Excellence in Eyecare and have an exam, but you do need a membership to purchase your glasses and contact lenses from the wholesale giant’s extensive eyewear department, located right next to the office.

Get Those Eyes Examined!

Excellence In Eye Care currently is seeing many patients who have missed their annual eye exams due to the pandemic. Dr. Scamard encourages everyone who hasn’t had their eyes checked lately to make an appointment. 

“The health of your eyes is very important,” he says, “and we, of course, practice all the guidelines for protection to make sure our patients are safe and we’re safe, too.”

So, whether you’re in need of an annual eye exam or your first exam in a long time, Dr. Scamard and Dr. Woolwine invite you to visit their convenient location for top-notch care. 

“We always strive to make all of our patients happy and make the experience as pleasant as possible,” says Dr. Scamard. “We make sure their eyes are healthy and that they can see their best.”

Excellence In Eye Care is located inside the Costco at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr., on the south side of S.R. 56. The office is open Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays from 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m.–7 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. For more information, call (813) 279-7038 or visit ExcellenceInEyeCare.net.

Hopefully, The Doubters Will Continue To Give The KRATEs A Chance

Even before social media became a big thing, I had received criticism about my dining reviews not being “real” or that they are “pay for play” only. The fact is that when restaurants — or any businesses — advertise with us regularly, I do make sure we do a full-length dining or business feature story about those advertisers once each year.

Gary Nager Editorial

The vast majority of the restaurant stories we publish, however, are much smaller pieces — many (but not all of which are) in our “Nibbles & Bites” column near the back of every issue — that focus mainly on new openings, eateries that close and other dining news, whether they advertise with us or not.

That has never been more true than over the course of the past year, as the places to eat and drink have opened at the KRATE Container Park at The Grove. Although it’s been hard for even yours truly to keep up with all of those openings since Provisions Coffee & Kitchen opened last year, pretty much every restaurant that has opened at the KRATEs already has been featured in these pages. And, I have been proud to be the first to provide information about so many of these new places — all of which are mom & pop-owned, not chains. I also can’t explain just how excited I was about the Grand Opening event at the KRATEs on June 4 and not just because The Grove itself spends some money with us.

The bottom line is that even if you have read every one of our stories, you can’t really get a feel for how unique KRATE is or how hard the people who have opened in the container park have worked to get open and serve you without actually visiting them. 

Yes, I know some locals have posted unkind comments about some of the prices, slow service, the lack of shaded seating, the widely varying open hours and the parking at the KRATEs, but developer Mark Gold’s crown jewel of his complete revamping and expansion of The Grove is still really in its experimental phase, as many of the KRATE business owners are running their own businesses for the first time.

And, while each KRATE does have its own operating hours, pretty much all of them are open every weekend by no later than noon, so if you still haven’t checked them out and don’t want to be disappointed that the KRATE you were most excited to visit isn’t open on a Wednesday afternoon, I suggest planning to spend a weekend afternoon exploring all of the unique non-chain options you won’t find on S.R. 56, Dale Mabry or any major thoroughfare in the Tampa Bay area.

For those complaining about service issues, please recognize these facts: 1) many of the KRATEs are still brand new and learning how best to serve their greater-than-expected numbers of customers and 2) there is a serious labor shortage across this great country of ours. So, most KRATE owners and their families are providing the cooking and customer service themselves. Even the KRATEs that have been open for months are dealing with labor issues.

And, thankfully, since the whole shebang is opening during Florida’s hottest months, both the developer and the KRATE owners have started adding more outdoor seating with umbrellas (the tiki huts near the KRATE stage area are pretty cool-looking) for shade, since the air conditioned space inside even the larger repurposed shipping containers is still pretty limited. 

As for parking, as someone who recently had both knees replaced, not being able to park in the spaces directly in front of the KRATEs has definitely been an inconvenience, but a large parking lot between the south end of the container park and Outback Steak House was nearing completion as 8,000+ people descended upon the KRATE Grand Opening event on June 4. And, until that lot is open to the public, there are still plenty of pretty close spaces between the KRATEs and The Grove’s big box stores like Cost Plus World Market and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

As for the pricing of your favorite KRATE food and beverage items, I’m sure you’re aware that everything you’re buying at your local grocery store costs more now than it did even a year ago. I also hope you’ll take into consideration how much time, blood, sweat, tears and money has gone into getting the KRATEs open and that these owners are trying to recoup what they’ve shelled out — some for as much as three years, thanks to the pandemic.

The fact is that not every KRATE business open today or opening soon will still be in business six months, a year or more from now. One oft-quoted stat is that 95% of all new businesses don’t survive their first 1-5 years in business. But, I hope that this non-chain-starved community will support those who have worked so hard to bring you so many new and unique dining and shopping options.

So, please get out and visit the KRATEs and sample the Blush Wine Room, Tacos El Patron, Palani’s Hawai’i Noodles, Katie Beth’s Boutique and all the rest for yourself. 

Oh, and feel free to tell them I sent you, because, as of today, not one of them is advertising with us.

RADDSports Charity Hosts First 5K Run & Family Festival June 18!

Runners, take your marks!

Fresh off a successful first-ever Charity Golf Tournament at Lexington Oaks Golf Club last December, RADDSports Charity — the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the company running the programs at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County — will host its first-ever 5K Run and Family Festival at the Sports Campus on Saturday, June 18.

The event — which will benefit local youth athletes who couldn’t otherwise afford to participate in RADDSports’ programs at the Sports Campus — will kick off with a chip-timed (by FITniche Events) 5K road race at 7:30 a.m., with age group awards given to the race’s top finishers.

The cost to participate in the 5K is $30 (or $25 until June 17, for those using the code “RADD5” when they register) or $35 the day of the event, and all registered runners will receive a race T-shirt (although proper sizes can not be guaranteed for all participants).  

The 5K will be followed at 8:30 a.m. by a one-mile race, where the pre-race-day cost to participate is $15 (again, using the code “RADD5”) or $20 the day of the event. Event T-shirts (while supplies last) also will be given out to one-mile race participants. 

After the two races, at 9:30 a.m., there also will be a free 1/4-mile Kids Fun Run for children ages 10 & under. 

Family Festival All Morning!  

Also kicking off at 7:30 a.m. and lasting until noon will be a Family Festival, which will be free to all runners, and $2 for all non-runners.

The Family Festival will feature a variety of vendors (including Culver’s, shown at the top of this page), some of which will be serving food and beverages for free (including Smoothie King and others that had not been finalized at our press time), as well as a variety of free family-friendly activities (including games, music and more).

“We are excited to be hosting our first-ever RADDSports Charity 5K and Family Festival at the Sports Campus,” says RADDSports president & CEO Richard Blalock. “It’s a great way for us to offer a fun community event that will benefit the young athletes in need in our community.” 

Although the runs and Festival events will be held outside the Sports Campus, the on-site registration and restrooms for the event will be held inside the 98,000-sq.-ft. AdventHealth Sports Arena, which also will be open for anyone interested in touring the facility. The arena can be configured to include 8 full-court basketball courts or 16 full-sized volleyball courts, has a world-class cheerleading area and performance training for its athletes. Indoor soccer (aka “futsal”) also is offered inside the arena.

Blalock and the entire Board of RADDSports Charity also thank the event’s Champion Sponsor — Abdoney Orthodontics, as well as all of the event’s Corporate Sponsors — Parks Motor Group, Smoothie King of Wesley Chapel, Sana Dental Studio & Spa, Topgolf Tampa, Transform Solar and the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. Thanks also go out to the 5K Route Sponsors — Ark Softwash, Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Community Foundation and McNamara Health & Wellness and In-Kind Sponsors Coca-Cola Beverages Florida and Pepin Distributing Co.

For more info or to pre-register for the event, visit RADDSportsCharity.org, email Charity@RADDSports.com or see the ad (right). For last-minute sponsorship/vendor opportunities, email Jannah@RADDSports.com.—GN