Owner Dan Bavaro of Bavaroâs Pizza & Pastaria in South Tampa, as well as the new Oronzo Honest Italian in New Tampa, which recently opened.
There hadnât been very many new businesses opening in either of our distribution areas until the last couple of weeks of May, when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave the OK for the state to move into Phase 2 of his reopening plan.
Since then, New Tampa has seen a nice little flurry of activity, with the Taaza Indian Mart, F45 Training at Highwoods Preserve and other finally getting to open their doors.
We also told you about Michi Ramen opening next to F45 in Highwoods last issue, and now, weâre also thrilled to announce that the fast-casual concept known as Oronzo Honest Italian has opened next to Michi Ramen in the former Menâs Wearhouse location facing Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., at 18027 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.
Owners Dan Bavaro of Bavaroâs Pizza & Pastaria in South Tampa and his partner Bob Johnston of Front Burner Brands (which owns The Melting Pot) also serve some delicious sausage and meatballs (managing editor John Cotey calls them âAmazeballsâ) and a variety of sauces for the fresh pasta, as well as a signature orange juice drink. Thereâs even gluten-free, zucchini noodle and vegan options.
For more information, call (813) 405-4008 or visit Oronzo.com.
Meanwhile, perhaps the most anticipated variety of new eateries is coming to The Village at Hunterâs Lake plaza anchored by the new Sprouts Farmers Market.
But, even though Sprouts wonât open until August, Grain & Berry has opened the tenth location of a growing Tampa Bay area-based chain in the same plaza.
If you love açai, spirulina or pitaya bowls served with incredibly fresh fruit and other toppings, Grain & Berry (8638 Hunters Village Dr.) is the place for you. Iâve only had a chance, so far, to sample the âRelax, Eat, Repeatâ açai bowl with fresh bananas, strawberries, crunchy organic granola, peanut butter, Nutella, honey and crushed nuts, but it was so delicious and even though a little pricy ($10), itâs big enough for more like four servings.
For more info, call (813) 210-7569 or visit GrainandBerry.com. â GN
Matt Joyce (above) has played 12 seasons in the major leagues, signing most recently to play this year for the Miami Marlins, but he knows he canât play baseball forever.
A big part of his transition into expanding his post-baseball portfolio kicked off June 13, with the Grand Opening of F45 Training off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve, next to some new restaurants (see page 34).
Joyce, an opening day starter in the outfield for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009 and a Rays All-Star representative in 2011, his wife Brittany and business partner Blair Johnson have bought into the F45 Training franchise, and the New Tampa location is the first of theirs to open. Another location at Sparkman Wharf in downtown Tampa is just beginning construction, and Joyce expects to open another three by the summer of 2021.
Although the New Tampa F45 Fitness has been open since May 23, with attendance limited by Covid-19 restrictions, the Grand Opening capped the first week at full throttle for the fitness center, which stresses Functional 45-minute workouts; hence, F45.
The music was booming, instructions were barked out and dozens of fitness-minded folks went through high intensity workouts throughout the day, as Joyce expressed delight at the turnout.
âGetting it open is really the silver lining in all of this,â said Joyce, who has been a constant presence at the center since Major League Baseball postponed spring training Mar. 12. âItâs been a whirlwind offseason.â
During spring training with the Marlins, Johnson was making sure the build-out at F45 was going smoothly as Joyce handled the administrative duties. But, with no baseball, Joyce became a fixture at the New Tampa location and currently works out alongside members.
Joyce and Johnson met by chance at Armature Works (north of downtown), where they ended up having a discussion about fitness. Johnson asked Joyce if he had ever heard of F45, which piqued his interest.
After a few workouts at the Land OâLakes location, the former Ray was hooked. The idea of owning a franchise (or a few) was appealing, and the New Tampa location was an 18-month project.
âIâm wired more for stuff like business, real estate and finance,â Joyce says. âI enjoy that side of things. So, it was a perfect combination.â
Founded in Australia in 2011, F45 is high-intensity, low impact training and, according to its website, is the fastest-growing fitness franchise in the world. The smaller, more specialized instructor-led group workouts are similar to what competitors like Orangetheory and Row House do, but with what Joyce says is a greater variety of exercises, as F45 boasts more than 35 programs consisting of more than 1,300 different exercises.
Joyce says the new location is continuing to grow an already solid membership base, and many of the classes, even the 5 and 6 a.m. classes, have had great turnouts.
âWeâve crushed it,â Joyce says. âWe really believe in it, people are enjoying it and we are getting fantastic reviews. I think a lot of people are going to like it.â
Tell Joyce, Johnson and the staff at F45 (18035 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.) that you read about them in Neighborhood News. For more info, call (813) 560-4047. There also is a separate new F45 Training located at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. For info, call (813) 522-5332.
CRACKING THE CODE: While Grain & Berry has the distinction of being the first business to open in the new Villages at Hunterâs Lake plaza, TheCoderSchool New Tampa (8632 Hunterâs Village Rd.) wasnât far behind.
Although TheCoderSchool didnât begin its summer camps until June 22, the learning center held its sneak preview event on June 13, the same day Grain & Berry opened.
Owned by Mike and Lesly Ramirez Olavarria, TheCoderSchool is a franchise focused on teaching kids to do computer coding year-round. Founded in 2014 with its headquarters in Silicon Valley, CA, the school offers after-school classes and summer camps for those interested in learning computer languages like Scratch, Python and Java.
At the New Tampa location, there are classes for kids ages 7-18, who will learn to code and do things like build apps and present their projects at a Coder Fair.
The teachers are professional coders, professionals who teach coding and computer science students at the University of South Florida, depending upon the level of class in which the student enrolls.
Many of the classes have a 2-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, to enhance learning.
âWeâre both in the IT field,â says Lesly (far right in photo above), âand coding has helped in our careers. We want to pass that onâŠ.itâs another tool for your tool belt.â
While the summer classes are in person, Lesly says the fall classes will depend upon what happens with the Covid-19 situation. The school has been able to hold online coding classes, and may continue to do so if the pandemic causes another disruption during the 2020-21 school year.
That hasnât stopped people from calling to sign up, however. âThe phone has been ringing off the hook since we scheduled the Grand Opening,â Lesly says.
Those who do call can get 25-percent-off their first month of classes, and a discount is available for summer camps as well. Lesly says she understands many have been affected by Covid-19, but she will try to work with anyone who is interested in classes.
For more info, call TheCoderSchool New Tampa at (813) 422-5566.
TAAZA INDIAN MART OPENS: Taaza Mart is now open in the Market Square at Tampa Palms plaza, occupying the former Staples location.
The first thing you notice when you walk in? Itâs spacious, and feels much larger than its 16,500 square feet.
The all-Indian grocery will be a welcome addition for New Tampaâs large Indian population, with its wide selection of fresh produce like Indian eggplant, dosakai, dudhi and others.
It also offers Halal meats and there is an ample supply of various spices, as well as the largest selection of multiple varieties of basmati, sona masoori and ponni rice around.
Taaza Mart (6260 Commerce Palms Dr.) has been open for just over a month, and is open Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.-Sun. For more information, call (813) 564-8100 or visit taazamartfl.com.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor talks with members of the community who showed up in the wake of George Floyd’s death to march for peace and racial justice.
I would be lying if I said I understood how people of color in this country feel every day about being black or brown in America.
Gary Nager Editorial
So while, like most white Americans, I personally donât care what color the people were who died recently at the hands (and knees) of law enforcement officers were black, brown, green or any color, religion or orientation, I completely understand the outrage being felt again by so many of us who witnessed what amounted to the recent public executions of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks.
As everyone surely knows by now, Floyd â who was killed about four weeks ago by former Minneapolis Police Office Derek Chauvin as three other now-former officers watched â was being arrested (but not resisting arrest) for passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a store.
Three weeks later, Brooks was shot dead by now-former Atlanta Police Officer Garrett Rolfe after trying to run away from being arrested at a Wendyâs. Although Brooks certainly did resist arrest and tried to run away from the scene, the fact he stole the Taser from one of the officers and fired it at them from a distance makes his situation different from Floydâs, but still begs the same nagging question:
If either of these men were white, would they still be alive today?
Yes, I believe all four cops (the others let him be killed) shown in a video thankfully released the day after Floyd was killed should go to jail for murder. And no, I donât understand why Floyd was targeted by these cops to receive this particular abuse of their power, especially in light of something that happened to Jannah and me only a year ago.
When we got married in March of 2019, some of our attendees gave us gifts of cash, including a few people who each gave us a $100 bill as a gift.
However, when we tried to pay a tab at a local bar with one of those $100 bills, we were informed that the bill was counterfeit. But, rather than have us arrested â at least in part because the bar owner knew us from previous visits and said it was obvious we didnât know the bill was no good â all he did was ask us to use an alternate method of payment. I then took the bill to my bank, which told me that all they could do was take the bill out of circulation, which meant that we lost that $100 gift. Oh well.
One thing neither of us lost, however, was our life. No one handcuffed us or held us down to our pleas of âI canât breathe.â Today, itâs hard not to imagine that same situation ending with either of us dead after being suffocated for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
Likewise, if a white man in Atlanta perhaps had too much to drink and fell asleep in a fast-food drive-through lane, would the white police officers trying to arrest that white man have used deadly force to stop him? Itâs horrifying to me that black, brown, Asian and LGBTQ people are targeted for this type of behavior so often in this country. Something has to change. And yes, I understand why peaceful protests can and should be part of that solution.
Unfortunately, looting and setting fire to stores owned by people who literally had nothing to do with those situations should never be the target of those protests. But, they unfortunately too often are â as seen around the country once again in the aftermath of Floydâs murder, although, thankfully, most of the protests of Floydâs death after those first few nights have been peaceful. Considering that the shooting of Brooks took place only a couple of days before this issue went to press and the Wendyâs where he was killed was looted and then burnt to the ground the following night, it remains to be seen if violent protests will continue to be an issue.
I have been encouraged, however, by local elected officials like Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (in blue in photo) and New Tampaâs City Council member Luis Viera who have been getting out in the community with the protesters, trying to make a difference.
Taking Action
Before the Rayshard Brooks situation, I wrote about the aftermath of the Floyd killing in our June 9 Wesley Chapel issue and I was very pleased at three emails/letters I received since then from black readers who appreciated my take on the current situation and offered words of advice and encouragement and something much more valuable to me than just the kind words: Two of the readers even offered to help start and/or get involved with a local grassroots movement that might help stem the tide of systemic racism and build better communication here.
I therefore am looking for people in New Tampa who also want to help. What can we do? I really donât know. I just know I want to try. Black, white or otherwise, email me at ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com if you do, too.
Schools in Pasco County will be back in session this fall, but what that means and looks like for your student will be up to you.
On Thursday, superintendent Kurt Browning announced that parents will have three choices when classes resume in August.
Traditional: Just what it says â campuses will re-open and students will return to classes, just like before the Covid-19 pandemic shut schools down in March. There will be special social distancing measures taken, and children who bus to school will be expected to wear a mask, though wearing masks will be optional on campuses.
mySchool: This is an option for students not yet comfortable returning to campus, but who want to remain connected to their school. Students will attend scheduled classes every day, with synchronous class meetings. Elementary students can expect daily lessons with face to face connections, while secondary students can expect daily face-to-face connections for every period. This is expected to take most of the pressure and responsibility off parents who have had to take on the role of teacher in many cases.
Virtual: A full-time virtual school where students work on assignments during non-traditional hours, with contact with teachers and classmates via technology.
âThereâs an option here for everyone,â Browning says.
Parents are being asked to study the information online at pasco.k12.fl.us, and then choose what they believe will be best for their child by filling out an online form right HERE.
Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the city and state, the City of Tampa has decided to cancel this yearâs 4th of July — Boom by the Bay — celebration.
âWhile we would have loved to celebrate the 4th of July together in person, we have to put the safety of our community first,â said Mayor Jane Castor in a press release. âWe are looking forward to an even bigger celebration next year once this virus is behind us, but we have to work together first to stop it.â
Castor also urged people to continue practicing COVID-19 safety by wearing a face covering in public settings, washing your hands often for at least 20 seconds, keeping at least six feet from others and avoiding large gatherings.
If you are feeling ill, you are urged to stay home and get testing, which is free for Hillsborough County residents by calling 813-272-5900.
Hillsborough County had a record number of positive cases of Covid-19 with 244 on Wednesday, breaking the record set just two days before. There were also five deaths, bringing the county total to 107, while Florida has had more than 3,100 deaths.
The state, which has had 15 straight days of more than 1,000 positive cases, had 2,610 new cases on Wednesday, a day after setting the record with 2,783.
