BayCare Healthโs proposed YMCA (two black outlines at center left) and medical office building (top rectangle close to BBD).
As reported by Kelly Gilroy on her outstanding โPasco County Development and Growth Updatesโ Facebook page on Aug. 24 โ after no updates since representatives from the YMCA first started attending local meetings a couple of years ago โ BayCare Health Systems is having a pre-application meeting with Pasco County staff to propose 52,391-sq.-ft. YMCA and a 100,000-sq.-ft., two-story medical office building. The plan includes parking lots, a โNew Driveโ roadway and a curb-cut connection at the southwest corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and Eagleston Blvd., next to the new BayCare Wesley Chapel hospital. Weโll update this story once we have additional information.ย
Home Sense Opens Next To Beallsย
On Aug. 10, a new Homesense store opened in the Shoppes at New Tampa of Wesley Chapel, between the also-still-new Bealls Outlet and Flip Flop Shops stores in the plaza on BBD Blvd. south of S.R. 56.
Homesense โ the off-price home store featuring high-quality furniture and accessories that is the newest retail banner of The TJX Companies, Inc. โ now operates 50 stores in the U.S. TJX is the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide. The company operates nearly 5,000 total stores in nine countries, including 1,304 T.J. Maxx, 1,189 Marshalls, 901 HomeGoods, 81 Sierra, and now 50 Homesense stores.
I visited the new store the day it opened and it was packed with not only people, but as-advertised great prices on everything from couches to wall art to Halloween knickknacks (photo above). For more information, visit us.homesense.com or call (813) 991-0249.ย
Subaruโs Grand Grand Opening!ย
Although the dealership has been open for several months, we want to thank Subaru of Wesley Chapel (located at 26570 Silver Maple Pkwy., just south of S.R. 56) owner Scott Fink and his entire staff for hosting one of the greatest Grand Opening and North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting (top photo) events in recent memory on Sept. 7.ย
An estimated crowd of at least 300 people attended the dog-friendly event (the dealership is a supporter of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay), which included three food trucks, lots of amazing raffle prizes (including a mountain bike, kayak and paddleboard) and lots of happy dogs, some up for adoption, others with their owners and some with their Pasco Sheriffโs Office handlers (photo, below).ย
โScott Fink and his Fink Auto Group definitely know how to throw a party,โ said NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy. โWe appreciate the opportunity to be here to cut the ribbon.โ For more information about Subaru of Wesley Chapel, call (813) 618-5051 or visit SubaruWesleyChapel.com.ย
Paul Spalvieri and his fur babies Max and Missy invite you to check out any of the three Maxโs Natural Pet Market & Salon locations in our area. (Photos by Charmaine George)ย
Since launching in September 2019, Maxโs Natural Pet Market & Salon has garnered a positive reputation โ with glowing Google reviews โ thanks to its exceptional customer service and expertise.
Founder Paul Spalvieri and his wife Martina live in Watergrass in Wesley Chapel with children Matthew, Martinka and Kristinka, and fur babies Max, a Bichon Frise, and Missy, a Havanese.
Paul opened the original Maxโs Natural Pet Market & Salon to create a place where Max and other pets would have the safest, vetted holistic products, foods and grooming, an antithesis of big-box corporate companies. Named after Max, each of Paulโs three locations โ soon to be seven in 2024 โ boast experienced staff who can help pet parents find what they need for their dogs and cats.
โWe found our first location in Wesley Chapel, and Max and I went into business together.โ
Paul ensures he is up-to-date on the newest developments in pet technology, nutrition and retail products by attending global conventions twice a year. The core philosophy underlying Maxโs is centered on functional, purpose-driven foods. Whether raw or gently cooked for pets with sensitive stomachs, with Ketogenic or fermented choices, the focus is on human-grade, biologically appropriate, organic nourishment sourced from pasture-raised animals, primarily within the U.S.
Maxโs offers a wide variety of other nutrition products, like probiotic goat milk and cow kefir that help with Leaky Gut Syndrome. Their dry kibble selection is USDA-endorsed for human consumption and is free from feed-grade ingredients, aligning with Paulโs dedication to quality.
Paul highlights the connection between a poor pet diet and the recent surge in pet diseases, often traced back to non-organic kibble laden with pesticides. He cites numerous instances where dietary changes have positively improved petsโ health.ย
You can bring your pup in to choose his or her own toy at Maxโs.
โOur staff is highly educated on holistic natural nutrition, how dogs and cats should eat, how to mitigate disease and how to prevent certain conditions from advancing. There have been cases where we have helped reverse pancreatitis, different stages of kidney failure and diabetes through nutritional interventions. We follow that science versus Western (veterinary) medicine and the way they treat illnesses. We take digestional health and nutritional health very seriously. If itโs in my store, I feed it to my own pups.โ
A success story from customer Amanda Medina underscores the transformative ability of the raw food diet that Maxโs advocates. Paul shares the story of Medinaโs dachshund, Max. Previously overweight, bloated, inactive, and battling severe pancreatitis, Maxโs health changed through diligent efforts, trial and error and identifying a suitable raw protein. Amanda told Paul that Maxโs progress was remarkable in terms of weight loss, restored energy and improved vet test results.
Fast forward to last month. Paul says, โAmanda opened the passenger side door, and out jumped Max, who came running into the store.โ
Amanda confirms the transformation, โPaul ordered proteins until we found one that worked. We recently returned for his vet follow-up, and his numbers are within the normal range. I recommend Maxโs. The customer service is amazing, and the people there are helpful and knowledgeable. I try to keep Max off medication, keep it natural and holistic. Paul has been great at keeping Max holistic and working in conjunction with our regular veterinarian.โ
Great Grooming & More!
All of the Maxโs locations also excel in pet grooming with award-winning groomers and Master Groomers, setting itself apart through cage- and kennel-free grooming environments. Whether itโs a standard bath, an OPAWZ brand pet-color-safe purple mohawk (photo below), a holiday-inspired color-safe fur design, or a soothing TheraClean microbubble spa treatment, the salonโs professionals ensure stress-free grooming experiences.ย
The TheraClean spa add-on works wonders on pets with skin disorders and allergies. Unlike regular shampooing, this specialized process detoxifies the skin layers, removing deeply embedded dirt, yeast and bacteria allergens. A pleasant side effect of oxygenating the skinโs capillaries is that it helps relieve arthritis and joint stiffness. Paul says some customers report senior dogs behaving like puppies after treatments. Even the groomers have benefited from having their hands in the oxygenated water.ย
Paulโs commitment to pet education extends to his storesโ three-level Learn to Groom course, covering Bathing, Grooming, and Styling, as well as a five-week dog-training program for Puppies and Beginners, as well as private training sessions.
Paul says that since opening, many of Maxโs more than 10,000 customers have asked him to expand his services into daycare and pet boarding. He has now responded by adding a Luxury Pet Hotel with in-suite services and amenities and a fun Enrichment Pet Doggy Daycare.
โThey asked, โWhy arenโt you opening a daycare, a place we can board our pets safely, where we can feel confident that they will be looked after with the same compassion and caring we see on your retail and grooming side?โ Weโve had a great response from the communities we serve, and it makes sense to have our business evolve this way because the community has been asking for it.โ
He adds, โFor those parents who work or want to travel, weโre creating a luxury pet hotel where the suites are oversized and monitored by cameras. In other places, the dog is in a kennel on their own (while youโre away). Our pet parents can dial in on the internet and see their fur babies. We have services like dinner and a movie. Theyโre getting brushed and played with. They have physical time with their caregiver and an interactive toy. The pets have filtered water, bedding changed daily, and we have a customized meal plan available, or pet parents can bring their own food, and weโll follow their meal plan.โ
And finally, he says, โThey also have regular activities, so theyโre not just sitting in a kennel while youโre on vacation. I donโt want that for Max, so I donโt want that for our customersโ dogs. Weโre doing it differently and properly. Whether with us for a day or two weeks, theyโll be exercised and have a chance to play. They also can chill out and relax.โ
Animal-friendly pets enjoying the Pet Hotel can join the Enrichment Doggie Daycare area to play and socialize with other dogs. Cats arenโt forgotten, either. Theyโre spoiled in their Kitty Condo Suite with a climbing tree, plenty of organic catnip toys and a filtered water fountain.
โOur main goal is for your petsโ experience to be the best it can be,โ Paul says. โI want to see tails wagging coming into our doors and tails wagging when they leave. That experience is important in retail, grooming, boarding and daycare.โ
Maxโs Natural Pet Market & Salon has three locations open daily from 8 a.m.โ7 p.m. The Wesley Chapel Maxโs is at 28838 S.R. 54 and can be reached at (813) 649-3939. The New Tampa store (6431 E. County Line Rd.) can be reached at (813) 591-5368 and the Mirada (30945 Mirada Blvd.) can be reached at (352) 437-6677. Maxโs also has franchise opportunities available. For more info, visit MaxsPetMarketandSalon.com. Paul says his Fort Myers and Starkey Ranch locations will open this year.ย
Whether you or your child likes to dance for fun or dreams of a career on stage one day, the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT) offers dancers a world-class, professional experience that is unmatched in the Tampa Bay area.
Located on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from Heritage Isles) in New Tampa, the 7,500-sq.-ft. 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 29th 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.
โAs always, Iโm very proud of our students,โ says Elkins IronWing. โOur dancers become excellent college students, with their impressive time-management skills, perseverance and creative thinking. Each season, our hearts burst with excitement creating with our beautiful students again. We plan to continue giving back to our community with the โPay It Forwardโ program by offering all new students $25 per month tuition for every class!โ
Follow In My Footsteps?
Elkins IronWing says she started dancing at age 5, later trained in New York City and performed with Ballet Metropolitan in Columbus, OH.
She moved to Tampa in 1995 and immediately opened NTDT in the Pebble Creek Collection. In 2002, she purchased the current NTDT property on Cross Creek Blvd, and moved her school to the new building in January 2006.
With the bigger location, Elkins IronWing was off and running, offering smaller class sizes and larger, more varied schedules.
She says NTDT also has a larger pool of students today, with the ongoing explosive growth in Wesley Chapel, as well as in New Tampa.
โOur name might say New Tampa,โ she says, โbut our location is much closer to Wesley Chapel than one might assume. We are extremely convenient to all the current growth (there). Wesley Chapel families are shocked to discover just how close we are and excited how quickly they can drive to our facility.โ
Not Just For Future Pros!ย
NTDT caters to both the recreational dance lover (even adults, photo left) as well as the devoted pre-professional โ and every level in between. The studioโs leveled curriculum offers multiple art forms for students to explore. Through personalized attention and professional expertise, NTDTโs professional faculty strives to provide a positive educational experience.ย
Children ages 3-4 can participate in the studioโs Early Childhood Program, ages 5-8 can take part in the Childrenโs Program and ages 9-18 are invited to join NTDTโs Youth Program.
In addition to classical ballet, NTDT 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 dancersโ joints and an on-site physical therapist ensures the health of the dancers. NTDT also features a cafรฉ 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 Walt Disney Company.
Because NTDT students learn to be proficient in multiple art forms, these students 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 and the Boston Ballet.
โReflecting on 28 years in our community, itโs beyond words the gratitude and love for the amazing people who have been a part of our dance programs and family,โ says Elkins IronWing.
One local former student certainly agrees with that assessment.ย
โI credit all of my success as a professional dancer to the foundational training I received at NTDT from ages 6-18,โ 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.
โI loved every second of my experience growing up there,โ DeRenzo adds, โbut 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.โ
If a student doesnโt 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.
โBelieving 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,โ she says.
Participating In Productions
All students have the opportunity to perform in NTDTโs โSpring Productionโ and โ through the studioโs nonprofit partner, the Dance Theatre of Tampa (DTT) โ in the winter production of โThe Nutcracker,โ as well as the โSummer Concert Series,โ held in June at the University of South Floridaโs Tampa campus.ย
DTT provides more than 300 free tickets to NTDTโs 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.
โNew Tampa Dance Theatre holds a special place in our hearts, as our daughtersโ second home since the age of three, guiding them into their teenage years,โ Trisha says. โWhat began as tentative steps has blossomed into a journey of incredible growth, thanks to the dedicated and caring instructors. 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 studio.โย
Every holiday season, Elkins IronWing says local residents look forward to the communityโs largest and longest-running interpretation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovskyโs classic ballet, โThe Nutcracker,โ now in its 24th DTT season. This year, it will be held Friday-Sunday, December 15-17, at the USF Tampa College of Arts Theater 1.
Prior to the performances at USF, DTT also will perform โThe Nutcracker Suiteโ Saturday & Sunday, December 2-3, at 6, 7 & 8 p.m., at The Shops at Wiregrass.
โItโs all about the children at NTDT, always has been and always will be,โ Elkins IronWing says. โWe are a company that enables children to succeed. The key is setting high expectations, all while having fun and building self-confidence. With the new 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 wouldnโt be the magical place it has become!โ
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 2023 classes, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com, call (813) 994-NTDT (6838). You also can follow NTDT on Facebook and Instagram at โNew Tampa Dance Theatre.โย
Although Jannah and I enjoyed the Las Palmas food truck, we were excited to hear that our friends Ramses and Ana Garcia (photo) were getting close to reopening their Las Palmas Latin Grill in the same brick- &-mortar space as it was previously, at 6431 County Line Rd., off BBD, in the same plaza as LA Fitness and Five Guys.
Itโs been nearly two years since a kitchen fire shuttered Las Palmas, prompting Ramses to buy a food truck so he and Ana could still serve at least some of their delicious, award-winning Cuban-style fare to their loyal customer base. The revamped Las Palmas is expected to reopen by Thursday, October 12, or one day after the two-year anniversary of the fire. For more info, visit LasPalmaslatingrill.com
In addition to the practiceโs four Board-certified allergy doctors, the office of Drs. Richard Lockey, Mark Glaum, Seong Cho & Amber Pepper on Bruce B Downs Blvd. also includes this friendly, professional staff. (Photos by Charmaine George)ย
On the top floor of a busy medical office near Fletcher Ave. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Drs. Richard Lockey, Mark Glaum, Seong Cho and Amber Pepper โ all of whom are Board-certified allergists and immunologists โ help patients find relief at the groupโs flagship practice. The doctors also have a second location in South Tampa.
In 1984, Dr. Lockey established the practice under the name Academic Associates in Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Fast forward almost 40 years, and he still remains an active practitioner, joined by a dedicated team of Board-certified professionals whose shared commitment to exceptional patient care is unwavering.
Dr. Lockey earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the Temple University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, and later became a Professor of Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine. He is a past president of the World Allergy Organization and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
Dr. Glaum earned his M.D. degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine (now Drexel University College of Medicine) in Philadelphia, and completed an allergy and clinical immunology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, also in Philadelphia. He focuses on understanding allergic responses and advancing diagnostic methods, such as rhinoscopies (examinations of the nasal passages).
Dr. Cho, an otolaryngologist, received his M.D. degree from Kyung Hee University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. He honed his allergy and immunology expertise at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL.
Dr. Pepper earned her M.D. degree from USF in 2013 and concluded her internal medicine residency and allergy & immunology fellowship through USFโs Division of Allergy & Immunology in 2016.
These four experts are deeply involved in education, teaching residents and medical students at USF while leading a renowned program for training upcoming allergists and immunologists. The doctors all actively engage in clinical research, significantly contributing to the continuous progress in allergy and immunology. Their extensive experience spans decades, centered at the nearby USF Division of Allergy & Immunology Clinical Research Unit. They also are all active AAAAI members.
Dr. Glaum explains, โWe continue to be instrumental in performing clinical research, which brings new products to the market to help individuals. Currently, we have ongoing studies in food allergies, chronic sinusitis, a condition called hereditary angioedema (recurrent attacks of severe swelling), and urticaria (hives). In the case of hereditary angioedema, there were no products on the market that were FDA-approved when I arrived here in 2004; now, there are almost a dozen products. Most of those have come to market due to the research done here in the division, among other places.โ
The practice manages a variety of disorders related to allergies, asthma and immunology, including food allergies, rhinitis (hay fever), chronic cough, sinusitis, venom hypersensitivity (insect stings), headaches, rashes, dermatitis, urticaria and immune deficiencies.
The doctors are among the pioneering doctors in Florida to use the advanced food desensitization method, known as oral immunotherapy, to assist patients dealing with severe food allergies.
โWeโve been instrumental in getting oral immunotherapy for peanut allergies approved in the U.S. and weโre continuing to work on other projects related to food allergies,โ Dr. Glaum says. โWeโre one of the clinical sites that looked at ways of desensitizing children and adults who were peanut-allergic to the point where they can tolerate a few peanuts and continue to ingest them on a daily basis, decrease their risk of having accidental exposure and a severe allergic reaction.โย
Dr. Glaum recommends seeking a Board-certified immunologist for anyone undiagnosed or suspecting allergies. โUniversity-associated practices are usually the ones mostย up-to-date on current conditions,โ he says.ย
Through continuing research and university experience, the doctors also adopt a scientific approach to patient treatment. Whether a new consultation or follow-up appointment, patients will never see a physicianโs assistant and always the physicians.
Dr. Glaum (photo left) references a challenging case where his research skills and immunology expertise changed a patientโs life. โI did see a person who came in primarily for hives, an itchy skin condition. But, upon further questioning, he also had a debilitating problem where his muscles would spasm and tense up to the point where he couldnโt move or function at work. (Through) investigation and laboratory studies, he ended up having a condition called Stiff Person Syndrome. This is an autoimmune problem where antibodies activate muscles inappropriately at times, causing debilitation and sometimes even a fracture of the bone if the spasm is so strong.โย
In other words, Dr. Glaum adds, โHe came in for one problem, and he ended up getting diagnosed with that (other) issue. We referred him to neurology, which has certain treatments they can do to alleviate that condition. Hives can be part of that syndrome, so itโs important as a good immunologist to know the rest of medicine to be able to make those associations.โ
Empowering patients to improve and manage their allergies and immunological disorders is always the doctorsโ end goal. They also are dedicated to advancing the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions through specialized options like clinical trials.
The practiceโs patients can take part in paid clinical research trials, in addition to their medical treatments. For those who canโt afford medication for a condition or havenโt seen success with standard therapies, there might be a chance to access free treatment using products coming to the market for different conditions.
For patients who might be uncertain about their doctorโs Board certification within the practice, Dr. Glaum aims to provide reassurance that they are in skillful hands.
โThe most common misconception is that allergists are not Board-certified doctors,โ he says. โIn fact, allergists have undergone training in internal medicine or pediatrics, are board-certified in that specialty, and then train in allergy and immunology. Any allergist that you see is either an internal medicine doctor or a pediatrician whoโs done further specialized training.โ
Once a new patient has made an initial appointment, he or she can conveniently complete the registration paperwork online at AllergyTampa.com.ย
Patients can schedule appointments with Drs. Lockey, Glaum, Cho, or Pepper at their North Tampa office, which is located at 13801 BBD Blvd., Ste. 502, or in the South Tampa office (1906 W. Platt St.). For more info about the practice and the services provided, call (813) 971-9743.ย
