Nibbles & Bites: New KRATEs Now Open & Coming Soon, Plus Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli

Although I never actually saw it close, The Fry Room at the KRATE Container Park at The Grove was quickly replaced by Top That! Pizza & More, which serves NY-style pizza (top photo), plus Buffalo wings and many of The Fry Room’s tasty fried chicken, fish and other specialties (but sadly, not the apple cider donuts). For more info, visit TopThatPizzaFL.com.

We also told you last issue that Valiart Jewelry was being replaced by Tutti Frutti Café. However, if you thought Tutti Frutti would be “just” a smoothie place, you (and I) were wrong. As it turns out, not only can you get a great smoothie there, Tutti Frutti also offers fresh organic juices and a variety of fresh fruit “sushi” and other platters. Even just the fresh fruit case (left photo) will make you want to go sample it. For more info, visit Tutti-FruttiCafe.com.

Likewise, we were sad to see the Computer Emergency Room location in the KRATEs — which is owned by TrebleMakers (see pg. 32) co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess — close (they replaced my cracked iPhone screen while I waited during the KRATE Grand Opening event last year). 

But, when you see what Computer ER’s replacement — Paleta Mia — will have to offer when it opens sometime next month, let’s just say that it’ll surely soften the blow.

Mojo Grill (also in the KRATEs) owner Luis Ledezma says that Paleta Mia will offer truly gourmet, hand-crafted fresh fruit ice pops with a variety of toppings, but what really caught my eye were Paleta Mia’s unique waffle pops (right photo), many of which are chocolate-dipped, and also with a variety of toppings. So much for the diet! “We believe the price points at Paleta Mia will appeal to many people,” Luis says, “and the pops are definitely Instagrammable!” For more info, visit “PaletaMia_icepops” on Facebook.  

Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli

For those seeking unique options outside of the KRATEs, we’ve also waited until we had more info about Mac’s Custom Meats + Deli, which is now open in the northern anchor spot of the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd., before we told you about it.

Mac’s, named for owner and and grilling fanatic Daxton McLochlin (left photo), sells top-quality Angus steaks, plus delicious baby back ribs and other pork and chicken options. But for me, having a new deli so close to where we live carries the most appeal. 

For a variety of delicious pressed Cubans (including the excellent roast beef Cuban, with freshly sliced roast beef, shown here), grilled burgers and delicious deli meat and tuna & egg salad sandwiches, check out Mac’s, which opened just after we went to press with our April 18 Wesley Chapel issue.

“We’ll make your lunch and provide everything you need to grill your dinner,” Daxton says. He even sells his own line of Mac’s sauces to enhance your grilling experience.

For more info, call (317) 509-8798. 

Former Saddlebrook GM To Open Community Café By June 15!

Former Saddlebrook GM Pat Ciaccio’s new ‘Passion Project’ will provide career opportunities for the developmentally disabled. (Photos and rendering by Charmaine George)

Pat Ciaccio says that before Saddlebrook Resort was sold last year to Mast Capital, it was providing a safe haven where intellectually and developmentally disabled adults could work and be accepted.

The former long-time Saddlebrook general manager says that all the years that he worked for the resort’s founder and owner Tom Dempsey, “were very good to me and my family and I knew that what I really wanted to do was give something back and do something to help people with special needs.”

Above is a rendering created by Neighborhood News multimedia specialist Charmaine George which superimposes over the current construction site what the various areas of the Community Café will resemble. 

Ciaccio says he was building on the good work Saddlebrook started when he came up with the idea for his new nonprofit passion project — which he calls the Community Café, located in the 3,200-sq.-ft. former Keeps Carpet Store building on S.R. 54, less than a half-mile west of Morris Bridge Rd. 

“The Community Café will create welcoming spaces and provide workforce training opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Ciaccio says. “I know there are other businesses that hire the developmentally disabled, including Publix, but we want to do even more to help them. We want to train them so they can not only have a job, but actually move up to management positions. Nearly our entire staff of 30-35 employees (when it opens) will be people with these special needs who normally find it difficult to find a job.”

Raised in New Jersey, Ciaccio says his family background spans more than five generations of leaders in the hospitality industry. He says the Community Café will be home to a gourmet coffee bar and also will sell ice cream and smoothies (see rendering, right). The Café also will feature a retail shop selling T-shirts, coffee mugs and other branded merchandise. He says he has visited several other businesses around the country with similar concepts, including Rise & Nye’s in Sarasota. 

Pat Ciaccio outlines his vision for the Community Café’s event center.

And finally, there is an 1,100-sq.-ft. private event space that will feature artwork (that will be for sale, with all sales proceeds going to the artists) rotating quarterly by intellectually and developmentally disabled professional artists affiliated with Art4All. He says there will be entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights featuring performers with special needs. He adds that the event space will be available for use by community organizations.

Best of all, each area of the Community Café will have its own “team leader” among the “Shining Stars,” which is what all of the employees will be called. Only Ciaccio himself and the Café’s top management will not have special needs.  

The Shining Stars will deliver a high-quality food and beverage experience with exceptional guest service in a tranquil, family-oriented, decompressing, “Team Greater Than Me” environment.

Ciaccio says that his goal is to provide cohesive and inclusive workforce training that will offer advancement opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“We truly are looking to change the current narrative about special needs adults from awareness to education,” he says. “The narrative must be changed.” 

Ciaccio isn’t alone in his passion to help those with special needs. 

“I am in partnership with Katbrat Studios (which specializes in digital media and content creation), John Lombardo Coaching & Consulting and The Leyda Group (which specializes in leadership coaching and human resources consulting).

The Community Café also will be led and mentored by a five-person Board of Directors: Dr. Alexis Dempsey-Doyle, Jodi Gordon, Wasim Kayal, Seth Ravenna and Dr. Mohamad Saleh.

“We plan to connect the community through educational workshops and podcasts in the Café’s event center while providing an exceptional food and beverage experience,” Ciaccio says.

As though he’s not already busy enough, Ciaccio, Tom Dempsey and Erik and Seth Ravenna also are opening Johnny C’s Italian Eatery on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, in the former Precinct Pizza location. 

Get More Info On Apr. 18!

Although Ciaccio says he anticipates that the Community Café will open on or around June 15, he and his leadership team will host a News Conference that will be open to the entire local community, as well as the media. The event will be held on Tuesday April 18 (the day many of you will receive this issue in your mailbox), at 11 a.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel (26640 Silver Maple Pkwy.). Ciaccio says he thanks Hilton Garden Inn GM Charlie Whiteacre for graciously agreeing to host this event.

“I also would like to thank all my partners and community members who already have reached out to lend support,” Ciaccio says. “It takes a village but together, I know that we can change the narrative!”

For more information, visit CommunityCafeFL.com.