PeppaJak Is Already Open In Former Bacon Boss HQ Spot At The KRATEs 

We were saddened to see that The Bacon Boss HQ, one of the original — and most popular — restaurants to open in the KRATE at The Grove container park (at 5888 Grand Oro Ln., #112), had closed on March 30. 

In their Mar. 20 announcement on the Best of Wesley Chapel Facebook page, however, owners Christy and Joshua Norland did say that the Bacon Boss food truck will “continue to grow” and be available and that a new chicken concept food truck called Cluckology (photo left) also is in the planning stages, so at least the delicious burgers, hot dogs, fries, tots, chicken sandwiches and mac & cheese options so many of us have come to know and love will still be available now that the Bacon Boss HQ has closed. 

I did visit The Bacon Boss HQ one last time a few minutes before it opened on the day before it closed and there already was a family and two other people, all of whom said they were “fans” who were already waiting to order. 

At our press time, however, PeppaJak, a similar burger-&-chicken concept, was starting its soft opening in the former Bacon Boss space. 

Owned by my new friends Alex and Ashley, PeppaJak is the “Jak of All Kravz,” and based on my first visit, I think it’s an accurate description! 

Alex and Ashley also own an extremely popular PeppaJak location in Riverview, which also features “kravz” like Philly cheesesteaks, and steak Philly and Southwest chicken eggrolls. 

But, while not all of those menu items are available (at least, not yet) at the PeppaJak KRATE, the cheeseburger shown above was thick and juicy and the skin-on fries were crispy and not over-seasoned. Alex then gave me a small sample of two of the menu items that are available at the new location — crispy and delicious mac-&-cheese bites and some super-yummy boneless chicken tenders. I told Alex I don’t really do spicy (and they are available plain), but I really liked the sweet-&-spicy sauce he suggested! 

Alex says a new online ordering system should be available by the time this issue hits your mailbox, “and we’ll also have a new phone number for this location by then, too!” 

For more info about The Bacon Boss and Cluckology, visit “The Bacon Boss” on Facebook or call (813) 922-9290. For PeppaJak, visit PeppaJak.com or call (813) 374-5846. — GN

𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐚’𝐬 𝟑 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Saturday, April 12, 12 p.m.-3 p.m. at Radiant Wellness Spa (Brookfield Professional Park, 33905 S.R. 54, Suite #101, Wesley Chapel). There will be free food and wine tasting, raffles and special pricing for booking services at the event. For more info, call (813) 715-2099 or visit Radiant-Wellness-Spa.com.

Wanna Win a Pair of Tickets to a Lightning Playoff Game?

The weekend we went to press with this issue, the Tampa Bay Lightning had just clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs, which are scheduled to begin the weekend of April 19-20 — and it just so happens that the Neighborhood News will have a pair of tickets to every home playoff game this season, for the first time ever! 

Of course, that opening weekend is my next deadline weekend, so if the Lightning open Round 1 at home at Amalie Arena, Jannah and I will be unable to attend that first game — whether it will be held on Saturday the 19th or Sunday the 20th. 

Of course, if the Bolts start Round 1 on the road (and we probably won’t know what place the team will finish in the Atlantic Division, or who for sure they will play in Round 1, until the NHL season ends on Apr. 17), our area’s craziest Lightning fan (Jannah) and I would be able to attend. There also was still a possibility at our press time that the Bolts could finish first in the Atlantic, which means the team would receive a first round “bye” and wouldn’t start its playoff run until the second round. 

But, no matter how things shake out, we are going to give away our two (2) tickets to Playoff Game 1 with a fun online-only contest! All you have to do is visit CLICK HERE and tell us 1) Which restaurant in downtown Tampa is your favorite and why (in 50 words or less) and 2) Your favorite all-time Lightning player! We will select one winner and one alternate (in case the winner can’t use the Game 1 tickets, based on when it will be played). 

We also will be selling (with the permission of the team) our tickets to any games we can’t attend ourselves, as the Bolts try to advance to win the team’s fourth Stanley Cup, so anyone who wants to buy two tickets should call our office at (813) 910-2575 and leave a message with your name and phone number and we will call you back! 

These North Tampa Bay Chamber Members Recently Cut Ribbons! 

We continue to promote the ribbon-cutting events hosted by members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC). A recent one we attended was for Peak Brain & Body (2404 Creel Ln, #101, Wesley Chapel; below photo) on Mar. 11. 

Peak is the office of Family Nurse Practitioner and Chiropractic Physician Dr. Spencer Zimmerman, who moved with his family to our area from Idaho and is the only dual-licensed nurse practitioner/chiropractor using advanced neurological diagnostics, functional neurology, functional medicine and peptide therapy in Florida. 

For more info, call (813) 437-9630 or visit PeakBrainandBody.com. 

Our photographer Charmaine George also was on hand for the ribbon cutting at Jachimek Chiropractic & Wellness, located at 5111 Ehrlich Rd., Ste. 128, Tampa (Top Photo) on Mar. 20. Chiropractic physician Juliet Marvenko, or Dr. J, cut that Chamber ribbon. 

For more information, call (813) 960-2225 or visit JachimekChiro.com. 

And then, on Mar. 26, Tiny Tots Playtown (photo right & below), located at 24412 S.R. 54 in Lutz (in the Eagle Plaza, behind Brunchies), cut an NTBC ribbon. Owner Lauren Pratt introduced Chamber members to her super-cute, shoe-free (don’t forget to bring your socks) little indoor play center for young kids — which surely will be a welcome respite from Florida’s summer heat and rains, which are fast approaching. 

Tiny Tots can host kids parties and has gift cards and unlimited play opportunities available. 

For more info, call (813) 406-4124 or visit TinyTotsPlaytown.com. — GN 

County’s Revamped Cross Creek Park Is Now Open Next To Pride Elementary! 

Photos by Charmaine George

Congratulations to Hillsborough County, which has now opened the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant outdoor playground at the new Cross Creek Recreation Center, adjacent to Pride Elementary. 

Although the 16,000-sq.-ft. indoor rec center, with basketball courts, a fitness room and several multi-purpose classrooms/meeting rooms is not yet under way, the park’s new playground facilities are now open and, as you can see from the faces of the kids who came out after school at Pride ended on the day photographer Charmaine George visited, the new equipment is definitely welcome. 

County officials say that up next for the outdoor portion of the new $8.7-million rec center is some much-needed shade as we head into the scorching heat of Florida’s always-early summer season. 

In addition to the coverage of the playground area, Phase II of the park also will include rest rooms, a walking path, a covered pavilion and improvements to the outdoor basketball court. 

At our press time, we had not heard back from the county about when the indoor rec center will begin going vertical, but the last we heard, it was expected to open this fall. — Gary Nager