First, of course, there was Chick-fil-A. Then Popeyes. And PDQ. And Chick’n Fun. And King of the Coop. And Zaxby’s. And Slim Chickens. And Chicken Boss.
But now, Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy is expected to open sometime next month on the north side of S.R. 56. Raising Cane’s has started to go vertical on the south side of 56 (next to Rock & Brews). Hangry Joe’s is getting ready to open in the failed King of the Coop location on S.R. 54 in front of The Grove.
And, for those of you who prefer Korean-style fried chicken over anything American-made, Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken & Boba Tea will be open in the former location of FJ Express in the Shoppes at New Tampa at 1832 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (just south of S.R. 56) by the time this issue reaches your mailbox.
(And, for the record, Chicken Boss closed and has been replaced by Indian Street Kitchen).
Of course, when your restaurant boasts the name of the host of “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives,” expectations are likely to be higher than for most of the other newcomers, even though the closest existing Chicken Guy location to us — in Winter Park, FL, reportedly faced eviction last year for unpaid rent and another in Michigan closed. The good news is that the fast-food joint co-founded by the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Flavortown” has several new additions to its menu, including chopped salad, Buffalo mac & cheese and hot chicken tenders.
At the end of the day, Chicken Guy, Raising Cane’s and Hangry Joe’s are all just (primarily) fried chicken chains, so although I will try them all, anyone who has a slightly different concept is much more likely than the others to get my business on an ongoing basis. That’s why I plan to be on-site when Sweet Krunch opens on Sept. 12 (which is after this issue goes to press but before it hits mailboxes). I want to see if the fourth Florida Sweet Krunch location — with its parmesan zucchini fries, Korean-style chicken, shrimp or Bulgogi beef teriyaki bowls, Korean-style fried rice and even Japchae (stir-fry Korean glass noodles) — can keep me interested. For more info, visit SweetKrunchFL.kwick-menu.com or the Ballantrae location at 17788 Aprile Dr., Land O’Lakes.
Steak N Shake Opening Delayed Again
If you’ve been hankerin’ to try the original smashed steakburgers and delicious hand-spun milk shakes at the new Steak N Shake, located at 5542 Post Oak Blvd. (on Wesley Chapel Blvd., next to The Palms Car Wash), we’re sorry to say that as of today, it still isn’t open — but should be sooner than later.
Owner Todd Webb says the long-awaited new Steak N Shake was (finally) set to open on Sept. 23 (tomorrow), then again on Sept. 30, but still had its final inspection delayed as we went to press with our Oct 1 Wesley Chapel issue. For more info, visit SteakNShake.com or stop in at The Palms Car Wash.
The New Tampa Dance Theatre, located on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the Heritage Isles community), has been providing dancers of all ages in the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel area with professional instruction in many different dance disciplines. (All photos provided by Dyane Elkins IronWing)
For 30 remarkable years, the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT) on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the Heritage Isles community) has been a beacon of joy and artistic excellence, nurturing young dancers and helping them discover the transformative power of dance. Whether their students come with dreams of performing on the world’s grandest stages or simply to experience the joy of movement, NTDT is proud to offer a world class, professional and versatile program experience that is truly unmatched in the Tampa Bay area.
NTDT is the largest professional dance training facility in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Owner and Artistic Director Dyane Elkins IronWing is in her 30th season of creating dance memories and futures for her students, many of whom have gone on to study dance in college and/ or dance professionally.
“As always, I’m beyond proud of our students,” says Elkins IronWing. “Our dancers become excellent college students, with their impressive time-management skills, perseverance, and creative thinking. As we kick off our 30th Anniversary Celebration, we plan to continue giving back to our community with the ‘Pay It Forward’ program and offering all new students $25 per month tuition for every class!”
Growth Was Inevitable
With the bigger location built in 2006, eleven years after NTDT first opened, Elkins IronWing was off and running, offering smaller class sizes and larger, more varied schedules.
She says NTDT has an even larger pool of students today, with the ongoing explosive growth in Wesley Chapel, as well as in New Tampa.
“Our name might say New Tampa,” she says, “but our location is much closer to Wesley Chapel than one might assume. We are extremely convenient to all of the current growth (there). Wesley Chapel families are shocked when they discover just how close we are and excited about how quickly they can drive to our facility.”
Not Just For Future Pros!
NTDT caters to both the recreational dance lover (even adults) as well as the devoted pre-professional — and every level in between. The school’s leveled curriculum offers multiple art forms for students to explore. Through personalized attention and professional expertise, NTDT’s professional faculty strives to provide a positive educational experience.
Children ages 3-4 can participate in the school’s Early Childhood Program, ages 5-8 can take part in the Children’s Program and ages 9-18 are invited to join NTDT’s Youth Program.
In addition to classical ballet training, NTDT also offers full programs in creative movement, modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop.
Each program has its own directors and specific syllabuses guiding students in a structured manner through their studies.
The facilities at NTDT are as top notch as the instructors, and include maple flooring for the tap classes, 20-25-ft.-tall mirrored walls, student locker rooms and a large studio space that can accommodate up to 200 people.
Sprung floors provide shock absorption to protect the dancers’ joints and an on-site physical therapist ensures the health of the dancers. NTDT also features a café for a break, meal, or homework.
World-Class Credentials
NTDT has developed a reputation for creating strong, professional dancers with alumni who have moved on to highly respected dance companies, Broadway productions, national tours, and the Walt Disney Company.
Because NTDT students learn to be proficient in multiple art forms, they have an edge in the competitive world of dance and many of them have been accepted into prestigious summer intensive programs, including the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater in New York City, The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Cincinnati Ballet and the Boston Ballet.
“Reflecting on 30 years in our community, it’s beyond words the gratitude and love I have for the amazing people who have been a part of our dance programs and family,” says Elkins IronWing.
One local former student certainly agrees with that assessment. “I credit all of my success as a professional dancer to the foundational training I received at NTDT from ages 6-18,” says Victoria DeRenzo, who today is a professional dancer and choreographer who has toured internationally in 28 countries on four continents, most notably with the renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre in Washington Depot, CT.
“I loved every second of my experience growing up there,” DeRenzo adds, “but I had no idea how spoiled I was until I graduated. Not many people receive a top-notch dance education in multiple artforms during their lifetimes, let alone at the age of 6.”
If a student doesn’t choose to pursue a career in dance after high school, they can still reach a level of artistry to be accepted into many college dance programs, says Elkins IronWing.
“Believing in yourself, respecting the process of working towards a goal, and having a well-rounded dance education give our students the tools and confidence to continue discovering new passions throughout their lifetimes,” she says.
Participating In Productions
All students have the opportunity to perform in NTDT’s “Spring Production” and — through the studio’s nonprofit partner, the Dance Theatre of Tampa (DTT) — in the winter production of “The Nutcracker (photo below)” as well as the “Summer Concert Series,” held in June at the USF Tampa campus.
DTT provides more than 300 free tickets to NTDT’s corporate sponsors, local community supporters, alumni members and students.
New Tampa residents Brian and Trisha Mangan enrolled their daughters Mattie and Mikayla at any early age with NTDT.
“What began as tentative steps has blossomed into a journey of incredible growth, thanks to the dedicated and caring instructors,” Trisha says. “NTDT has not only shaped them into skilled dancers, but into confident and determined young women embodying the values of hard work and perseverance — attributes that extend far beyond the dance studio.”
Every holiday season, Elkins IronWing says local residents look forward to the community’s largest and longest-running interpretation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” now in its 25th DTT Anniversary season. This year, “The Nutcracker” will be performed Friday-Sunday, December 20-22, at the USF Tampa College of Arts Theater 1.
Prior to the on-stage performances at USF, DTT also will again perform “The Nutcracker Suite” on Saturday & Sunday, December 7-8, at 6, 7 & 8 p.m., at The Shops at Wiregrass.
“It’s all about the children at NTDT, always has been and always will be,” Elkins IronWing says. “We are a company that enables children to succeed. The key is setting high expectations, all while having fun and building self-confidence. With this 30th Anniversary celebration season ahead of us, we would like to thank all of our trusting and loyal families over the years and organizations that continually support our vision. Without their recognition and time, NTDT wouldn’t be the magical place it has become!”
The New Tampa Dance Theatre offers year-round free trial classes for prospective dancers of all ages. To tour the facility or to rent it for a meeting, party or function, visit NTDT at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. For more information and to check out the exciting lineup of Fall 2024 classes, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com or call (813) 994-NTDT (6838). You also can follow NTDT on Facebook and Instagram at “New Tampa Dance Theatre.”
Although it appears to be primarily catering to the USF crowd, the University Boba Tea House, located at 2828 E. Bearss Ave. (just west of BBD Blvd.), in the Palms Connection plaza, looks to be a pretty cool place.
I stumbled upon this still-under-construction tea room when I went to see if anything had yet been announced coming to the other empty spaces that formerly housed Woodfired Pizza, Bearss Tavern & Tap and Mint Cocktail Club, but no such luck, at least not yet.
A quick search of the UniversityBobaTeaHouseTampa.comwebsite reveals that not only will the new tea house offer 40 different types and flavors of hot and iced teas, as well as coffee, it also will feature a USF student art gallery and different activities every night, from trivia on Tuesdays, karaoke on Thursdays, Open Mic Night on Fridays and Band Night on Saturdays.
Although the exterior signage is already nicely done, a photo taken on Aug. 31 still showed a dirt floor inside, but we’ll keep you posted. — GN.
The former location of Super Hot Asian & BBQ and Fushia Asian Bistro before that in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms is now the third location of Dummy Crabby, which has been a success in the Wesley Chapel Village Market since it opened a few months ago.
Back in June, we told you about a new restaurant that opened in the Wesley Chapel Village Market on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at S.R. 54.
That was the second location of Dummy Crabby, which has already developed a cult following of sorts for anyone who loves fresh seafood in those boil-in bags, especially the buy-one-pound-get-the-second-pound-for-free offer on snow crab legs.
You get 1 lb. of snow crab free when you buy a lb. at the regular price of just $30.95. Dummy Crabby III also serves crisp sweet potato fries, ice cold beer & more.
The original Dummy Crabby is located on W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa, but there is now a Dummy Crabby III, located in the space at 15317 Amberly Dr. previously occupied by Super Hot Asian & BBQ and by Fushia Asian Bistro before that in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms.
Like the other links in this growing local chain, the newest Dummy Crabby also offers everything from clams, crawfish, scallops, black and green mussels, shrimp and even lobster tails and king crab legs in their seafood boils., all served with corn on the cob and potatoes. There also is a huge selection of lunch specials and combination meals, daily specials and raw and steamed oysters and wings. “Appetizers” include fried catfish, shrimp, scallops and oysters, three kinds of fries (French, Cajun and sweet potato), as well as a crab cake appetizer, mozzarella sticks and more.
And, in addition to soft drinks, there’s also a variety of bottled beers offered.
Dummy Crabby III is open every day from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (until midnight on Thursdays). For more information, call (813) 447-4465 or visit DummyCrabby.com and tell them that the New Tampa Neighborhood News sent you!.
Shake-A-Salad To Take Over For Island Fin Poké Co.?
In other news, the owners of Shake-A-Salad, the popular salad eatery at the KRATE at The Grove container park in Wesley Chapel, have announced that they are reviewing a lease for the space at 6417 E. County Line Rd. (at BBD) that previously was occupied by Island Fin Poké Co., in the Winn-Dixie-anchored plaza.
We mentioned before that a popular KRATE might be coming to the Island Fin space, but we couldn’t elaborate because it wasn’t a done deal or announced by the Shake-A-Salad owners (who also have a location on Little Rd. in New Port Richey)…until this recent Facebook post:
“We would love to hear additional feedback from our neighbors in the Chapel and New Tampa, as well as from members of the LA Fitness next door on whether we would be welcomed in this area.”
(Above) Kathy Gillespie of Stitch Happens can help you create unique Christmas stockings for your pets (right) and so much more. (All photos provided by Kathy Gillespie)
Kathy Gillespie never imagined her life would take such a creative turn. She began her journey as a skilled seamstress, crafting parachutes with precision and care. Kathy explained that alongside her late husband, Rob Jones, she “co-owned Morpheus Technologies, a business that combined our passion for skydiving with the art of making parachutes.” Together, they built a life filled with adventure and hard work. “But, when Rob passed away,” Kathy says, “I found myself at a crossroads, uncertain about the future of the business.”
As time went on, she began to feel the weight of her loss and the reality of aging. “I wasn’t sure,” she explains, “if I wanted to continue running Morpheus Technologies full time, especially since I knew I wouldn’t be jumping out of planes as often as before.” Little did she know that a new passion was just around the corner, waiting for her to take a different kind of leap.
In 2011, the couple who owned the business that embroidered their parachutes had mentioned that they were thinking about retiring. The couple asked Kathy if she would be interested in purchasing the business. “This sparked many thoughts” Kathy says. “What if I took over the business and ventured into the world of embroidery?” It was a big decision, and it took her a year to think it through. But, in 2012, she decided to take the plunge and purchase the business.
Kathy was now the proud owner of both Morpheus Technologies and a new company.
“I wanted to give this new company a name that people would remember and smile,” she says. “I thought about it for a while and finally came up with the perfect name: ‘Stitch Happens.’” It is playful, catchy and a little bit cheeky, a perfect reflection of Kathy’s personality.
Although Kathy still makes parachutes, Stitch Happens quickly became her focus.
“The business offers more than just embroidery,” Kathy explains. “We also provide silk screening and a variety of other services.” She can make just about anything you can think of — shirts, hats, scrubs, personalized backpacks, pens, team uniforms, magnets, stickers and even dog collars. “If you can dream it, I can stitch it.” she says.
Business Branding, Too
One of Kathy’s favorite things about her work is helping companies promote their brands. “I especially enjoy working with the medical industry, creating custom scrubs for healthcare professionals,” she says. “Two of my clients are AdventHealth and Florida Medical Clinic.”
When you see Kathy’s Jeep, you know some cool promotional items are being delivered.
But, what really sets Stitch Happens apart from other companies is Kathy’s commitment to building personal relationships with customers.
“I don’t just take orders,” Kathy says, “I collaborate with my clients, and help them refine their ideas and create the perfect design. My customers know they can count on me to be creative and add that special touch that makes their products stand out.”
She recently created promotional items for Black Sheep Restaurant in Lutz, including shirts for the restaurant’s anniversary celebration.
“Helping people grow their businesses through branding is something I find deeply rewarding,” she says “I love hearing back from them and knowing I was a part of their success story.”
Building relationships with her customers is at the heart of Kathy’s business philosophy. She knows that even a small job can lead to bigger opportunities down the road. For example, she might start by creating a personalized item for a newborn baby and as the child grows, she continues to provide items like embroidered backpacks and school uniforms.
“Over time, these small connections grow into lasting partnerships that I cherish,” she says.
And, Kathy’s customers rave about her services, too, giving her a 4.8-out-of-5-star overall rating on Google. Here is just one of those raves:
“We at Crown Insurance Group have been working with Kathy and Stitch Happens for over 5 years and she has yet to disappoint. The quality of her work and her attention to detail are second to none, but more importantly, Kathy brings a passion to her work and goes out of her way to ensure customer satisfaction. Stitch Happens has made polo shirts for the entire Crown Insurance Group team, dress shirts and ‘swag,’ including cups, koozies, magnets and table runners, just to name a few. Even when we have given her short timelines to work with, she delivers every time. We regularly receive compliments on everything that Stitch Happens has done for us. So much so, that we refer Stitch Happens constantly and everyone raves about Kathy and Stitch Happens. Thank you!” — Manuel Saldana, agency principal, Crown Insurance Group, Inc.
Pet Products & More
Pets are a big part of many people’s lives and Kathy knows just how to make them look special, too. “I offer custom embroidery for dog collars,” she says, “and I create unique designs that pet owners love.” Some collars have playful sayings like, “If you find me, call my Mom,” complete with a phone number, while others simply display the pet’s name.” Kathy enjoys helping her customers come up with just the right words to make their pet’s collars one-of-a-kind.
While Stitch Happens does have a website — StitchHappensPromo.com— Kathy says it’s more for inspiration than for shopping. Her site doesn’t have a shopping cart because she prefers to work directly with her customers. The website is a place where people can browse for ideas and once they know what they want, they can reach out to her.
Kathy & Stitch Happens can turn simple items like book bags & backpacks into personalized keepsakes.
“I take pride in finding the best prices for my customers.” she says, adding that she often searches for local businesses to source products, avoiding extra shipping costs whenever possible.
The holiday season is a busy time for Kathy, especially when it comes to Christmas stockings.
“These personalized items are always in high demand,” she says. “I enjoy creating festive designs that bring joy to my customers.” She’s also worked on more sentimental projects, like embroidering messages on quilts for military families. “These quilts often feature squares with special memories or messages,” explains Kathy, “creating a beautiful and lasting tribute to loved ones.”
Weddings are another occasion where Kathy’s talents shine — from embroidered bathrobes for the wedding party to personalized ties with messages for the groom — Kathy helps couples add a personal touch to their big day. She can even stitch wedding dates and names inside bridal dresses, creating a hidden keepsake that brides can cherish forever. And, the possibilities don’t stop there, as Kathy’s embroidery has graced everything from menus to initials on glassware, making each wedding truly unique.
In addition to her work with Stitch Happens, Kathy also is an active member of the Main Street Zephyrhills group which organizes events and fund raisers. She has created logos for the group and enjoys giving back to her community. Kathy also has embroidered golf towels and created logos for golf tournaments that support underprivileged children.
Kathy’s motto is “Making Stitch Happen Since 2012.” This sums up her journey perfectly, as she took a leap of faith by leaving behind the parachutes she once made to create something for an entirely new adventure. Kathy Gillespie has built a business that’s more than just a place to get something stitched. It’s a business where relationships are woven together one stitch at a time.
For more information, call Kathy Gillespie of Stitch Happens at (813) 679-9355 or email her at StitchHappensKat@gmail.com.
