Sunglass Krate — Your Best Option For Great Sunglasses! 

Owner & licensed Optician Jim Lambrou invites the Wesley Chapel community to visit the Sunglass Krate in the Krate at The Grove container park. (Photos by Charmaine George)

The Krate container park in The Grove at Wesley Chapel has added a remarkable new store called Sunglass Krate. 

Opened in September 2023 by licensed optician Jim Lambrou, Jim, his wife Michelle and their son Yianni are originally from Milwaukee, WI, and before moving to Florida in 2008, Jim managed a number of optical stores. He then transitioned to overseeing the labs that make prescription glasses. 

He says, “My associate degree is from the Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland (WI) optician program and my Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business and Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degrees are from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. Wisconsin is a non-licensed state for opticians so when I moved to Florida I had to get my optician’s license.” 

Once he moved to Florida, Jim continued to work at a number of different optical stores, which kept him traveling all over the state. Jim says his desire to spend more time closer to his family prompted the idea of opening the Sunglass Krate. 

Jim took over the Krate that previously housed the Pasco Economic Development Council (EDC)’s SMARTSstart program, which moved to another location. He feels the uniqueness of Sunglass Krate and the impressive eyewear collection he has will help him be successful, despite the fact that some retail Krates have had some difficulties. As a licensed optician, he uses some interesting machines that help him give you the perfect fit, whether you want prescription or non-prescription sunglasses. 

“You can only get this type of service at the Sunglass Krate because I hold an Optician’s license,” Jim explains. He says he will adjust your frames to give you a custom feel you might not get at another sunglass store. 

He says, “In Florida, we tend to use our sunglasses a lot and if, after a while, your sunglasses need an adjustment, just bring it back to the store and Jim will fit you again. If prescription sunglasses are what you’re looking for, he can make those for you, as long as you bring him your prescription from your eye doctor. 

At the heart of Sunglass Krate is a cutting-edge machine called the Spectangle PRO, which offers precision measurements for optimal vision clarity — a testament to Jim’s dedication to excellence. Even if you’re not ready for new glasses right now, when you are out and about at the Krates, take a minute to stop by to see his amazing selection and let Jim give you a demonstration of what he can do to make you see clearer than ever before. 

Differences In Quality & Waves 

Jim says, “Often the really cheap ‘gas station’ sunglasses might have slight warps or ‘waves’ in the lenses and your eyes will sometimes detect them. This will cause your eyes to have to make accommodations to try to see past those waves to perceive an undistorted image. Over time, this strain you are putting on your eyes could cause problems.” 

Another machine at Sunglass Krate, called a Lensometer, can see these waves. Jim says, “A lens with no prescription in it will read 0.00 power and a good quality lens will read a steady 0.00, even when I move the lens from side to side on the Lensometer. If I move a 0.00 power lens from side to side and the power reading starts to fluctuate away from 0, that indicates there is a wave in the lens.” 

He adds that in Florida, where the sun beats down a good portion of the year, protecting your eyes from UV rays is very important. “You would think just wearing sunglasses will protect your eyes but not all sunglasses are made the same,” he says. 

So Many Options! 

Sunglass Krate has a large selection of popular brand names and styles to choose from, including glasses for men, women and unisex, as well as for kids. Some of these well-known brands include Oakley, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim, Kate Spade, Costa del Mar, Gucci, Pit Viper, Rex Specs and more. Jim says he offers at least two dozen different brands and more than 600 pair of glasses on display in the store. 

Many of these options are shown on the store’s website, SunglassKrate.com. Jim says, however, that not all of the sunglasses he has in his store are displayed on that website. For example, only two different options for children’s sunglasses are shown on the website, although there are several others found in the shop. 

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money to protect your eyes,” Jim says, noting that the glasses in the Sunglass Krate range from $25-$500 per pair, so there’s literally something for every budget. But, if you want the more expensive brands, he offers a number of different payment options, including AfterPay which allows you to make four interest-free payments. 

A great addition to Sunglass Krate’s collection are the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Jim says that you will see pretty much everyone wearing these glasses in the near future. While wearing these glasses, you can live stream onto Instagram or Facebook, as well as take pictures, answer a phone call and listen to music. 

Sunglass Krate is one of only two stores in the Tampa Bay area to carry Rex Specs goggles for dogs. 

Other unique options at the Sunglass Krate are Rex Specs and Pit Vipers. 

Jim explains that Rex Specs are goggles made exclusively for dogs. You read that correctly. These goggles were made in Jackson Hole, WY, by Aiden and Jesse Emilio, who took their dogs everywhere with them. Their dogs Yaz (an 11-year-old white husky) and Tuckerman (a 7-year-old German shepherd mix) started to develop eye problems. Their vet suggested dog goggles, but the options Aiden and Emilio found were just too bulky. So, they put their heads together and came up with their own doggie goggles, which they called Rex Specs. There are only two retailers in the entire Tampa Bay area that carry Rex Specs — Sunglass Krate and one located in Clearwater. 

Meanwhile, Yianni told his dad he “had to carry” Pit Viper sunglasses because they are the brand that a lot of famous athletes use — and he was right. Some of the athletes known to wear Pit Vipers are extreme skiing pioneer Glen Plake and current and former NFL players like Patrick Mahomes and Rob Gronkowski. 

Jim said that whenever he gets home, Yianni asks him how many pairs of Pit Vipers he sold that day, “looking for his commission,” Jim says, since he was the one who suggested that his dad should carry the brand. 

Pit Vipers were founded in 2012 in Salt Lake City, UT, by Chris Garcin and Chuck Mumford. Their company was formed with $35,000, which was raised through a Kickstarter.com campaign, and they crafted their first pairs of Pit Vipers from surplus military equipment. 

Sunglass Krate owner Jim Lambrou (in back) gave every member of the WCAA 8U Thunder baseball team their own pair of Pit Viper sunglasses. (Photo provided by Jim Lambrou) 

Although the skiing and extreme winter sports communities have helped make Pit Vipers “hot,” the company supports athletes of all kinds by creating sunglasses for everyone, both young and old. 

Jim also supports athletes. In fact, he sponsored the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association (WCAA) 8U Thunder travel baseball team by providing every member of the team (players and coaches) with free Pit Vipers. 

“The kids were so excited to wear them,” Jim says. “One player on the team told me he had wished for Vipers his ‘whole life’ and he was so happy and grateful because he now had a pair.” 

The team’s coaches originally posted the amazing pic on this page of the team wearing their Pit Vipers on the Sunglass Krate’s Facebook page: 

“Shout out to the Sunglass Krate at The Grove for sponsoring our 8U WCAA AB Thunder team! They hooked us up with Pit Vipers for all the boys and the coaches. We are so grateful for local businesses who support young athletes in our community!” 

Jim says that no matter what your age may be, “PLEASE always protect your eyes — and especially, your children’s eyes — from the sun’s UV rays! Prolonged exposure to UV rays modifies lens proteins, leading to cataract formation and worsening eyesight.” 

The Sunglass Krate is located at 5827 Grand Oro Ln, #105. For more information, call (813) 994-6700, visit SunglassKrate.com. 

Compass Claim Solutions — The Public Adjuster Who Advocates For You! 

Lindsay, Shawn, Luke & Kasey Thompson. (Photos provided by Shawn Thompson) 

Wesley Chapel resident Shawn Thompson says that, in general, most people don’t know that people like him even exist. 

Shawn is a licensed public adjuster and the owner of Compass Claim Solutions. 

As a public adjuster, he says his job is to advocate for home and business owners who have suffered a loss that is covered by the insurance company. 

When disaster strikes — whether it’s a fire, water damage, or even a storm or other natural disaster — most people pick up the phone and call the insurance company directly. On the other end of the line is someone who represents what’s in that insurance company’s best interest, not theirs. 

Since the insurance company wants to settle the claim for as little as possible, it makes sense that a homeowner or business owner would want to have someone looking out for their best interest, too. 

That’s why Shawn recommends you pick up the phone and call him first. 

“Hopefully, this is the first and only time you’re ever going to suffer a loss like this,” Shawn explains. “But, I’ve been through this process thousands of times with my clients.” 

Shawn has been a licensed public adjuster since 2015. He started the process of becoming licensed in 2012, by passing a course and working as an apprentice for a year. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in management at CVS pharmacies after his graduation from St. Leo University near Dade City in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Management. 

At that time, he says he was ready to make a change to leave CVS, and he had already learned a lot about his brother-in-law’s job as a licensed public adjuster in southeast Florida. Shawn found out that being a public adjuster was something he would be good at and would enjoy. He ended up working for his brother-in-law for several years before starting his own business in 2022. 

In his extensive experience, Shawn says he’s never once looked at a valuation and told the insured party that their insurance company paid them everything they deserved. 

“There’s always something left on the table,” he says. “But, is it $500, $5,000 or even $50,000?” 

That’s what Compass Claim Solutions can figure out for you so you can be confident you’re not missing out. 

Shawn says the best time to call him is as soon as you have to make a claim. In that best-case scenario, he can ensure the entire process is managed properly from start to finish. 

But many times, the way people find out about his services is after the insurance company has considered their claim to be closed and they haven’t received the funds they need to make all of the necessary repairs. He says that’s when they go to the internet to search, “What can I do?” 

Even at that point, Shawn says he is able to step in and make sure the insurance company pays what the homeowner or business owner is entitled to, based on their policy. 

Whether your home has been damaged by flood (above) or fire (below), Compass Claim Solutions can help you get the most money from your insurance company & help if you’ve been told that your loss isn’t covered. 

He says that, just recently, he met with a homeowner who suffered a loss during Hurricane Ian in Sept. 2022 to give them a final payment from their insurance company. Originally, they had only been paid $11,800, but Shawn was able to get the homeowner an additional $128,000. 

In another case, Shawn says one of his happiest customers was a woman whose insurance company valued her roof damage claim at $1,012. After her $1,000 deductible, the check she received was for $12. Shawn was able to get her $13,000, which paid for an entire new roof. 

“Stories like that are the norm in my business,” he says. “My normal recovery if someone calls me supplementally is somewhere between five and 20 times what the insurance company originally paid.” 

He explains that public adjusters in Florida are paid on contingency, meaning they get paid based on what they recover for clients as a percentage of the settlement. While that charge is capped at 20 percent of the payments to the insured, Shawn emphasized that it’s a negotiable fee. 

In fact, he says, if someone finds out about him from the Neighborhood News, he’s happy to provide a discount. He also offers discounts to those who are referred to him by their family and friends. 

His fee is negotiated at the time he is first called out for a completely free, no-obligation consultation. He provides his expert opinion on what he feels the claim is worth, and then the homeowner or business owner can decide whether or not to hire him. 

Compass Claim Solutions client Peggy D’Alessandro experienced flooding from water leaks in both her home and a rental property she owns. Both times, she called Shawn to help her through the process. 

“He was able to identify things that I didn’t know would be a problem,” she says, “like the potential for mold. He was able to look at it from a structural standpoint and tell me that, realistically, if I want this to be back to its original condition, I have to be concerned about drywall, molding, paint and a lot of other things besides just the floors.” 

She says she was worried about whether or not the insurance company would pay all that she needed to make her home whole, so it was a relief to work with a professional who could relate to the insurance company on their terms. “He made the process painless and smooth,” Peggy says, “and I felt like I had someone who had my best interest at heart.” 

Peggy adds that making a claim also is a very time-consuming process. As a busy person, she says knowing Shawn was communicating with the insurance company, filling out the paperwork and handling the negotiation took all of the anxiety out of the situation. 

“Most people who go through something like that have never been through it before,” she says, “plus they’re dealing with the anxiety of their home being in disarray and not knowing when or how they will get paid and if it that payment will cover all of the damage. I would absolutely recommend anyone who has a disaster in their home to work with Shawn. It’s the best decision I could have made.” 

Shawn adds, “No matter how long I work for people, whether it’s two weeks or two years, if I don’t put money in their pocket, I don’t get paid.” 

Shawn and his wife Lindsay have lived in Wesley Chapel since 2010. They have two children, Kasey and Luke, and a dog named Wrigley. 

While he’s local to our area, Shawn is licensed for the entire state of Florida and handles claims as far away as the panhandle. When a storm hits, he often travels to where the damage is so that he can most effectively help the people who need him the most. 

For the past year, Shawn’s brother Travis has been working as an apprentice under him. Travis recently became fully licensed and is now able to handle clients on his own. 

Now that Travis is fully licensed, Shawn is bringing on a new apprentice, Frank Markim. 

Shawn says that if you hire his company, you won’t see any contractors or have any part of the process outsourced. If he starts your claim, he’ll see it through to the end. 

“We have a standard of how we do business and it’s important for us to handle claims from start to finish,” Shawn says. “There’s too much to lose to skip any steps. If you miss one picture, you could miss tens of thousands of dollars.” 

Contact Shawn Thompson at Compass Claim Solutions by calling or texting his cell phone at (352) 502-5928. For more information, visit CompassClaimSolutions.com.

Taylor Gardner Gutters Can Help You Save Your Home’s Foundation! 

Taylor Gardner grew up around gutters, learning his dad Ed’s business. 

One thing he’s learned is that adding gutters is about the least expensive thing homeowners can do to protect the value of their homes, ensuring that Florida’s famous summer downpours don’t destroy their foundations or any aesthetic upgrades. 

“Protecting the foundation of your home is the main purpose of gutters,” Taylor says, “but they also protect your paint and will help your grass and sod last longer. Gutters protect anything on the outside of your house to help it stay in great shape for as long as possible.” 

Without gutters, Taylor says, water is much more likely to settle at the base of your home’s foundation. With that saturation, the water can cause erosion to the side of your home, leading to cracks in the stucco and window ledges, and form unsightly trenches. Water under the home also can cause wood floors in the home to pucker or pop. 

That’s why Taylor Gardner Gutters on Land O’Lakes Blvd. installs and repairs gutters, soffits and fascias, and offers gutter cleaning, which keeps the gutters working properly and in good repair. 

It’s now been about four years since Taylor took over Ed’s company, which was then known as Gardner Gutters. 

Taylor Gardner is proud that his Taylor Gardner Gutters on Land O’Lakes Blvd. is carrying on the legacy of outstanding installation and repairs of gutters, soffits and fascias started by his father Ed and his brother Brandon, both of whom lost battles with cancer. Taylor and his outstanding crew guarantee quality workmanship on installations and repairs (All photos provided by Taylor Gardner) 

Taylor came on board to help his dad after serving in the Marine Corps for nine years, including a tour of duty in Iraq. He had used his experience and his Business Administration (B.A.) degree from Liberty University (in Lynchburg, VA) to start a different career, but came home when his dad needed him. 

The company quickly became Taylor’s responsibility when Ed passed away following a long battle against cancer in 2020. Taylor’s older brother, Brandon, who had decades of experience as an installer, came on board to help. Unfortunately, Brandon was then also diagnosed with cancer and passed away only eight months later. 

So now, Taylor continues the legacies of both his dad and his older brother, and he does it surrounded by a team that would make them both proud. 

“When I started, my dad had 35 years of experience and my brother had more than 20,” says Taylor. “I had some, but not what they did. It’s been hard to lose both of them, but things here have been amazing because I’ve got really great employees.” 

That starts, he says, with Mike Caisco, the company’s field operations manager, who has 40 years of experience in the business and personally inspects every job Taylor Gardner Gutters does once it’s complete. 

“Our installers are great, and we have several who have been with the company more than 15 years,” Taylor explains. “They know exactly what they’re doing.” 

Then, Mike comes to inspect to be sure everything is done the way it’s supposed to be, which means the installers are held accountable to ensure that there’s never any corners cut on any job. 

That’s important to Taylor because his company offers a lifetime warranty on its installations. He says this is something that sets Taylor Gardner Gutters apart from others. 

The company’s policy is that any customer who experiences a warranty issue will have the problem inspected within 24 hours and fixed as soon as possible — no matter how many years it’s been since the gutters were originally installed. 

“I’m confident you’re not going to have a problem,” Taylor says, “but in the event you do, we’re going to show up and take care of it.” 

In addition to the installers and field team, he mentions the fantastic office staff — Allison and Kammie — and great salespeople — Mike and Kenny, who are involved in the community and incredibly knowledgeable. 

Over the last few years, with Taylor running the business, it’s grown to five gutter trucks and four soffit trucks. In addition to helping homeowners, Taylor Gardner Gutters also installs, repairs and cleans gutters for business owners with commercial buildings. The company also works with several homebuilders to install gutters on newly built homes, including many new GL Homes neighborhoods in Wesley Chapel, such as The Ridge, Winding Ridge and Valencia Ridge, and David Weekley Homes throughout the local area. 

Jim Akins just bought a brand new home in Lutz from a builder that did not include gutters. “We knew we needed them before the summer started,” says Jim, a long-time Florida homeowner who is familiar with the problems summer storms can wreak on a home’s foundation. 

“Taylor personally came out and gave us an estimate,” Jim explains. “I asked him all of my questions and found him to be very knowledgeable, professional and courteous. The price was right, so we were very happy with that.” 

Jim says he hired Taylor Gardner Gutters right away and couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. 

He says the installation crew was focused and meticulous, explaining that they re-measured the whole house before they started, even though Taylor already had measured it as part of the estimate. 

“I highly recommend them,” says Jim. “It was an easy choice.” 

Taylor says that he is proud to continue the legacies of his father and brother by offering top-quality work that makes customers like Jim happy. 

“There are so many days I just wish I could pick up the phone and tell my dad and my brother about what’s happened (with the company),” Taylor says. 

But, since he can’t do that, he’ll continue to run the family business in a way that would make them both proud, and to leave a legacy for his own son — five-year-old Jacob — just like his dad did for him. 

Taylor Gardner Gutters is located at 6202 Land O’Lakes Blvd. (U.S. Hwy. 41) in Land O’Lakes. Its hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit TaylorGardnerGutters.com or call (813) 515-0844. 

Trust The Welter Law Office For Your Estate Planning Needs 

Attorney Denise Welter (left) and her paralegal Tara Ellis are happy to help you with all of your estate planning needs at the Welter Law Office in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, located just north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

A native Floridian and a lawyer in private practice for 22 years, Denise A. Welter, Esq., is celebrating going out on her own and the first anniversary of her Welter Law Office in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, just north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. Denise and her trusted paralegal Tara Ellis deliver top-tier legal services in estate planning, wills, trusts, probate and advanced healthcare directives. 

“Tara is a great paralegal,” Denise says. “She is the point person that makes it all happen for me. She came with me when we launched a year ago and all of my clients love her.” 

With 17 years as a legal secretary herself, Denise discovered her passion by chance after being let go by her employer of a decade, a turning point she describes as the “best worst thing that ever happened to me.” At the time, she was a busy mom of two young boys married to a firefighter. 

She explains, “I only had a two-year degree then, and I had to decide if I would be satisfied with being a legal secretary for the rest of my life. Did I want to get a paralegal certification? I talked to my husband, and we decided I was going to go for it and go back to law school in my 30s. I buckled down and finished the rest of my Bachelor’s and law degrees in five and a half years.” 

Denise obtained both her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, majoring in Legal Studies, and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Nova Southeastern University, which is based in Ft. Lauderdale. 

A member of the Florida Bar since 2002, Denise passed the examination on her first try. After assisting in another firm’s real estate department, she found her calling in estate planning and probate. 

“I found my niche, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” she says. 

Emphasizing the importance of wills and trusts, Denise highlights the role of these important legal documents in providing directions to the courts regarding asset distribution. 

“I think that anyone at any age with any assets should, at minimum, have a will,” she says. “It tells the judge, ‘Here’s what I want to happen to my stuff when I die. Here’s who’s going to control everything for me, and here’s who’s getting it.’” 

When someone passes away with assets solely in their name and without a designated beneficiary, their estate has to go through the court probate process before their assets reach their heirs. To bypass probate, Denise advises on the benefits of trust planning, which transfers assets into a trust, creating a separate legal entity that holds and manages them, ensuring a smooth transition to the deceased’s beneficiaries. 

“With a trust, because you technically don’t own the asset at your death — the trust owns it — nothing has to go through the probate process,” she explains. “Most people do trusts to avoid probate and to protect their assets for their minor children.” 

She also notes that when you have a trust, assets can be withheld for families with minor children, so they don’t receive everything at age 18. A trustee can pay their expenses and the distributions can occur later in their life. Leaving assets in a trust also protects those assets from creditors in a future bankruptcy, divorce, etc. 

She says that trusts also are critical for families when naming guardians. 

“If you (the parents) die, who do you want to raise your kids?,” she asks. “Do you want to pick them, or do you want a judge to pick them?” She asks. 

She adds that trust planning serves as a preventive measure against court involvement and the necessity for guardianship in situations involving dementia or other illnesses that render individuals incapable of handling financial decisions. 

“It avoids all of the potential pitfalls and still allows the elder to be taken care of by their own finances,” she explains. “Whenever we prepare a plan, typically the individual is the first trustee, but then it says if I cannot serve, whether incapacitated or I died, I appoint this person to be my successor trustee. I recommend having at least two (trustees).” 

Denise provides a comprehensive binder to each of her trust clients, encouraging them to document family values, funeral preferences and account passwords, including those for cryptocurrency. She also stresses the significance of having a living will, which outlines preferences in situations of incapacity or terminal conditions. 

“Two physicians — your primary and another physician — have determined that your death is imminent,” she says. “If all those things align, you don’t want to be prolonged heroically — including forced hydration and nutrition. You want to be able to pass without being kept alive with feeding tubes and IVs.” 

Highlighting an often-overlooked scenario, Denise also suggests that parents of 18-year-olds heading to college should consider having healthcare surrogate designations, living wills, and powers of attorney to navigate potential HIPAA law challenges. 

As an example, she shares a chilling, overlooked scenario: when an adult child is hospitalized, their parents are legally unable to get information from the hospital. 

“We just went through Covid,” she says. “Your child could have been hospitalized with Covid. You can’t get there, and you can’t get any answers (on the phone).” 

Denise also says that the most important skills she needs in this field are the ability to listen to what her clients’ want and expect and then putting together what they need for their family dynamic. For convenience, she offers both in-person meetings as well as online appointments throughout Florida for probate and estate planning. 

“Clients can also email or call the office,” she says. “My clients have open access to be able to contact us in any way that’s convenient for them.” 

Positive reviews, like Emilio H.’s on Google, commend the service provided by the Welter Law Office: 

“My wife and I had an exceptional experience. Denise and Tara’s customer service was outstanding, showing a genuine compassion that is truly reassuring with such a sensitive topic. They paid meticulous attention to every detail with preparing our estate planning documents and provided fast, efficient service.” 

Denise has much more than the mandatory three-year Florida Bar course requirements. She actively engages in continuous learning — attending seminars, reading, staying informed through Listservs (a Listserv is a way to communicate with a group of people over email. You subscribe to a topic and it’s almost like a newsletter of information) and connecting with fellow attorneys. Each year, she also orders an updated edition of the Florida Statutes. She is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, Lawyers of Distinction, and Lead Council Verified. 

Denise also sends digital follow-ups annually to inform her clients of any law changes and encourages them to review their estate plans every five years or during important life changes. 

“The best part of our firm is helping families through sometimes very difficult situations and conversations,” she says. “Nobody likes to talk about death, but we provide peace of mind to clients, knowing their families or children are protected if something happens to them. On the probate side, we help families through sometimes tragic losses when they’re grieving, and it’s really hard to think clearly. We can help them navigate probate’s waters and simplify that for them.” 

When not at her law office, Denise says she can be found at the beach with Bob, her high school sweetheart and husband of 40 years, visiting her sons Chris and Eric, playing with her three grand-daughters, Abbey, Amelia and Lillian (who she calls “my heart”), global and domestic traveling, or participating in a marriage communications weekend with United Marriage Encounters. 

For more info about the Welter Law Office (2405 Creel Lane, Suite 102), call (850) 462-7509, visit WelterLawOffice.com.

All Of These Businesses Cut Ribbons With The North Tampa Bay Chamber! 

Although the biggest day of ribbon-cutting events in the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC)’s history took place on March 20, the NTBC stayed busy through the first week in April, with three additional ribbon-cutting events in our area. 

The first, on Mar. 27, was for Doody Calls of North Tampa (which also serves Wesley Chapel; photo, above), which provides both residential dog waste removal and yard deodorizing for residents, as well as pet waste stations and bags and common area waste removal for businesses and apartment communities. For a free quote and more info, call (813) 940-4101 or visit DoodyCalls.com. 

The next day (Mar. 28), Midgard Storage, located at 26504 Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Lutz, cut a ribbon with the NTBC (above). Midgard offers both climate- and non-climate-controlled units in a variety of sizes, 24/7 access to your unit and U-Haul truck, van and trailer rentals. For more info, call (813) 994-9228 or visit MidgardSelfStorage.com/lutz-fl-wesley-chapel-blvd. 

Then, on Apr. 4, Maeva Modern Apartments (above) also cut a ribbon. Located at 3000 Grand Cypress Dr. in Lutz (directly behind Total Wine & More), Maeva offers beautiful 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments and is currently offering two months free rent for new tenants. For more info, call (656) 600-9860 or visit LiveatMaeva.com.