Sweetbay Sold! Is Lotte Coming?

This store is located in Rockville, MD, and is the first Lotte Plaza Market. The small chain is now expanding into Florida with an Orlando store, and likely a second location in New Tampa

The long dormant Sweetbay Supermarket property, which has been empty since 2013, has a new owner.

And, it appears that New Tampa may soon be home to a new Lotte Plaza Mart, a small-chain Maryland-based ethnic grocery store focusing on Asian groceries and goods.

John Neukamm, the attorney for the sellers, KNK Tampa, Ltd., confirmed that the sale was completed on Feb. 1, but would not say what the plans were for the site.

He said a “different type of concept” was likely heading to the space, one that has not been seen locally.

Neukamm said that he had spoken with the North Palms Village Master Association and that they were “very excited” that the sale of the former Sweetbay had been completed.

According to city records, the property, located right across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the AMC movie theater and next to Home Depot, was purchased by SW Tampa, LLC, for $7-million.

According to Sunbiz.org, the Florida Division of Corporations’ online directory of companies in Florida, the owner of SW Tampa, LLC is Sang Min Lee, who also owns Sungwon Orlando, LLC.

Lotte Plaza Market in Orlando. (lotteplaza.com)

The only other Lotte Plaza Mart in Florida is located in Orlando.

Both SW Tampa, LLC (the SW is likely short for Sungwon), and Sungwon Orlando, LLC are registered at the same address in Jessup, MD, as Sungwon Distributors, LLC, which serves as the headquarters of Lotte Plaza Mart.

Marc Bergoffen, the lawyer representing SW Tampa, did not respond to messages. Ross Waters of Atlantic Retail, one of the brokers involved in the sale, declined comment.

If a new Lotte Plaza Mart does materialize at the old Sweetbay site, it will be the second large ethnic grocery store to open in New Tampa since 2019, joining Taaza Mart, a roughly 17,000-sq.-ft., predominantly Indian grocer located in Tampa Palms.

The potential Lotte Plaza Mart location would be more than three times as large as Taaza Mart — at roughly 55,000 square feet.

Founded in 1976, Lotte Plaza Mart is considered to be one of the premier Asian groceries in Maryland and Virginia, where it has 12 locations. The mini-chain also has one location in New Jersey, and opened the Orlando location on W. Colonial Dr. in February 2019.

Like all Lotte Plaza Marts, the location in Orlando — which moved into a 60,000-sq.-ft. space formerly occupied by a Winn-Dixie — has a wide choice of Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese food items and ingredients, an impressive selection of meats and fresh fish and a huge variety of fruits and vegetables not found at your regular American grocery stores.

The store has received online praise for its variety and prices. 

Although there are no exact plans available for what a New Tampa location might feature, the Orlando store also has a hair salon, bakery and food court, featuring a handful of Asian restaurants, including Taglish, a Filipino-American concept run by Chef Michael Collantes, who has worked with such notable chefs as Wolfgang Puck.

The nearest location for buying Asian groceries currently is the MD Oriental Market located on E. Fowler Ave., or the A-Green Oriental Market on E. Fletcher, both in the USF area. 

If S.R. 56 is now the Restaurant Row of the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas, the BBD corridor from Cross Creek Blvd. to Tampa Palms Blvd. might be its supermarket counterpart.

Sprouts Farmers Market, which opened last year, and Aldi, which is under construction and will likely open sometime this year, are within walking distance from the potential Lotte Plaza Mart location, and just south of the I-75 interchange, Taaza is located in Market Square at Tampa Palms. 

That stretch of stores is bookended by Publix Super Markets in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms and at the New Tampa Center, giving shoppers of all ethnicities five supermarkets within five miles.

The Grove Theater & Bistro Opens, At Last

A full bar in available at the Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment for a pre-movie drink.

The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment will have a spin room, children’s room, acting studio, a comedy club and more, but on Feb. 19, it finally opened to do what it was built to do:

Show movies.

After more than a year of renovations and redesign, the theater debuted its new reclining leather seats and bistro with a showing of movies like “Judas and the Black Messiah”, “Land” and “The Little Things.”

The former Cobb Theater was operating at limited capacity, with only 50 percent seating in checkerboard style, and no one sitting in front of, behind or next to other customers. Only some of the 12 screens were in use, and some of the showings were sold out.

The selection of movies also is limited, as Hollywood has held back on production and releases due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bistro dining area, which The Grove Theater management refers to as “upscale,” was busy on the weekend nights, with a wide menu of dishes, featuring items like steak, shrimp macaroni and cheese, fish tacos and bruschetta, with crème brulee highlighting its desert options. The chicken parmesan was the most popular menu item, and all could be ordered at Bistro tables, as well as for in-movie dining.

Laron, Angel and English Hearst (eating the burger) of New Tampa enjoying a meal at the Grove Bistro.

A full bar serving drinks, as well as a sushi bar, are also part of the Bistro, and the main lobby has 45 video arcade games for pre-movie entertainment.

“People are ready to go back to the movies and we are proud to be able to provide them with a safe environment to enjoy a night out with their friends and family,” said Matheus Gold, vice president of operations. “We are operating at 50% capacity with checkerboard seating and sold out several showings our opening weekend. Our Bistro offers new dishes and the feedback we received is that we are back better than ever.” 

The theater is taking lots of Covid-19 safety precautions, with temperature checks at the door and facial coverings required inside. However, with the limited seating, social distancing was easily manageable.

The two-floor, 85,000-sq.-ft. movie theater is being dubbed by developer Mark Gold as the future of how entertainment will be offered to attract families. His plans are for families to come for dinner, leave the kids in a converted-theater Kids Play Place room, and see a movie or comedy show at Side Splitters Comedy Club (which is expected to open this spring).

Then, families can then spend time together cruising the 200-acre complex, which will have a mini-golf course, the much anticipated KRATE by Gold Box container park and a “downtown village” area, all featuring other bars, restaurants and retailers. 

The theater renovations are another part of a massive project at The Grove, which Gold’s Mishorin Gold Properties purchased in September 2019 for $62.7 million. 

The Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment will be open Saturday and Sunday from 4-9:30 p.m., and Sundays noon-7 p.m. Tickets can be reserved at grovetheater.com.

Wesley Chapel’s Episcopal Church Consecrated As Saint Paul’s

Reverend Mother Adrienne Hymes talks to visitors at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Wesley Chapel ribbon cutting on Jan. 28. (Photo: Charmaine George)

The Wesley Chapel Episcopal Church has been around in some form or fashion since 2017, when four worshippers gathered at the St. Aslem’s Episcopal Chapel Center at the University of South Florida, followed by occasional meetings in conference rooms of various car dealerships in the area.

Led by Adrienne Hymes, a missioner for church extension in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, the meetings grew slowly. The church finally leased space a year later in a professional office park, and then moved to another space, and on Jan. 24, celebrated its first Patronal Feast Day and was officially consecrated as St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Wesley Chapel.

On Jan. 28, an official ribbon cutting was held, and the church, the only Episcopal church in Wesley Chapel, re-intoduced itself to the community.

“Here we are, Wesley Chapel,’” said Hymes, now the Reverend Mother and Vicar of the church.

The consecration of the church by Bishop Dabney Smith, of the Episcopal Diocese of SW Florida, marked a big and important moment. 

“There are different stages, so today was one of those things where we said yes, we wanted to plant a church and now we have the roots in the ground,” Rev. Hymes said. “It’s taken three years, but we’ve been working to get things going.”

Hymes, a Virginia native who recently moved to Wesley Chapel, said she never lost faith, even when the meetings only had a handful of people show up. In fact, the original four members are no longer involved with this particular church but, little by little, Hymes said she used her marketing and public relations background, as well as an energetic and electric personality, to attract more people to St. Paul’s.

The church first leased space in the Redfern Professional Center behind the Shops of Mystic Oak off Bruce. B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel in February 2018, and Hymes was ordained as an Episcopal priest a few months later. In November, the first mass was held with 22 attendees. Other than spikes on Easter and Christmas, Sunday services attracted between 20-25 members.

In mid-2019, the church moved a short three-minute walk away and converted a personal fitness center in the Renaissance Professional Park into its current location. More than 70 people showed up for the first Holy Eucharist at the new location and masses regularly attracted 50 or so members, until Covid hit. “Pre-Covid, we were really growing,” Rev. Hymes said. “It was really amazing.”

After almost a year of doing virtual services, the church now limits 25 at mass, and also has recently unveiled its new Fellowship Hall – converting the dance theater right next door. The hall is used for socially distant post-mass coffee gatherings and bible study, as well as meetings.

The newer, larger location is more convenient for Episcopalians looking for a place to worship. The nearest Episcopal Church is Grace Episcopal in Tampa Palms, nearly 10 miles away.

The next goal is to build a traditional church. Hymes relishes the mission, and seems like the ideal person to lead the charge to such lofty goals.

“Episcopal churches don’t live in buildings like this, Rev. Hymes said, “so the vision is now that we have leadership in place and we are growing, we need to talk about getting land, and then we will build our church.” She added that they will take about six months to breathe, and then form a committee to start looking for land.

Hymes joked that they don’t teach integrated marketing at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, where she finished in 2014, but it’s just one of many skills she has to help expand the footprint of St. Paul’s, and one of the reasons she was chosen for the task.

“My happy place is creation and innovation,” Hymes said. “So, this is something I really enjoy.”

St. Paul’s holds mass weekly, on Sundays at 10 a.m. For more information, visit SaintPaulsEpiscopalChurch.org or call (813) 803-7489.

More Detours on I-75

If you’ll be up late and driving north on I-75 this weekend, you might want to leave a little extra time for a detour as the result of construction on the Overpass Bridge between S.R.s 54 and 52.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation:

All northbound I-75 traffic will be detoured off the interstate between SR 54/CR 54 (Exit 279) and SR 52 (Exit 285) between 9 p.m. Saturday, February 20 and 10 a.m. Sunday, February 21. No later than 10 a.m. Sunday, at least one lane of traffic will be restored on northbound I-75 and the detour will be removed.  Work will continue on northbound I-75 and all northbound I-75 travel lanes will be open to traffic no later than noon on Sunday, February 21.  

The detour is necessary for the safety of the traveling public as the existing Overpass Road bridge section is removed over northbound I-75. 

DETOUR ROUTE for northbound I-75: Traffic will be directed off northbound I-75 at Exit 279. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left onto SR 54/CR 54/Wesley Chapel Boulevard and continue west about 8 tenths of a mile to Old Pasco Road. At the traffic signal for Old Pasco Road, turn right and go north for approximately 6.75 miles to SR 52. Turn right at the traffic signal onto SR 52 and go east about 3/4 mile. After passing under I-75, turn left onto the entrance ramp to re-enter northbound I-75.

CAUTION: Old Pasco Road is a two-lane road (one lane in each direction) and will be very congested during the hours of the detour.  The posted speed limit along Old Pasco Road must be observed.  Motorists are urged to plan plenty of extra time to drive the detour and return to the interstate or consider alternate routes. Law enforcement officers and traffic management personnel will be active along the detour route to assist with traffic flow.  Detour signs and message boards will be placed along the detour route for guidance.

For more information, visit FDOTTampaBay.com/project/457/432734-2-52-01\.

Townhomes Seem Headed For Cross Creek Blvd.; Apts. Open In Hunter’s Lake

A rezoning ordinance for a pair of proposed townhome projects towards the eastern end of Cross Creek Blvd., which would bring about 100 new residences to the area, sailed though first readings (with a few concessions) during a late night Tampa City Council hearing on Jan. 21, by a 5-1 vote.

A second reading, followed by what seems to be a likely approval, is scheduled for Tuesday, February 19, at 9:30 a.m.

The two communities are in the District 7 represented by Luis Viera, the only Council member to vote against both projects. District 2 Council member Charlie Miranda did not attend the meeting because he has Covid-19.

SDD Trust, Inc., is seeking to have the two properties rezoned from PD-A (planned development-alternative) to PD (planned development).

One parcel is located at 10801 Cross Creek Blvd, east of the New Tampa Dance Theatre and directly across the street from the entrance to the Heritage Isles community, and will have nine buildings with 60 attached single-family residences. 

A little further east, a second parcel will have six buildings and 35 single-family residences. The city’s Development Review and Compliance staff found the rezoning requests inconsistent with City of Tampa Land Development regulations, but SDD Trust sought waivers to remedy those inconsistencies, mostly related to building separation requirements, the removal of three grand live oak trees and retaining less than 50 percent of the existing trees on the property.

The waivers were granted on the first reading by the City Council.

The projects also were determined by city planners to not meet some Mixed Use Corridor policies. Mixed Use Corridors are areas that, among other things, are expected to improve the pedestrian experience, but because the front of single-family residences will face away from Cross Creek Blvd., those requirements weren’t being met. However, there is no other way to reconfigure the homes, so a six-foot-high simulated wrought iron fence (actually made of aluminum) with landscaping will need to be added to the design before the second reading.

Viera suggested the fence for safety reasons and the general aesthetic look, even though he voted against the project.

After some debate about the cost of adding a fence and how it would impact the amount of landscaping, the first reading was moved along with a vote at 1:25 a.m.

The Trails At Hunter’s Lake

Speaking of more New Tampa residences, The Trails at Hunter’s Lake, which promises “Naturally elevated living,” is open and already filling up.

The apartments, which offer 15 floor plans, are behind the new Village at Hunter’s Lake shopping center. The Trails, according to its website, has a private lake and lush walking trails, a billiards lounge and pub, and its location — in the heart of New Tampa near plenty of shopping and eating destinations as well as being just a mile away from I-75 — makes it an attractive place to live. 

It also is just feet away from the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, which is expected to be completed by Jan. 2022, and a large dog park.

The Trails has 1BR/1BA floor plans ranging 659 square feet to $798 sq. ft. (with prices ranging from $1,365 to $1,792), 2BR/2BA floor plans with 1,100 sq. ft. and prices from $1,776-$1978, two 3BR/2BA floor plans (1,291 and 1,393 sq. ft.), for $1,951 to $3,958, and a studio floor plan of 506 sq. ft. (no price listed).

For more info, call (813) 497-4889 or visit TrailsAtHuntersLake.com.

Yes, We VidaCann!

The sign is up for VidaCann, New Tampa’s first medical cannabis dispensary, which we are told will be open by the end of this month. New Tampa’s VidaCann (17631 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the former The Mattress1 store next to MIT Computers), will be the 19th VidaCann dispensary in Florida. For more information, visit VidaCann.com.