‘Homes For Our Troops’ Also Hosts Its Volunteer Day For Sgt. Quincy Lopez! 

(Above, l.-r.) Skye, Sgt. Quincy Lopez & his son Warren take a moment for a photo in front of their Kent Custom Homes/HFOT home. (All photos by Charmaine George)

Two weeks after Homes for our Troops (HFOT) held its Volunteer Day for former Marine Sgt. Christopher Lawrence (as we told you last issue), as many as 150 volunteers showed up to help lay sod and plant dozens more plants at the future home of former Army Sgt. Quincy Lopez in a different part of Wesley Chapel. 

Sgt. Lopez also lost his right leg to an improvised explosive device (IED) blast while on patrol in Iraq in 2006. And, like Sgt. Lawrence, Sgt. Lopez, who is a native New Yorker, chose to live in Wesley Chapel because of the weather and the area’s proximity to the Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa. 

You think Skye is excited about her new yard?

Sgt. Lopez, his son Warren and their dog Skye (photos on this page) are excited to move into their specially-designed home by Kent Custom Homes on Country Club Rd., which will happen on Saturday, September 6, 9 a.m., in a joint “Key Ceremony” that will begin at Sgt. Lawrence’s home on Steeplechase Rd. Although both injured home recipients already raised an HFOT flag at their homes, those will be joined by an American flag-raising ceremony on Sept. 6. 

After being introduced by HFOT community engagement coordinator Krystina Goroshko, Retired Army Brigadier General Tom Landwermeyer, the president & CEO of HFOT, first talked about HFOT’s mission to help severely injured veterans rebuild their lives with custom-designed homes — which will approach 500 in 46 states by next year — and thanked all of the volunteers for coming out to help before turning over the mic to Sgt. Lopez. 

“This gives me a lot of independence back,” Sgt. Lopez said. “Having a home that’s adaptable allows me to cook and clean, move around and take a shower without assistance. It helps me to be a better father, a better community member and I’m so excited to be a part of this community. A lot of people say their communities are the best, but as welcoming as Wesley Chapel has been, I think you guys outrank a lot. You’ve accepted a lot of us [injured vets] into your community and you’re the reason why we sacrificed. I’m just extremely honored and thankful to all of you. I really appreciate you guys.” 

Nathan Pratt, the same partner from Kent Custom Homes who spoke at Sgt. Lawrence’s Volunteer Day two weeks earlier, also gave the instructions to the volunteers doing the landscaping at this home and also thanked Sgt. Lopez for his service. To make a donation or for more info about HFOT, visit hfotusa.org or call (866) 787-6877. — GN 

Congresswoman Laurel Lee Pumps Up The “Big Beautiful Bill” At 2&2 Restaurant!

On Aug. 10, District 15 U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Brandon) made a speaking appearance at the 2&2 Restaurant (located at 33835 S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel) owned by Kruth (Kurt) and his wife Suzie Sombutmai (photo above). 

At the speaking engagement, which also was supported and attended by the East Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Congresswoman Lee made it clear that she believes the “Big Beautiful Bill” recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump, “will definitely help small businesses and seniors,” even though the law’s detractors say that it favors large corporations and billionaires and will cut funds for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. 

Lee’s district also includes all of New Tampa and she has an office in Tampa Palms. The former Hillsborough Circuit Judge and Florida Secretary of State said that even though the Hillsborough portion of her district leans “more blue than red,” she is able to “reach across the aisle” and work with Democrats “whenever necessary,” such as the bill she co-sponsored with Dist. 14 Rep. Kathy Castor to fight human trafficking. 

Stop The Rumor Mill! Here’s What’s Coming To The Hub! 

The Hub At Lexington Now Has 13 Confirmed Tenants, With Just A Couple Of Spaces Still Available. Here’s The List!

Remember how excited you were when The KRATE at The Grove container park opened? Get ready for a similar feeling, as The Hub at Lexington — which is being developed by the same group that built The Hub at Bexley off S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes — is bringing something “far beyond” the usual strip retail plaza, according to Courtney Bissett-Hayes of Center Connect Development.

“We currently have thirteen tenants confirmed for The Hub at Lexington,” Bissett-Hayes says, “and we have just a couple of spaces still available.”

Nine of the confirmed tenants are restaurants and/or beverage providers, along with one golf simulation business called The Clubhouse, a barber shop called Headlines, the Lexington Nail Lab and Suncoast Charging, an Electric Vehicle charging “experience.”

On this page is a collage of the logos of eleven of the 13 tenants, with two of the restaurants (both marked with an [*] in the collage) — La Creacion Bistro and Island Grill â€” not having logos available at our press time. 

“The Hub at Lexington will be a great, upscale place for families to dine and enjoy,” Bissett-Hayes says. “With nine artificial trees providing a large shaded area.”

Yes, the wait is finally almost over. The Hub At Lexington, which we first told you about nearly two years ago, is finally almost ready (photo) to unveil this 40,000-sq.-ft. Hub where you can “Sip, Savor & Socialize” on the southwest corner of Wesley Chapel Blvd. and Lexington Oaks Blvd., in front of the Sentosa apartments.

The brother-&-sister partners of Center Connect Development â€” Paul Bissett and Courtney Bissett-Hayes — expect the first of the 13 announced tenants to begin opening sometime early next year, as the six buildings are now being turned over to those tenants for build-out. Those tenants include nine local and regional restaurants in six buildings and The Clubhouse golf simulation experience and more. 

“We don’t like to announce who’s coming to our developments until the tenants are all finalized,” says Bissett-Hayes. “We don’t like having premature announcements or misinformation getting out there until the tenants are committed and we like to keep it fresh in the minds of those in the area since they should be opening within the next several months.”

And, like the super-successful Hub at Bexley, Bissett-Hayes says, “There will be live music Friday and Saturday nights, pop-up markets twice a month and seasonal holiday events that will begin when tenants open for business.”

The Hub at Bexley is anchored by the popular BellaBrava Italian restaurant and will soon add BellaBrava’s sister restaurant, Stillwaters Tavern, on an outparcel of that Hub. 

But, despite rumors that either BellaBrava or Stillwaters was coming to The Hub at Lexington, neither one is part of our area’s equally exciting new lineup of food & beverage providers — a couple of which are familiar names to fans of the KRATE at The Grove container park. 

The first of those is La Creacion Bistro, which is a sister restaurant to La Creacion Express in the KRATEs, but Bissett-Hayes says the new restaurant will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a completely different menu than what they serve at the KRATEs..

The other locally familiar name is the Brew Bar Self Pour, which will share a space with Urban Crunch Creamery CafĂ©

The Brew Bar/Urban Crunch combo will offer self-pour beer and wine, similar to what the Brew Bar offers at the KRATEs, plus ice cream, açai, coffee and perhaps most important of all, frozen drinks like daiquiris. “It was very important for us to hit this category and Urban Crunch was selected over two others in this category.”

Urban Crunch has a sister location in nearby Odessa that also serves breakfast and brunch items, but the Urban Crunch at The Hub will not be serving those items.

Another exciting option, with a sister location in the River Hills Plaza in Valrico, is The Landing Bar & Grill, which is where you’ll want to watch all your favorite sports. The Landing in Valrico has a huge menu, with unique appetizer options like Aztec chowder (white bean chicken chili), traditional pierogies, Cajun fish bites and even pizza fries (a large order of fries topped with mozzarella and pepperoni, served with marinara.

Sandwiches include a meatball hoagie, Philly cheesesteak and even a California chicken sandwich. Or, sample entrées like grilled, fried or blackened grouper, salmon or jumbo shrimp dinners, a low-carb grilled chicken dinner with broccoli, plus great salads, wings, pizzas, flatbreads, pastas and much more.

Again, we haven’t seen The Landing’s Hub menu yet, but you know we’ll keep you posted!

Also coming to The Hub at Lexington is The Monk’s Indian Fusion Cuisine, which has a dozen locations in Indiana, Colorado and nine in Texas.  This “Desi-Chinese” eatery combines the different flavors of India and China in one location, with a huge variety of samosas, dosas, naan breads and Indian entrĂ©es like paneer or chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, a variety of biryanis and vindaloo options and much more. 

Among the Chinese entrĂ©es are Sichuan, chilli garlic and Manchurian sauces with gobi (cauliflower), paneer, chicken or shrimp. The other Monk’s locations even have my favorite Indo-Chinese dish — wok-tossed hakka noodles and fried rice with your choice of meat or veggies.

Speaking of Asian cuisine, The Hub at Lexington’s lineup also will include Saigon Pho Wesley Chapel, which has a location called Banh Mi & Boba at The Hub at Bexley. Like Banh Mi, Saigon Pho will feature Vietnamese fare featuring pho noodle soups, grilled plates and banh mi sandwiches. 

Still another interesting option is Farmer’s Milk, which is a cafĂ© and bakery with a sister location in Hollywood, FL, that sells everything from whole cakes, French croissants and Russian sourdough rye breads called borodinsky, plus breakfast items, including syrniki, which are small, pan-fried pancakes made from mild tvorog (aka “Farmer’s”) cheese that are sweet enough to enjoy as a dessert. There also are eggs Benedict and other options. Farmer’s Milk’s website says its menu is “packed with wholesome dishes emphasizing healthy eating and high-quality products.” 

But wait, there’s still more! You cinnamon roll fans will flip for Cinnaholic Gourmet Cinnamon Rolls, which started in California and today has more than 100 locations across the U.S. and Canada, including one on S. Howard Ave. in South Tampa. The 100% plant-based rolls, plus brownies, cookies and more, are “all made with the highest quality ingredients” and you can custom-design your own rolls with everything from “Old Skool” vanilla frosting to caramel apple pie frosting and one I will have to try — the “Shake, Rattle & Roll,” with peanut butter frosting, pretzels, banana slices and homemade peanut butter cups. Are you kidding me? 

The final restaurant on the list is Island Grill, which is billed as a Caribbean fusion restaurant, but we don’t have any additional info or a logo to show you yet. “They are still finalizing their menu,” Bissett-Hayes says. “But, it will be very authentic because the principal is from the islands.” The hope here is that there will lots of fresh fish and seafood on that menu.

And then there’s the “golf simulation experience” known as The Clubhouse. Although there are multiple such businesses across the country by the same name — some of which are also restaurants and/or sports bars — Bissett-Hayes says this incarnation of The Clubhouse is a start-up entertainment venue unrelated to any others I found online and will not serve its own food or beverages. 

“It will have six golf simulators and a putting green,” she says. “Customers will be able to order food and drink from our restaurants to be delivered or brought in while at The Clubhouse.”

The Clubhouse will have some PGA teaching pros who will be offering lessons. So far, it has commitments from local pros at courses like Lake Jovita and Hunter’s Green Country Clubs. 

Bissett-Hayes says that The Clubhouse also will be sampling some small merchandise items like balls, gloves and some branded clothing items like golf polos. These are mainly just for fun and if someone needs some balls (although all of the bays will come with balls). Another possible service would be club fittings with whatever club partner they end up using. But, she says, “that probably only be once or twice a year and would be more of a partnership with the club maker and the orders would go directly to them.”

The final three tenants already signed up to join The Hub at Lexington are the Lexington Nail Lab and Headlines Barber Shop, both of which have related locations at The Hub At Bexley, and Suncoast Charging. Headlines also has nearby locations on County Line Rd. in New Tampa and in The Pointe at Tampa Palms. 

Meanwhile, co-founder Wesley Sima of Suncoast Charging says, “We’re building more than just an EV charging network — we’re shaping the future of electric mobility to improve the EV charging experience: making it faster, more reliable, and accessible for all drivers. We believe charging should fit seamlessly into your journey and lifestyle. That’s why our stations are designed not only with cutting-edge, high-speed and dependable charging technology, but also with premium amenities that turn every stop into a comfortable and convenient experience. Whether you’re commuting, running errands, road-tripping, or managing a fleet, we’re committed to delivering the gold standard of EV charging.” Suncoast Charging at The Hub will be open 24 hours a day and customers can use a variety of different payment methods including credit card (not just a phone app). Customers also can navigate to the charging station through the Tesla app or through other in-car navigation apps like Google Maps, PlugShare, and many others.

For more info about the remaining spaces at The Hub at Lexington, call Courtney Bissett-Hayes at (813) 340-7936.

The rendering above, provided by Center Connect Development, shows what The Hub at Lexington will look like when it is completed and open for business. 

New Tampa’s Vasil Kirkov Plays Doubles At Both Wimbledon & The US Open!

(Above) New Tampa-raised pro tennis player Vasil Kirkov (no hat) shakes hands with Julian Cash after Vasil & partner Brad Stevens (below right) lost in two tough sets to Cash & partner Lloyd Glasspool in the 1st round at Wimbledon., who ended up 
winning the tournament. (Photos provided by Stoyan Kirkov) 

In the 31 years I’ve owned this publication, I can’t recall having actually interviewed any kid raised in New Tampa who played at Wimbledon — the oldest and most prestigious professional tennis tournament in the world — or the US Open, the only tennis major played on U.S. soil (in Flushing, Queens, NY).

But now, I can’t say that anymore, as Bulgaria-born Vasil Kirkov, 26, who has been raised in New Tampa since he was nine, played Men’s Doubles at Wimbledon with his partner Bart Stevens from The Netherlands — and has now also made it into the Men’s Doubles draw at the US Open.

The unseeded duo lost in straight sets (6-7[6-8], 4-6), in the first round in July at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London — to the #5-seeded doubles team of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. The British duo ended up winning the entire tournament — becoming the first all-English pair from the host country to win the Men’s Doubles title at Wimbledon in 89 years — and lost only one set along the way. 

“We definitely gave them as tough a match as anybody,” Vasil says. “We even took them to a tiebreaker in the first set. So, even though we ended up losing, I thought we played very well.”

Very well indeed for a team that only made it into the Wimbledon draw as the third alternate and had to wait for a call that said they were going to compete there. Even with that loss, however, Vasil is now ranked a career-high #78 in the world as a doubles player (Stevens is #74)  and since Wimbledon, the pair made it to the Finals of the ATP Challenger Tour tournament in Hagen, Denmark, earlier this month.

Vasil says that he started his tennis “career” on “the courts in Hunter’s Green. I can still remember the first time I hit on Court 3 with my brother Kiril (who ended his tennis career after playing in college).” Depending upon which surface his next tournament will be played on (clay or hard-court), Vasil continues to practice when he’s in town at the courts at either Arbor Greene or Hunter’s Green. 

He also admits that his mom Tanya used to beat him “until I was 11 years old, so she definitely played her part in this.” He credits his father Stoyan as his self-taught coach, even though Stoyan was never a high-level player himself.

Now standing 6’-1” tall, Vasil says he was home-schooled beginning with the seventh grade — after attending Benito Middle School on Cross Creek Blvd. for 6th grade. “I was playing tournaments all over and traveling too much to continue to attend school,” he says. “I had a lot of success in junior tournaments.”

So much success, in fact, that he says he was “always ranked in the top five of my class [nationally] when I was 18.” In fact, at the 2017 French Open on clay in Paris, France, Vasil and his then-partner Danny Thomas made it to the finals, but were defeated in straight sets (4-6, 4-6) by the team of Nicola Kuhn and Zsombor Piros.

And, even though he had offers from a number of Division I NCAA tennis programs, Vasil decided to turn pro. “That was more than eight years ago,” he says, “Looking back on that decision, it would have been nice to have that college experience, but I’m happy with my decision.”

He started out playing both singles and doubles as a pro, but injuries kept him from ever rising above the #439 in the world singles ranking he achieved in 2021. For his career, Vasil has won 10 ATP Challenger Tour and eight ITF doubles titles. He began partnering with Stevens in Oct. 2024 and, at our press time, the pair had a decent career match record together of 244 wins and 180 losses. Kirkov’s career pro tennis earnings recently surpassed $200,000. 

“We know what we have to do in order to be successful,” Vasil says. “So, that’s what we’re focused on; not just the outcome.” 

Armed with his highest-ever doubles ranking and very good recent results, Kirkov and Stevens have now made it into the 64-team Men’s Doubles bracket at the 2025 US Open. The unseeded duo will take on the also-unseeded team of  N. Siriam Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli of India tomorrow — Friday, August 29 — in their first-round match. We’ll keep you posted about this and all of Kirkov & Stevens’ matches at this year’s fourth and final tennis major, which is being played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens. The Wimbledon-winning team of Cash and Glasspool is seeded #1 at the US Open.

Even though US Open play has now begun, Stoyan says Vasil is still  seeking local sponsorships as he continues his pro tennis journey. 

If your business could benefit from having your name and/or logo seen by a world-wide TV audience, call Stoyan at (813) 841-8014 or email K1tennis@yahoo.com.

Stonewood Grill Hosts Its Own Celebration Of Dave Rathbun 

I remember very clearly the day Bella Brave general manager Tina Stormer called to tell me that my friend and former long-time Stonewood Grill & Tavern managing partner Dave Rathbun had passed away at the age of 69.

The first phone call I made immediately after I told Jannah was to current Stonewood Grill managing partner Dennis Diaz to ask him what, if anything, he planned to do in order to give all of Dave’s seemingly thousands of long- time customers and friends an opportunity to pay their respects and share their love for Dave.

Apparently, I wasn’t alone. When I asked Dennis how many people had called to ask him the same question, he said “Everybody! But, I don’t know his family or even how to get in touch with them.”

I didn’t either, but I found Dave’s step-daughter Emily Barreira on Facebook and told her that although I knew Bella Brava — where Dave was working the last year+ — was planning a “Celebration of Life” for him at the restaurant located off S.R. 54 near the Veterans Expy., I was concerned that most of his Stonewood customers would not be in attendance at that event.

So, I asked Emily to talk to her mom (and Dave’s truly beloved widow) Gina to see if it would be OK for me to put together a second Celebration of Life for Dave. She got back to me and said it would be fine to do that and that she and her mom would try to be there for it.

As we reported last issue, the Bella Brava event was an amazing recap of Dave’s too-short life, which also included his three brothers and two sisters and what seemed to be at least 300- 400 people — including a few of his New Tampa “peeps.” Among those in attendance were Dennis Diaz and Stonewood’s executive chef Danny Manzur. Together, we set the date for Stone- wood’s “In Remembrance of Dave” event for two weeks later — July 28 — which I announced on the front cover of our last New Tampa issue.

Although I was hoping to hold the event sometime after 5 p.m., Stonewood needed to hold it at 1 p.m., and although that time may have kept the attendance down somewhat, what took place was exactly what I had hoped for — a wonderful celebration of a deeply loved man, with great food provided mainly by Stonewood but also by some of the attendees and of course, great stories about a man they all knew and loved.

So, somewhere between 60-70 people came three hours before Stonewood opened on July 28. There was food and bar stools and booths filled with people, with some of the plaques, awards and photos Dave received over the years.

And, Emily and Gina were not only on-hand (they are in the top photo, with Stonewood’s Danny Manzur, far left, and Dennis Diaz, far right, and several other of the restaurant’s employees who helped make the event a success), they also brought along the memory board that also was on display at the Bella Brava event.

The Neighborhood News sponsored the opening round of drinks and one of Dave’s long-time customers brought along a remembrance guest book that most of the people in attendance signed.

Everyone talked about how Dave always knew not just everyone’s name, but where they preferred to sit, what food and drinks they usually had and more than a lit- tle info about each person’s job, family, etc.

“Dave definitely had a gift,” said long-time customer and friend Debby Amon. “He was just such a wonderful man.”

Many of those on hand at the Stonewood event knew Dave from when he worked at the Carrabba’s Italian Grill on N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace before he helped open Stonewood.

Here are just a few excerpts from the “In Loving Memory of Dave” guest book. I honestly can’t read all of the signatures, so I won’t include any of the signers’ names here — but you all know who you are and what you said:

“We lost a truly remarkable man – someone whose presence lit up every room, every shift & every heart that walked into Stonewood. As GM, he wasn’t just a leader, he was the heartbeat of the place. He had a gift for making everyone feel seen & valued – whether you were a longtime customer or a first-time visitor. He never met a stranger & he never let a day go by without a warm smile, a gentle hug, or a kind word. His employees adored him, not just for how he led, but for how he cared. He built a family, not just a team & that love ran deep. His joy was infectious, his heart was enormous & his legacy is etched into the lives of everyone lucky enough to know him. We will miss him dearly, but will carry his light forward. It was an honor to call him our friend.”

“I grew up in [the Rathbun family’s] neighborhood. Every year when I’d do the food drive, David was so wonderful & charitable. Always had a smile on his face & told us to come to Stonewood. He & his generous spirit will be missed.”

“We experienced Dave’s kindness & generosity of spirit on many occasions. He has served as an example in our lives for what it means to live your faith with simplicity & authenticity. Dave had the heart of a true angel. All his employees always commented that he was the best boss they ever had & we know why.”

“Dave was a man unlike anyone we have ever met. Truly special. He touched people’s lives in ways that left an everlasting impression.”

“Dave was the dearest person we met upon relocating to Tampa. While we were new, Dave made us feel like old friends, or better yet FAMILY! And, to Dave’s family, thank you for sharing Dave with us!”

“Dave trained my sister when she started as a waitress for Carrabba’s. I saw him frequently through the Stonewood days & more recently played golf with him & learned of his transition to Bella Brava. You can’t ask for a better guy or restaurant manager. His spiritual growth was very inspirational to me. We have been spiritual brothers since. You will be doing great things up there!”

“Emily & Gina – We loved Dave so much. From years ago at Stonewood to our long conversations in Publi to always visiting him at Bella Brava.”