When Patrick Abad, the managing partner and VP of the Lexus of Wesley Chapel dealership scheduled to open later this year, regaled the June 21 audience at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC)’s Economic Development Briefing with updates about the area’s next luxury car dealership, he drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd.
And, he did a lot of that without even mentioning the cars.
Thanks to a local family median income in the $80,000 range, an influx of new homes on the horizon and rapid business growth, Wesley Chapel has become a hot destination for luxury car dealers. Lexus of Wesley Chapel, being built just south and west of Wesley Chapel Toyota at 5300 Eagleston Blvd. (south of State Road 54 between Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and I-75), will be joining what is growing into a booming luxury car market that already includes Mercedes-Benz of Wesley Chapel, which opened in 2015, and Audi Wesley Chapel, which will open a little later this year than Lexus.
(L.-r.) Randy Newbold of Williams Automotive Group, Steve Domonkos of the Shops at Wiregrass, Eric Johnson of Williams Auto, Jennifer Tussing of the Wesley Chapel Chamber and Patrick Abad, the managing partner and VP of Lexus of Wesley Chapel.
Abad wowed the WCCC audience with details of what will be a state-of-the-art facility that he expects will revolutionize the local car-buying experience.
“We have visited over 40 Lexus dealerships in the last 18 months, and we took the best from each one,’’ Abad said. “When we sat down with the architect, we said we want all of these things.”
Those things include simple, but expensive touches like the $2 million being spent on a double car wash. “Lexus said we didn’t have to build a car wash,” Abad says, “so we didn’t…we built two.”
A pavilion, equipped with a grill, refrigerator and televisions and able to host small corporate events, will link the Lexus dealership to the adjacent Wesley Chapel Toyota dealership. Inside, a cafe featuring fresh sandwiches and a smoothie machine, massage chairs, a business center and even a “quiet” room for those working while they wait for their cars is being incorporated into the dealership.
Abad is part of the Williams Automotive Group of Wesley Chapel, which also operates Wesley Chapel Toyota and Wesley Chapel Honda on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (or C.R. 54), the Wesley Chapel Used Superstore on S.R. 54 and Tampa Honda on N. Florida Ave.
Williams Automotive, run by brothers John and David Williams, has been chasing a Lexus dealership — there are only 236 in the country, Abad says — for years. They even did their own market study, which showed a need for a Lexus dealership in Wesley Chapel, and as one of about 500 applicants, presented it yearly in the hopes of being awarded one. Once chosen, the process included five thorough on-site interviews at Toyota.
“Two grueling years,’’ Abad said, adding that it was the first time in 12 years a new dealer had been brought into the Lexus family. He said that the success of Wesley Chapel Toyota, chosen as the WCCC Large Business of the Year in 2015, played a big role.
The new dealership is being built on eight acres of land, and though the standard Lexus dealership is roughly 20,000-sq.-ft., the Wesley Chapel location will be 64,000-sq.-ft.
“It’s bigger because we know what’s going to happen in this market,’’ Abad said. “And, we’ll be ready.”
High-tech customer care, though, will be a centerpiece. “Technology like you will not see in any other store,’’ Abad said.
When Lexus owners pull in, radio-frequency identification (RFID) will alert their customer service rep inside. An electronic tire reader will tell you if you need new tires before you even take a seat inside. WiFi in the poles in the parking lot will allow employees to better address customer needs via their tablets.
As for sales, gone are the days of what Abad called the “27 steps of the sale process.” With smarter shoppers these days due to computers and the internet, Abad said sales reps do not have to drag customers through all 27 steps.
“Customers are all at different spots in the process,’’ he says. “If they come in and know the price they want to pay, what their car is worth, what they want to buy, can’t we just skip steps 1-22 and go right to 23?”
In fact, due to tablet technology, Abad said in some cases it might be feasible to skip right to 27, and sign the paperwork for your car on a tablet in your own driveway.
Lexus will hire 100 people, and Abad said they are looking more to the customer service and hospitality industries. He also said he has received 1,200 applications from all over the country — even one from a director of concierge at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel in California.
Lexus will hit the ground running. Abad is handling a promotion called the Founding 100, which will provide various perks for the first 100 customers to buy a Lexus at the Wesley Chapel location. It includes upgrades like a lifetime warranty, lifetime oil changes and car washes, as well as other VIP services.
The promotion already has been a hit. Six months before Lexus is set to open, 95 cars already have been pre-sold. “The average Lexus store sells about 100 monthly,’’ Abad said. “We’re doing 100 the first week.” Or more. Abad added that Lexus of Wesley Chapel they may widen the promotion for additional customers.
“I think this is going to be great for the community,’’ he says. “I think you are going to be proud of what we do.”
For more information, check out Lexus of Wesley Chapel’s website at Lexus OfWesleyChapel.com.
At Discovery Village at Tampa Palms, residents enjoy a fun and outstanding lifestyle, whether they need supervised independent, assisted living or memory care.
Tampa’s newest and most advanced senior-living community is now open! Discovery Village at Tampa Palms, located in New Tampa, is located just minutes from the area’s best shopping, entertainment and health care facilities.
This 105-unit residence features suites and upgraded one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, and offers three levels of care, making it the perfect community for seniors of any lifestyle.
Our Supervised Independent lifestyle is ideal for independent seniors who desire only minimal assistance with everyday activities.
For those seniors needing a bit more support, we offer an all-inclusive, no care level Assisted Living lifestyle which provides complete assistance with all activities of daily living.
Lastly, Discovery Village’s all-inclusive no care level Memory Care lifestyle is designed to accommodate seniors with dementia-related diseases. Each lifestyle comes with our exclusive three-year “rent lock” program which provides a financial value unlike any other senior-living community in Hillsborough County.
Discovery Village at Tampa Palms is established from a new era of bold, energetic senior living, complete with resort-style amenities and a wealth of social and recreational activities. The community’s Grande Clubhouse offers a sensational dining room that provides three gourmet meals with tableside service daily, as well as a private dining room for special family celebrations.
There also are numerous social areas that are convenient for entertaining and mingling with neighbors, including a game room complete with a full-size pool table and several card and other game tables for hours of friendly competition.
Residents can enjoy daily happy hour celebrations or evening nightcaps in The Legends Club & Bar. The clubhouse also hosts the luxurious Silver Cinema Movie Theater, complete with a theater-style popcorn machine, so residents can keep up with the newest releases or reminisce with one of their favorite childhood movies.
Of course, to ensure they always look their best, a full-service, professional beauty salon and spa with barber shop is available to all of the residents of Discovery Village.
Happy & Healthy
Health and wellness are top of mind at Discovery Village at Tampa Palms.
The senior-equipped fitness center includes state-of-the-art exercise machines, as well as free-standing weights and yoga mats, ideal for even the most health-conscience enthusiast.
Year-round water fitness can be enjoyed in the outdoor heated pool, which boasts a gradual-entry ramp to streamline access. For residents who might be feeling a bit under the weather, relief is always close by with a fully monitored nursing station available on-site.
The Discovery Zone Media Center will blow residents’ minds with a plethora of cognitive brain fitness tools, as well as a multifunctional craft center and activity room for inspiring the creative soul.
Additional services include an on-site medical director, on-site therapies and an on-site, Medicare-certified home health care agency to ensure all of your health and wellness needs are met.
But, what makes Discovery Village at Tampa Palms so unique are the six lifestyle programs that come together to create a senior living experience unlike any other.
These programs provide residents with fun, stress-free and easy living. Socialize with neighbors, enjoy fine dining, get out and about with chauffeured transportation and take advantage of the health and wellness opportunities. Plus, weekly housekeeping and concierge services all make life the best it can be.
Sensations – Dining
Some of the most exciting times happen three times a day at Discovery Village. That’s when residents sit down in the “Sensations” dining room to enjoy healthy, delicious meals made from scratch, complete with friendly tableside service, sparkling china and linen tablecloths and napkins.
Our Executive Chefs prepare daily menus filled with international cuisines and artistically prepared meals to suit every palate. Using the freshest ingredients available, our chefs create mouth-watering appetizers, entées and desserts that keep our residents’ taste buds tingling. You’ll also love the selections during themed parties and other special events.
Celebrations – Activities
Stay active and continue to enrich your life with Discovery Village’s Celebrations program. Our full-time Activities Director ensures that there is always a variety of activities and events going on. From exercise to parties, seminars to games, you’ll find something to enjoy with friends and neighbors each day. Whether at the community or on-the-town, you’ll find it difficult to decide what to do next!
Dimensions – Wellness
Social, intellectual, spiritual, physical, medical and emotional wellness are important aspects of life at Discovery Village.
Residents have ample opportunity to get involved in our comprehensive wellness programs. From yoga to water aerobics, educational classes to spiritual gatherings, there is always something fun and interesting going on at our communities to fill your mind, body, and soul. Our professional team members are always nearby to help you enjoy the best possible quality of life.
When you need to get out and about, our professional drivers will get you there with our complimentary scheduled transportation. Check the schedule for regular trips to nearby locations such as dining, shopping, religious services and other fun excursions or for personal appointments, like going to your doctor’s office. Just make a request with the Concierge a couple of days in advance and we will make sure you get there on time.
Impressions – Housekeeping
Our housekeeping team makes a lasting impression in keeping your community and home clean, allowing you more time to do the things you enjoy. Expect excellence from dedicated and conscientious team members who are committed to the utmost in quality for the care your home deserves.
Expressions – Concierge Services
Concierge services at all of our communities take the hassles out of your life and put conveniences in.
Erik Kellar Photography
We can make reservations to local restaurants or a must-see show. Need a beautiful flower arrangement sent to a friend or family member? We’ll have them delivered. We’ll also help make your move smooth and stress-free. We can assist with scheduling your move, disconnecting household services, help with furniture layout and placement and offer complimentary interior design consultation. We are at your service!
At Discovery Village, residents are graciously cared for by a team of uniquely remarkable professionals offering the utmost in comfort, happiness and healthy living. The elegance and splendor of the community are carried throughout, from furnishings to décor to luxury-appointed senior apartment homes.
Every detail was thoughtfully executed to provide residents with a sense of elegance and pride. Discovery Village at Tampa Palms will forever change the landscape of senior living and deliver on our promise of exceptional care and exceptional value.
Call (813) 605-2400 or visit www.DiscoveryVillages.com to schedule a tour today and enjoy lunch on us!
Tampa Bay Curling Club president Bernie Skerkowski guides his stone.
It is Saturday night in Wesley Chapel, a typical summer night where a 90º+ day has given way to a torrential downpour. But, inside chilly Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI), the atmosphere couldn’t be a more perfect for the Tampa Bay Curling Club (TBCC).
A cart with plastic pitchers of beer is hoisted onto a rink — where stones and brooms and a collection of mismatched locals with rubber bands on their shoes (to keep from slipping) — men and women, ranging in ages from 15 to 70, are ready for their favorite night of the week.
Annie Gargasz gets busy sweeping.
In a cacophony of stones clacking together and teammates cheering each other on, club president Bernie Skerkowski’s voice seems to boomerang off the boards.
“No……no……Yes! Sweeeeeep! Sweeeeeep!”
Skerkowski teaches the sport and runs the curling program at FHCI, but he also is on a team — Curl Jam — in the inaugural season of curling that is now less than halfway through its first season in the Tampa Bay area. He is exhorting his teammates to brush the ice, which is covered with tiny droplets of water that harden into little pebbles of ice, and smooth it out so the 42-pound stone that he has just slid towards the “house,” or target, can pick up some steam and trajectory.
“Sweeeeeeeeeeeep!”
Although the sport of curling is definitely in its infancy at Florida Hospital Center Ice, more than 60 people already are participating in the first-ever curling league in the Tampa Bay area, including curling vet Scott Gargasz (squatting) of Advanced Hands.
When the stone finds its mark inside the house, he flashes a smile towards his teammates, and is greeted with two thumbs up.
This happens on all five sheets (or rows) of ice on one of the three NHL-sized rinks every Saturday night at FHCI, over and over, by an enthusiastic group excited about being curling pioneers in Wesley Chapel. The “Spirit of Curling,” a common phrase used in the game by players to describe the sportsmanship, camaraderie and etiquette that is supposed to define the sport, is on display.
“We can’t wait for Saturday nights,’’ said DJ Bonoan, a computer engineer who formed a team, House of Chapel, with his friends Noah Bethel, Orlando Rosales and Billy Still.
Bonoan and his teammates have so embraced curling’s arrival, he is documenting their first season on a blog called TheHadjiChronicles.com, where he posts a video series he shoots and edits called “STONED.”
“We’re always thinking about it,’’ Bonoan says. “I’m at work, looking at better strategies for playing, looking for game plans, trying to figure out better ways to get the stone down the ice. Man, we love it!”
Bonoan has even downloaded a curling game app for his cell phone.
Skerkowski isn’t surprised that Bonoan and others have quickly developed an obsession with curling.
He and FHCI general manager Kevin Wolter had talked about hosting a curling league long before the doors were even open at the facility, with both feeling it would be a big hit in the community.
When they were able to convince developers to build room for five sheets of curling ice (one sheet for each game being played), they knew they could make it work. “I am still a little surprised,’’ Skerkowski says. “It’s more people than I expected. When we had our informational meeting, I thought we’d get 30-40 people out, but we had 100.”
Big Numbers, Big Fun!
The TBCC (visit TampaBayCurlingClub.com) currently has 63 members, and 80 percent of them had no curling experience when they signed up. The league, which has 10 teams, is co-ed, although, if interest increases, Skerkowski is open to a women’s-only league in the future.
Liz Mitchell was just “along for the ride” until she got curling fever herself.
The league already utilizes five sheets every Saturday. The Orlando Curling Club, which has been around for a few years, usually only has access to three or four, according to Skerkowski.
“They can’t believe how many we’ve got,’’ says Skerkowski.
The league has recently been accepted into the Grand National Curling Club (GNCC), a 150-year-old organization that has more than 4,700 members, or roughly a quarter of all curlers in the U.S., according to its website. Skerkowski says getting in the GNCC was a coup for a club so young.
“Even they (GNCC) were surprised by how many members we have,’’ he said.
The current TBCC league, which was about to complete (at our press time) the fourth week of a 10-week season, is just the tip of the, well…iceberg.
By the start of the next season, an influx of snowbirds returning to Florida and word of mouth is expected to increase the number of local curling participants. The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in February in PyeongChang, South Korea, which will give the sport another boost, with the TBCC expecting to see an influx of new members as a result.
Wolter says there could also be plans for a Sunday morning league, which are very popular up north, as well as bonspiels, or weekend tournaments.
“It has been very successful so far, so we can definitely see this expanding into a number of different things,’’ he says.
Curling reminds many of shuffleboard, a popular game with the older set in Florida, although it is more commonly referred to as “chess on ice” and dates back to the 1500s.
Each game is played on a rectangular sheet of ice which is roughly 150 feet long and 16 feet wide. At FHCI, the five sheets of ice are laid down side. The ice is “pebbled,” a process where small droplets of water are frozen across the surface. Without pebbling, Skerkowski says, the stone would barely move. With it, the stone is able to glide more effectively and spin, or curl…hence the name.
While players take turns “throwing,” or pushing, the stone, their teammates play the role of sweepers, using a broom to brush the ice to the front and side of the stone. The brushing reduces friction underneath the stone and allows its path, speed and spin to be manipulated.
Teams alternate shots and are aiming for the house, the area that looks like a target, as they try to score points for being closest to the center. Each team throws eight stones to complete an “end” (or inning, like in baseball). Although the number varies, a typical match consists of eight ends.
“When we were first got here, I was thinking, ‘How hard could this be?,’’’ says Bonoan, who is no stranger to working out. “But, I’ll tell you this, it’s a lot more challenging than it looks on TV. I was actually sore after the first Learn To Curl class.”
Although curling is huge in Canada — where national finals are televised — and in the northern U.S. (it has even been featured in an episode of “The Simpsons”), the only time most Americans ever see the sport is during the Winter Olympics.
The game enjoyed a spike in popularity when it returned as an Olympic sport in 1998, after its exclusion from the Olympic programs since 1924. In 2010, it was prominently featured during Olympic TV coverage, creating another boost of popularity. “People laugh at it, but when it is on during the Olympics, everybody watches it,” Skerkowski says.
Catching The Fever…
New Tampa resident Raquel Aluisy, who convinced best friend Janice Tuffy to join her and started researching the sport before it even started at FHCI (only to find the closest clubs were in Orlando or Fort Myers), says “I remember curling during the Olympics, watching it at 3 a.m. when I was little, and thought it looked so cool and fun,’’ Aluisy says. “A couple of months later, they announced it at Center Ice and I called Janice and said ‘WE’RE DOING IT!’”
Raquel and Janice met Chris Ansey and Dave Hobbs at one of the Learn To Curl classes in May, and decided to form a team, Kuch’s Kurlers, for the league.
“Everybody was just so friendly and nice,’’ she says. “We all learned together, fell together and got back up together.”
Raquel tried to recruit others, “but all my friends at work think I’m crazy.”
Saturday night may not ideal for many, but Raquel has no problem making her way to Wesley Chapel for league matches. At least, so far. A Tampa Bay Lightning season ticketholder, she expects a few of the hockey games to conflict with her curling career. “That will be a tough choice,” she says, laughing.
Mike Meyers of Dade City watched curling during the last Olympics, and when he read that an ice rink was being built nearby, he told his wife if they ever started curling, he was going to play.
One of the first few curlers to sign up at FHCI, Meyers and his son Chris, who is 15, play on Get Your SHEET Together. On a recent Saturday night, Chris found the bulls eye a few times, although the team fell short against License to Curl.
“He’s not a big sports kid at all, but he has picked it right up,’’ Mike said.
Their teammates, Danny Winters and his fiancé Liz Mitchell of Wesley Chapel, signed up together. Danny says he was debating trying the sport out after stumbling across a curling demo one day at FHCI, when his 8-year-old son Avery nudged the guy at the sign-up table and said ‘My dad wants to try it out.’”
That guy happened to be Skerkowski, who closed the deal with Winters.
“I was along for the ride,’’ said Mitchell, who admits she has also developed a fondness for the sport.
It’s not cheap to curl, a fact that nearly scared off Mitchell and others.
To join the Tampa Bay Curling Club, the annual dues are $75 (which covers insurance) and to register a team is $250 (or what amounts to $25 a match). That comes out to $250 per player, though Skerkowski says a team of eight that alternates the weeks they play cuts that in half.
Ice time is not cheap. In fact, the league started a three-week hiatus after the games June 24 because other scheduled events need the rink. And creating the particular curling sheets is time consuming. “We’ve made it as cheap as possible,’’ he says. “Nobody is making any money off this.”
While the club provides some brooms, most members have gone online to buy their own, which start at around $50 for a fiberglass version if you shop around. There are specially-made curling shoes, which is another cost for the serious player, there are slider slippers to share and you can get by with rubberbands to keep from slipping.
You do not, however, need the most expensive piece of equipment, the stone. The FHCI is leasing 16 of the granite stones for the league, for a cost of $6,000 a year, but will eventually own them.
Some teams have also decided to buy matching uniforms for the games.
“It’s been worth every penny,’’ says Bonoan. “I can’t wait to see what other stuff they have planned.”
For more information about upcoming Learn To Curl Classes, current league standings and future leagues, visit TampaBayCurlingClub.com or contact president Bernie Skerkowski at (813) 758-2279.
(l.-r.) Zezura, son Jordyn, daughter Aryanna and Patrick Ruddell have made their Mini Doughnut Factory in South Tampa one of Tampa Bay’s hottest spots, and hope to bring one to Wesley Chapel one day. (Photo courtesy of Lindsey Meyer)
Wesley Chapel resident Patrick Ruddell doesn’t wait for many things, and he knows what he wants.
So, when he found himself tossing and turning in bed one night three years ago mulling his next move, he got up and opened his laptop at 3 a.m. and emailed three of the top donut shops in Tampa with one simple question:
“Do you want to sell? I want to buy.”
“That’s all I sent,’’ Patrick says. “Three emails with the exact same phrase.”
In 12 hours, he had a response, and just two hours after that, he had a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Three days later, he was at Perks Donut Bar in South Tampa.
“I loved it,’’ he says. “It was perfect.”
And with that, Patrick and his wife Zezura were on their way to becoming the King and Queen of Doughnuts in the Tampa Bay area.
Mini Doughnuts, to be exact.
The Wesley Chapel couple, easily recognizable around the area for his distinguished beard and her wide smile, have created a succulent sensation with their Mini Doughnut Factory, which opened in November 2015 on S. Dale Mabry Hwy. in South Tampa and became a social media wonder on Instagram and Facebook, thanks to a smart and aggressive strategy and a fresh twist on a pretty standard product.
The Mini Doughnut Factory makes its popular, double-bite-sized donuts to order in a small, 1,200-sq.ft. space in a nondescript strip center with bad parking and, almost always, a crowd out the door.
The cake portion of their donuts are tasty, but not too sweet. That is saved for the variety of interesting and unique toppings ranging from sweet to savory — from your basic chocolate and vanilla to eye- and taste-bud-catchers like the Sweet Pig (maple icing and bacon), LeLe Coco (lemon icing and toasted coconut) and the Homer Simpson (strawberry icing with rainbow sprinkles). Customers know to keep their eyes open for new flavors, like the Guava minis for Gasparilla and the Fireball buttercream icing and Hot Tamales for Father’s Day.
Initially, Ruddell was worried that regular customers of Perks would turn their noses up at the newer, smaller doughnuts. “Why are you doing mini donuts?,” people told him. “That’s stupid.”
He actually considered offering regular-sized donuts initially, before easing into the miniature version. But, that was hardly the Ruddells’ style.
“We decided, that’s it, we’re opening as mini doughnuts from Day 1,” Zezura says. “You’re either going to love it or hate it. And, people loved it from Day 1.”
By January, the lines were long and seemingly unending. “I went out the door, took a selfie and was like, oh my God, what did we do here?,” Patrick says. “In less than three months, how did this happen?”
“We cried,” Zezura says. “We literally cried.”
It is more than just the doughnuts, says business partner and friend Lee Kearney, a broker for Spin Real Estate in Seminole Heights. It’s the experience, as customers can watch their doughnuts being dipped, rolled and packed up, as well as the interaction with employees, including Patrick and Zezura.
Always Giving Back, Too
The Ruddells say they feel deeply connected and thankful to their community and customers. They have spearheaded a number of charitable projects around Tampa Bay and are not only regulars at events to help the less fortunate, but among the first to reach into their own pockets.
“They are a big hit because they have integrated themselves into the community,’’ Kearney says. “They promote good things in the community. That, and it’s a great product, by great people. That’s what makes it special.”
Success was nothing new for the Ruddells. Patrick had a great run in real estate years before, flipping more than 700 houses between 2005 to 2008, before themarket crashed and took almost everything he owned with it.
“We lost everything, literally everything,” Zezura says. “We were living in Seven Oaks, had what we thought was our forever home. Great money, great house, nice cars, the whole shebang. We lost everything down to where we had to sell jewelry to pay bills.”
“We short sold that house,” Patrick says, adding, “We lost $170,000 selling that house.’’
The Ruddells struggled that first year after the economy crashed, but slowly worked their way back, emboldened by a never-say-die entrepreneurial spirit. The family moved to Fort Lauderdale sometime in 2010, and began to rebuild as Patrick worked on some web ventures.
He flipped some web domains, including ScienceFiction.com (the country’s top sci-fi website, he says, with four million visitors a month) in 2012. They moved back to Wesley Chapel and used that money to get back into real estate.
But this time, they paid more attention to being diversified. Their next move, they decided, would be to find something that was recession-proof.
Driving around Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, Patrick says he felt like he was passing a Dunkin’ Donuts at every turn. One of his hobbies, he says, is walking into a business and analyzing it. How much would it cost? Could he make it better?
“Obviously, if there are five Dunkin’ Donuts within a few square miles of where we are, doughnuts are doing well,’’ Patrick said. And he had no doubt he could make better doughnuts, specifically smaller ones that are made-to-order and always fresh, in a variety of designs and toppings.
The Power Of Love…& Great Doughnuts
Success has taken the Ruddells on a roller coaster ride neither ever imagined.
“Success is more stressful than failure,’’ Patrick says.
Zezura says they worked 100 hours a week for six straight months, creating a major imbalance between work and family, including their two children, son Jordyn and daughter Aryanna. Even a 20-year relationship couldn’t withstand some of the pressures they were now facing.
They separated and even filed for divorce at one point. However, what initially tore them apart brought them back together, stronger than before.
“We decided last year that we needed to turn the corner and fix this,’’ Zezura says.
It came down to being unable to live without each other.
“I’m the one that will run through the wall, but this is the most supportive woman ever,’’ Patrick says.“Success or failure, she is always there, saying, ‘We are going to do it, we are going to make it.’”
“I’m not afraid of failure, really,’’ Zezura says.
“Because we’ve been there,’’ Patrick adds. “If you’ve made it once, you can make it again.”
And yes, they have made it, again. After breaking even the first month, Patrick and Zezura were pulling in six-figure profits at the Mini Doughnut Factory by the sixth month, far exceeding their goals and expectations.
They will open a second store in St. Petersburg later this summer. Another is planned for Orlando.
However, what’s the one place they would like to build a Mini Doughnut Factory more than any other?
At home, here in Wesley Chapel.
“We want it more than anything,’’ Patrick says.
They live in Wesley Chapel, and send their kids to schools here. Patrick coaches basketball at the Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Rd. — a pretty good hoopster himself, the 5-foot-10 donut maven says he once harbored NBA dreams —and the couple are regulars at Wesley Chapel eateries like their favorite, First Watch, where they say they can be found a handful of times a week.
The one thing they’d like to do most in Wesley Chapel, though, is work. Two months ago, they were on the verge of a deal to open a store on S.R. 56. What they thought was a done deal, however, wasn’t, as they say the leasing company reneged on an agreement.
It was devastating. So, they have had to move on. But, every once in a while, a customer from Wesley Chapel will venture into their store, and ask why they can’t have one here.
Patrick says he hasn’t given up yet.
“It hits me hard in the heart,’’ he says. “I wanna be everywhere where people want us to be.”
For more info, visit MiniDoughnutFactory.com, or search MiniDoughnutFactory on Facebook and Instagram. Just don’t do it on an empty stomach.
Although I had never encountered a sheepadoodle until January of this year, when New Tampa resident Todd Pitner brought his sweet, then-year-old, 100-lb. sheepadoodle named Zammy into our office for a story in our January 13 issue — after a photo of Zammy, taken at the Shops at Wiregrass mall, went viral (more than a million hits) on Reddit.
And, my life hasn’t been the same since.
Although I currently live in an apartment, if I ever do move into a house, I’m going to buy a sheepadoodle (old English sheepdog and standard poodle) because I have never seen a better disposition on an animal of any size or breed, much less on a giant stuffed animal come to life.
Since that first story, Zammy has appeared on WCNT-tv, replacing yours truly on set with my co-anchor Susanna Martinez, and I promised Todd that if he ever wanted us to do a follow-up, all we needed was someplace to go where I could see — and chronicle — Zammy’s instant rapport with literally everyone he meets.
So, when Todd asked me and WCNT-tv production assistant Gavin Olsen (who starred as the voice of Zammy in that WCNT-tv segment) to tag along and watch this gentle giant work his magic with the children in the Shriners Hospital on the Tampa campus of USF, we were both thrilled to tag along.
And of course, Zammy didn’t disappoint. Whether the kids were wheelchair bound or walking, teenagers or toddlers, or even Shriners Hospital staff, Zammy gave everyone a few happy minutes of his time and I didn’t see one kid, parent or hospital staffer leave him without a smile on their faces.
I thank Shriners Hospital Tampa’s public relations manager Lisa Buie for not only letting us accompany Zammy on his mission of goodwill, but also for getting everyone in these pictures to sign a release so we could show them.
Look for more Zammy exploits in future issues — and on future episodes of WCNT-tv.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children-Tampa is a 60-bed nonprofit specialty care facility that has served 60,000 patients since it was established in 1985.
“It’s bigger because we know what’s going to happen in this market,’’ Abad said. “And, we’ll be ready.”
