When I lived in Manhattan, New York, in the 1980s, my apartment was a couple of blocks from the original TGI Fridays on 1st Ave. Not only was it the location where Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown served drinks in the movie โCocktail,โ it also was a truly great non-chain restaurant.
Then, when I moved to Tarrytown, NY, one of the first TGI Fridays franchises opened and I was disgusted by the โchain-ingโ of this fabled eatery. My favorite potato skins on earth went from giant, crispy spuds filled with real cheddar cheese and topped with crumbled hunks of real bacon to mini-potatoes with low-quality American cheese and fake bacon bits. I swore to never visit a Fridays again.
But, when the Fridays on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Highwoods Preserve opened nearly two decades ago, I still visited fairly frequently, as it often had live music, a hoppinโ bar and the food seemed better than it was in Tarrytown, even though the potato skins were still less than overwhelming.
So, I wasnโt surprised to hear that the New Tampa Fridays was one of nearly 50 to close its doors on Oct. 24 (see notice, above), following a purge of 36 locations in January, leaving the chain with 164 remaining links and the parent company reportedly ready to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.ย
Hopefully, something good will replace Fridays in this prime BBD location, but can a mom-&-pop even afford to move in there?
The better news is that zip code 33647 is about to get its just desserts, as Nothing Bundt Cakes (NBC) will open a location about eight miles south of its popular location in The Shops at Wiregrass. Although NBC is limited to moist bundt cakes with amazing icing, it will still be a better choice in the former Subway location next to China City in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.
The most interesting news is that Cookie Plug, which also is getting ready to open in The Grove at Wesley Chapel (next to the Ice Dreammm Shop), also is getting ready to open in the former Weight Watchers location about 11 miles to the south in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza.
We had no further information as to when NBC or Cookie Plug were expected to open, but we will keep you posted. โ GN
Everglow Jewelry in Tampa Palms is owned by Kayla & Derrick Pyke.
When Derrick Pyke and his wife Kayla (top photo) moved from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, to Tampa, Derrick already had years of experience, first working in his fatherโs jewelry manufacturing business and then in a retail jewelry store they had opened together.
After moving to this area, Derrick first worked โfor a few yearsโ as a store manager for another jewelry business in Tampa before going into finance for the last couple of years. โThen, I decided I wanted to get back into jewelry but I wanted to do it my own way again,โ Derrick says.
The result is the new Everglow Jewelry, located at 17032 Palm Pointe Dr., in the former location of GPS Pools in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms (at the end nearest to Stonewood Grill &Tavern).
One thing Derrick says that sets Everglow apart from any of its local competition is that other than his own custom-made designs (more on those below), there is only one brand sold in the store โ Kendra Scott, which specializes in items for (primarily) $100 or less, making the brand perfect for everyone from young girls to โfull-grown women,โ he says. โWe even have grandmas buying Kendra Scott for themselves, too.โ
Kendra Scott is the primary brand of popularly pricedjewelry at Everglow Jewelry in Tampa Palms.
He adds that, โYou kind of have to be picked by Kendra Scott to carry the brand. We are one of only two stores in Tampa that carry it.โ
Everything else in the store, Derrick says, โare either pieces Iโve designed and created myself or I can. Our big thing at Everglow Jewelry is custom design. Let me make something for you in the size and color you want, with the metals and stones you choose. When you do that, you donโt need a ton of samples or display cases in the store.โ
Derrick notes, however, that if you want something simple and donโt want to have to wait to receive it, โI do have catalogs I can show you or we can look on the internet together so you can find and order pieces that arenโt custom-designed, too.โ He adds that even if you see something you like in a catalog or online, โI can usually get you a better price if I custom-design something similar, exactly the way you want it.โ
And, best of all, he says, โUnlike most places that do custom, since I do the work myself, I donโt charge a custom-design fee. I price everything as though you found something in a case, loved it and wanted to buy it.โ
As for lead time, Derrick says that custom pieces can take โfrom a few days to several weeks,โ depending upon the design, the number of stones, etc. โWe usually start with a hand drawing and then a computer-aided design. We can even create it as a 3D-printed wax first for you.โ
He also is proud to be one of the only stores in the area to carry a laser welder, โbecause a lot of colored stones canโt handle the heat of using a torch. It changes their color.โ
Everglow also offers laser-welded, โpermanentโ jewelry, so be sure to ask Derrick about that, as well as his on-site jewelry repairs.
For more info, call (813) 561-0055 or visit EverglowJewelry.com and please tell Derrick that I sent you!โ GN
Everglow is a less-packed jewelry store than most in our area.
Franchise owner Khaled Alhamzawi is a long-time New Tampa resident who brings his Gotcha Covered of Central Tampa showroom to your home. (Photo by Charmaine George)ย
Local franchise owner says most people who call his Gotcha Covered of Central Tampa franchise say theyโre looking for blinds for their homes. But, many are surprised to discover that blinds are actually not what they really wanted, as thereโs actually a whole array of window coverings available from Gotcha Covered that have so much more to offer.ย
โBefore I became a Gotcha Covered franchise owner, I didnโt know how many options there were,โ Khaled admits. โBut the options are unlimited.โ
While custom blinds come in many varieties โ from aluminum to vinyl to wood and much more โ are cordless and can be motorized, people sometimes find what they really want are custom shades or even shutters, both of which also are available in a wide variety of options.
โUsually people are looking at style, functionality and price,โ Khaled says. โItโs always about finding what the customer is looking for.โ
Khaled launched his Gotcha Covered franchise six months ago. The company has been franchising since 2009 and currently has more than 170 locations in the United States and Canada, including 28 in Florida.
Although his franchise is labeled โCentral Tampa,โ Khaled is able to serve clients anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, including all of our readers in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.
He has worked in leadership at a national corporation for more than a decade, but says he wanted to move in a new direction for his familyโs future.
โIn the corporate world, weโre constantly being asked to do more with less,โ he says, sharing one difficult time when his company let go of 2,500 employees. He says that also made his job feel less secure.
โI wanted to change my career,โ he says, โand choose something to build for myself.โ
For Khaled, who migrated to the U.S. from Syria 24 years ago, owning his own business feels like the fulfillment of the American dream. He and his wife have three boys โ ages 16, 12, and 11 โ and have lived in Tampa Palms for the last 12 years.
Khaled says he enjoys remodeling and has done renovation projects on property that he owns, so when he learned about Gotcha Covered, it seemed like a good fit.
Before launching his business, Khaled completed extensive training to ensure he was fully equipped to help all customers โ residential and commercial โ with all of their window covering needs.
In addition to training from Gotcha Covered, the vendors he uses require that he completes courses to become certified to sell their products.
For larger projects or those that require a special touch, Khaled says he will collaborate with interior designers.
Gotcha Coveredโs custom window treatments include blinds, shades, shutters, draperies and curtains.
โOur window treatments are custom-made, so theyโre not something youโre buying off the shelf from a retail store,โ Khaled says. โThey fit the style of your home and are made specifically for that window in that home.โ
Customer Rama Al Ghannam offered this 5-star review on Google: โI consulted with Gotcha Covered of Central Tampa for drapes in my formal living and dining spaces. I am very pleased with the results and the experience was seamless, beginning to end. Great customer service and high quality products! I will be using them again to install shades in my guest bedroom!โ
Todayโs Big Trends
Meanwhile, Khaled explains that automation is something thatโs big in window treatments these days. Customers can control their shades using Alexa, Google Home, or even their smartphones.
โProgramming your window coverings is trendy in this day and age,โ he says. โPeople are looking for โsmartโ everything.โ
For example, he says, if you have a window where you get a lot of sun throughout the day and it gets too warm, you can put up a shade and program it to cover the window just for the times when the sun is beating down, having it automatically roll out of sight in the evening so you can enjoy the view.
This helps keep the room cool and allows families to avoid overtaxing their air conditioning units and save on their electricity bills.
An option Khaled says not many people know about is a dual shade with a roller that actually includes two shades โ one to protect from the sun and one for design. You can have them both up or both down, or one up and one down, or vice versa.
Gotcha Covered offers curtains and drapes, too. โShades are trendy nowโ Khaled says, โbut people often do side panels, rather than full draperies.โ
He says shutters are very common in Florida because they last many years and donโt go out of style.
โThey become part of the structure of the home and can last 10, 15 or even 20 years,โ he says.
Also popular are outdoor motorized screens for those patio areas that arenโt enclosed by a pool cage. Motorized screens go in tracks that allow families to enjoy their outdoor spaces while blocking some heat and intense light, while also limiting bugs, debris from trees and dirt.
He says these screens are especially popular not just with families, but also at restaurants with outdoor seating areas.
For anyone interested in learning more about products and options or what Gotcha Covered could customize for in your home or business, Khaled offers a complimentary in-home consultation.
โWe bring the showroom to you,โ he says. โThat is an advantage over visiting a store. You want to look at the fabric and colors in your home so you can see if they match your furniture or paint.โ
Once youโve selected the perfect products to meet your needs and fit your budget, everything is measured, ordered and then installed, usually just two to three weeks later, by expert installers who ensure a perfect, custom fit and can help with any smart options.
โI enjoy working with people, explaining the different options that are available, giving them design tips, and explaining how to choose the right product for them,โ Khaled says. โIโve found it to be a very rewarding experience making homes nicer and more beautiful.โ
Ricc Rollins, the owner of Riccardoโs Menswear, recently opened a new store in West Tampa.
โGotcha Covered came in and assessed what we needed,โ says Ricc. โI was very pleased that Khaled worked within our budget and was not trying to upsell us.โ
Ricc explains that he had a list of wants and Gotcha Covered met all of them.
โWe needed our window coverings to be energy efficient, in a color that was fashionable but not take away from the aesthetic of the historic building weโre in, and cost effective [for someone] opening a new business,โ says Ricc. โKhaled checked all the boxes. He lives up to his name. He made sure all my bases were covered.โ
Gotcha Covered offers a free in-home consultation. For more info call (813) 787-5550 or schedule an appointment online at GotchaCovered.com/Central-Tampa.
When Angela Silva called our office a week or before Hurricane Helene hit, the first thing that stood out to me was her New Yawk accent. Thatโs not always so important to me, but when that accent is telling you that her and her husband Hiram (photo below) had just opened a โnew caw-fee and New Yawk bagel place called Silvaโs Coffee Grindโ (on S.R. 54, in a tricked-out trailer in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply at 34100 S.R. 54), I was suddenly even more interested in what she had to say.
The week after Helene decimated the Gulf coast, Jannah and I went to sample what the Silvas had to offer.
And, we both came away impressed. The coffee is delicious (they get their espresso for their cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos & espresso affogatos from Coffee Latitudes) and the bagels? Oy! Legit!
โWe import them from New Yawk,โ Hiram says, โbut I wonโt tell you where from because I know youโre gonna write about it and I want us to be the only place that has them.โ
I, of course, had my bacon, egg and Swiss cheese on a toasted everything, while Jannah opted to have her bacon, egg and cheddar on a toasted croissant. Both yum.
By the time of our next visit, a few days before Hurricane Milton hit, Angela was making sure they could get an ad in this issue of the paper and I prom- ised I would tell 105,000 or so of my closest friends in Wesley Chapel a little bit about them.
We opted for a lunch sandwich this time โ a delicious turkey BLT on a toasted plain bagel, with lettuce, tomato and Angelaโs zesty homemade pesto cream sauce. โI like it on everything,โ Hiram says. And, who could argue with him?
Hiram, who does the on-site cooking, is all about giving the people outstanding breakfast and lunch items at a fair price and he is planning to expand the menu offerings in response to peopleโs requests. As seen in the ad below, Silvaโs Coffee Grind also features iced coffee, cold brew, iced lattes and frappes, hot and cold teas, including green tea matcha, flavored iced teas and lemonades, bursting boba tea drinks and even smoothies and sorbets โ all from that one little trailer? Ya gotta try it, yo!
Silvaโs Coffee Grind is open Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. & 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sat. For more info, search โSilvas Coffee Grindโ on Facebook or@Silvas.Coffee.Grindโ on Instagram. โ GN
PTR & PPRโs 23,000+ Professional Coaching Members In 127 Countries Now Call Saddlebrook Resort Home!
(Above, l.-r.) Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) & Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) CEO Peter Hurley,PTR Board Chair Lynne Rolley, Saddlebrook VP of International Sports Patrick Farrell, PTR Vice-ChairMartin van Daalen, Floridaโs Sports Coast Marketing & Comm. Dir. Raul Nardi, PTR COO Brian Parkkonen& USTA Senior Dir. Craig Jones cut the ribbon at Saddlebrook Resort.
Why is it such a big deal that Saddlebrook Resort is now the new home of both the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR)?
Well, for one thing, the 125-year-old PTR has moved its headquarters for the first time in 40 years, from Hilton Head, South Carolina, according to PTR Board Chair Lynne Rolley, who opened the festivities at the Grand Opening and ribbon-cutting event for PTR and PPR at Saddlebrook on Sept. 24. โWe made this significant move to relocate here to Saddlebrook Resort and we are just so excited,โ Rolley said. โToday marks the beginning of an incredible journey for us. Saddlebrook has always been a leader in the tennis community.โ
She noted that Saddlebrook has, โtrained so many Grand Slam champions, including Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, John Isner, Marty Fish, Lisa Raymond, Martina Hingis, Mary Pierce, Justine Henin and about 20 more. Some of our great coaches from Saddlebrook, sitting right here, have been responsible for that success.โ
Rolley also said this about Saddlebrook: โThis state-of-the-art facility will become a hub for developing coaches, empowering athletes and fostering a community thatโs passionate about the growth of tennis and pickleball.โ
Of course, those who have been responsible for PTR and its now 23,000 members under one umbrella (including 10,000 PPR members) in 127 countries have always been passionate about tennis and, for the last six years, pickleball.
Accredited by the United State Tennis Association (USTA), PTR offers globally-recognized certifications for tennis instructors and is the largest membership organization in the world for certifying tennis coaches.
And, with pickleball, still acknowledged as the fastest-growing sport in the country, PPR, which was founded in 2018, has grown exponentially and has been a big contributor to the 20% growth of PTRโs overall membership from 19,000 in a little more than a year.
โWho knows,โ Rolley said, โWe may soon train a Grand Slam champion in pickleball here.โ
Rolley then introduced PTR Vice-Chair Martin van Daalen and called up PTR and PPR CEO (and new Wesley Chapel resident) Peter Hurley to the microphone.
Hurley first thanked Rolley and said that her hard work also has helped Saddlebrook groom many of its long list of professional tennis champions and, โalong with Martin, helped bring PTR and PPR here to Wesley Chapel.โ
Saddlebrook VP Of Intl. Sports Patrick Farrell
Hurley joked that the day of the Grand Opening, โmarks my seventh day on the job as CEO of PTR and PPR, although I feel as though Iโve been here for a lifetime.โ
He added, โThis is a monumental day for our organization. I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our passionate members and to our โpicklers,โ who are out here enjoying the day with Sarah (Ansboury, the managing director of PPR and a five-time U.S. Open Pickleball champion), our dedicated staff and Board of Directors and the entire Saddlebrook community for the warm welcome you have given us. We look forward to engaging members, developing content, education and curriculums and events that will drive visitors to the Saddlebrook area.โ
Hurley then introduced Patrick Farrell, the VP of International Sports at Saddlebrook. โPatrick has an amazing team here,โ Hurley said. โHe also oversees the operation of the Saddlebrook Preparatory School, one of the most prestigious golf and tennis academies in the world. Pat has held many key leadership positions at top resorts across America, but most important to me is that heโs also a great guy, a class act and a phenomenal partner.โ
Farrell welcomed everyone to Saddlebrook and thanked both the ownership group of the resort (Mast Capital) and Floridaโs Sports Coast (Pascoโs destination management organization), โbecause without them, this really couldnโt have transpired.
Their support and what they do to bring sports tourism to Pasco County is unsurpassed in this industry. The work that they do helps support the tourism business here. The impacts for not just racquet sports but the hospitality business in this area and the impacts for the community are immense.โ
He also noted that, โThanks to Floridaโs Sports Coast, we have people moving into the area to be team members of PPR and PTR, plus all of their events and programming throughout the year. So, itโs extremely exciting to have them as a partner for the long term. They are helping to take Saddlebrook to new heights and restoring it to its past grandeur. Our entire staff is extremely excited to partner with PTR and PPR and look forward to a great future.โ
Next up was Raul Nardi, the marketing & communications director for Floridaโs Sports Coast., who said how excited the countyโs tourism office was to have PTR and PPR moving to Saddlebrook. โWe know this move will have a profound impact on our tourism,โ Nardi said, โand Saddlebrook is renowned for its beautiful amenities and world-class tennis facilities. And, with the addition of PTR and PPR, we can expect an influx of visitors, coaches and sports enthusiasts to the region. These guests will not only fill our hotel rooms, but also dine at our restaurants, shop at our stores and visit our multiple attractions that our beautiful county has to offer.โ
Nardi added that Pasco County officials also are excited about the, โeconomic impact that all of these visitors and different events, tournaments and championships that are coming into our county [will bring]. Itโs going to create jobs, drive revenues, encourage investment in the area and we expect it to have a ripple effect and bring still more visitors to our area. Weโre just thrilled to see this flourish and come to fruition.โ
Then, Hurley introduced USTA senior director of coaching Craig Jones, noting that โThe USTA is a vital partner to PTR and PPR. Craig is responsible for developing coaching resources, workshops and accreditation. He is a certified PTR Professional and a USTA high-performance coach.
Prior to coming to USTA, Craig spent 25 years as a club owner, a director and a junior developer working with young players from novice through international champion.โ
Jones said, โWe want to welcome PTR to the great tennis state of Florida.โ He mentioned that the USTAโs own National Campus is located in Orlando, โSo, how great is it to have these two amazing facilities within 80 miles of each other? The USTA also is looking forward to more collaboration with PTR in the future.โ
Hurley, van Daalen,Rolley, Farrell, Jones & Parkkonen celebrate PTR & PPRโs new home at Saddlebrook with a champagne toast.
Hurley also thanked Brian Parkkonen, the Chief Operating Officer of PTR. โBrian has been juggling multiple responsibilities to facilitate our move from Hilton Head while also helping me get up to speed in the last seven days.โ
He also mentioned that Parkkonen has more than ten years of service to PTR. โBrian has played a pivotal role in advancing education pathways and developing innovative programs, including the PTR education dashboard and advancing the PPR pickle- ball certification curriculum.โ
Parkkonen then said, โYouโve heard about all of the exciting things that are going to happen with PTR and PPRโs headquarters being relocated here to the beautiful Saddlebrook Resort. Weโre excited about the impact that these organizations are going to have on Saddlebrook, as well as Pasco County. The question becomes now, โHow do we deliver this exceptional service?โ It gives me great pride and honor to introduce the staff thatโs going to be driving our initiatives here at Saddlebrook. As many of you know, putting together an exceptional team is not an easy task.โ
He noted that it takes time, โto identify those who have the right skill sets, that have a passion for their sports โ whether that be tennis, pickleball, padel, platform tennis, etc. โ that have a generational perspective, in that we have individuals from multiple generations, all with the same goal of really providing an exceptional experience for our members.โ
Parkkonen also quoted former NBA coach Phil Jackson, who said, โThe strength of a team are the individual members of the team. The strength of the individual members is the team. And I think that what weโve had the opportunity to put together at PTR and PPR is truly an exceptional team.โ
He added that โNot only are PTR and PPR bringing a successful business to Saddlebrook.
Weโre bringing exceptional individuals who will be contributors to the community. And, I donโt think most staffs have over 125 years of experience on their team, but we do.โ
Parkkonen then introduced both the team relocating to Saddlebrook โand those who will be working remotely as well โ (PPR managing director) Sarah Ansboury, (VP of special events & pickle-ball) Julie Jilly, (international director) Inaki Balzoa, Michael Baumgarten and (event coordinator) Dimitri Vlassov).โ The remote folks Parkkonen thanked included (PTR membership director) Helma Capp, (PTR marketing manager) Caitlyn Fries, (PTR director of education and diversity) Milena Vidos, (PTR membership coordinator Sanaz Marand, (PPR membership services) Melanie Beckler. Then, there was a champagne toast to end the festivities.
