In case you hadn’t heard, one of the more unexpected effects of the 2020 pandemic was the cancellation of many weddings — as people weren’t allowed or were afraid to travel, or even go out to eat, much less spend hours in a room full of people. Many were even skittish about staying in hotels.
To that end, our friends at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel on S.R. 56 have come up with a unique idea to help those who lost deposits or otherwise had to cancel or postpone their nuptials, as well as those who were hoping to still make their wedding a beautiful occasion on a budget they can afford.
The concept is called “My Dream Micro Wedding” and it offers the opportunity for a wedding event that will be intimate, as well as budget-friendly.
You’ll be able to invite a small guest list of your family and dearest friends, all for one cost that will include everything you need to have the glamorous feel of a large wedding, with all of the “trimmings,” at a fraction of what it would normally cost.
Your Dream Micro Wedding reduces your time frame to only two hours, but includes all of the following for one budget-friendly price: a beautiful venue, a wedding planner, white linens, white chair covers with gold bows, a wedding officiant, photography (and event photo book), a live DJ, hors d’oeuvres, two-hour bar, bride’s makeup done (day of wedding), custom bridal and maid of honor bouquets, custom boutonnieres for groom and groomsman, table floral décor, sweetheart table, cake cutting, plus a local engagement photo shoot prior to the event and a one-night stay at the Hilton Garden Inn on the event date.
The only “catch” is that My Dream Micro Wedding currently is only being offered on Saturday, June 19, and while your two-hour timeframe will be exclusively yours, there will be other couples getting married at the hotel the same day.
Even so, Hilton Garden Inn director of market sales Lisa Moore promises that, “We have brought together the most awesome vendors in Florida, in order to make your special day perfect. All of the details have been taken care of for you — all you have to do is give us a call ASAP to reserve your time and discuss all of those details with us.”
Moore also says that if this first-time “My Dream Micro Wedding” event proves to be a success (as she fully expects), “we will begin offering to do the same thing on other dates in the future.”
To reserve your two-hour timeframe now, call Moore as soon as possible at (813) 591-6907. The Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel is located at 26640 Silver Maple Pkwy. For more information, visit TampaWesleyChapel.HGI.com or email Moore at Lisa.Moore2@hilton.com.
Now that it’s been open for a while, you’ve hopefully heard of the Sarah Vande Berg (SVB) Tennis & Wellness Center, located on Simons Rd. in Zephyrhills.
In case you haven’t heard of it before, SVB has an amazing array of competition tennis courts, as well as the full-size courts for both pickleball and padel, two of the fastest-growing racquet sports in the world.
But, SVB also is home to an amazing fitness center and also offers licensed massages, cryotherapy, salt therapy, sports counseling, a boutique pro shop and a full-service restaurant with chef-created food by locally renowned Vesh Catering.
But, you might ask, what does all this have to do with you? I’m glad you asked.
One of the things we’ve heard from our readers in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel is that SVB is “too far away” for our readers to join. Wrong! It’s only 15-20 minutes away from most of our Wesley Chapel communities and, with its unique variety of activities, you really should check it out.
Still not convinced? Here’s some incentive: To win an amazing prize package to give SVB a try for FREE, send us an email (to ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com) or message us (at “Neighborhood News” on Facebook) with your name, address, the community you live in, a valid email address and daytime phone number, by Tuesday, June 1, to be entered into a random drawing to win this incredible SVB prize package worth nearly $500:
• One week of Recreational Kids Summer Camp (for ages 4-6) or Boot Camp (for athletes ages 8-14) with former NFL star Mel Williams
• One 25-minute Salt Room session
• Brunch for two at the Vesh Café
• SVB “swag bag,” including an SVB logo mask, Mahala cup, lipstick, sunstick, black cup & borosilicate verre water bottle
Bealls Inc. is opening one of its newly branded Bealls Outlet/Home Centric stores in the space vacated by the Toys “R” Us at the Grove.
Bealls Inc., founded in 1915 and based in Bradenton, launched Home Centric in 2018 as a chain to compete in the crowded home décor market. While it is a standalone store in some places, the one coming to the Grove is the store-within-a-store concept focused on affordable home decor products — like furniture, artwork and holiday supplies — sold within a traditional Bealls Outlet.
The nearest Bealls/Home Centric stores are located in New Port Richey and Brandon. The combination stores are typically 30,000 square feet, with 10,000 square feet devoted to Home Centric. The former Toys “R” space is 35,000 square feet.
The new Bealls Outlet/Home Centric is one of many new businesses opening at the Grove, which was purchased by developer Mark Gold and his Mishorim Gold Properties (MGold) in September 2019 for $64 million, with an additional $110 million being spent on improvements.
In 2021, the property is expecting a banner year for new business openings at the development. While the Grove Theater, Bistro, and Entertainment Complex opened earlier this year, a Hawaiian-themed miniature golf course and the highly-anticipated KRATE container park — 94 converted shipping containers housing 54 restaurants and retail businesses — will launch, along with a number of other businesses located in the project’s town center area.
A national coffee shop and national grocer are also expected.
Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Meadow Pointe, for children ages six weeks to 12 years, offers both full- and part-time care, and before- and after-school care, including drop-off and pick-up service to and from four local schools. (Photos: Charmaine George).
Right before Spring Break last year, the Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Meadow Pointe had 264 students enrolled. With new owner Payel Dutt and director Roxanne Jeffcoat, the school — a licensed childcare facility for children ages six weeks to 12 years — was thriving.
Then, all of a sudden, everything changed.
As the Covid crisis began and people were told to stay home, public schools closed, and many families pulled their kids out of daycare.
“By the end of March in 2020,” says Payel, “we had 12 kids enrolled.”
However, Payel and Roxanne were determined to keep the doors open for those 12 kids, who were from families of front-line workers.
One such family was the Johnsons, who live in New Tampa. Julie is a nurse and her husband, Desmond, is a nurse anesthetist. Their daughters, Kyah (now 5) and Kenna (now 3), attend Kids ‘R’ Kids.
“We have no family here,” explains Julie, “so daycare is our only option. We were very concerned about what we were going to do. So many centers closed.”
But, Kids ‘R’ Kids didn’t. That’s what Payel says her school is all about — connecting with families and serving the community, while doing what’s best for kids.
“It’s about being here for our children and their parents,” says Payel. “We still paid our teachers. We tried to make sure we were here keeping kids safe.”
Over time, as the crisis has waned and families’ needs have changed, the children have started to come back. Many new families have joined the school community, too. The center is growing again, as it is now back up to more than 150 students.
New Ownership
Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Meadow Pointe first opened at its County Line Rd. and Mansfield Blvd. location in 2006. When the original owner retired in August 2019, Payel and her husband, Prabir Das, purchased the local franchise, which has more than 170 locations across the United States.
Kids ‘R’ Kids director Roxanne Jeffcoat (left) and owner Payel Dutt are ready to care for your children like their own. They offer in-person tours of the facility after hours.
Payel’s previous career was as a financial analyst, but she wanted to own her own business. As a mom of two kids, now 8 and 12, she says she is passionate about helping families who need daycare and wanted to use her experience to be hands-on in running her new business.
The following January, in 2020, they hired Roxanne, who has 30 years of experience in childcare. Roxanne lives in Wesley Chapel, where she started working at a small school which her kids — now 29, 27, and 25 — attended. She continued her career, becoming licensed by the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) as a Director about seven years ago.
“She is awesome,” says Payel. “We go hand in hand.”
The respect is clearly mutual, as Roxanne says about Payel, “Most owners don’t do the things I’ve seen her do. She’s here every day, and that’s a real big motivator for the staff. We’re not asking anyone to do anything that we’re not doing ourselves.”
In fact, Payel used the slower times of the pandemic to also get credentialed as a Director by DCF, so that she can better understand all the nuances of the day-to-day operations of running a school.
Payel and Roxanne emphasize that while they are part of a large franchise, which can sometimes get a bad rap, the school is there for one main purpose — to serve the local community.
“We’re very family oriented,” says Roxanne. “And we’re all about the kids.”
Curriculum/STEAM
One benefit of being part of a franchise is the school’s exclusive curriculum, with learning methods supported by leading educational theories. Its Brain Waves curriculum is designed to stimulate brain development during the most critical years.
Kids of all ages use learning stations, math manipulatives, science elements and stimulating visuals, with lots of hands-on learning and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (aka “STEAM”) activities. In fact, Kids ‘R’ Kids has a dedicated STEAM teacher who leads the students in activities such as making thermometers, kinetic sand, storm in a jar, snow globes, slime and crystals.
Last fall, with restrictions in place that prevented students from going on field trips, the staff came up with the idea to set up a dramatic play area featuring a campground. The teachers lined the classroom walls with black paper and stars to look like a night sky, then the kids helped fill in the space by making trees, a bonfire, sticks with marshmallows, and a pond complete with fish and lily pads.
“The kids did story time in there, and pretended they were camping,” Roxanne explains. “They went into caves and read stories. It was quite an adventure.”
Full-Time, After-School Care & More
Kids ‘R’ Kids of Meadow Pointe offers flexible scheduling to help families with their child-care needs for its young attendees.
The center is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering both full- and part-time care, and before- and after-school care, including drop-off and pick-up for four local schools. Payel and Roxanne emphasize that they are here for families. Let them know what your family needs, and they will work to accommodate you.
For school-age children, care is available during days off from school, and Kids ‘R’ Kids currently is enrolling students for summer camps.
While last year’s summer camps could not have field trips, the camps are designed to be fun and engaging, with lots of indoor and outdoor activities, which include a very large outdoor play area, jungle gym, basketball court and bicycle path. The kids do chalk paint, bubbles, parachute, jump rope, and even have water days with balloons and foam sprayers.
The school has a full kitchen serving hot breakfasts and lunches, rotating kid-friendly meals prepared by a professional chef, always carefully served, being mindful of allergies.
Partnerships With Parents
At Kids ‘R’ Kids of Meadow Pointe, it’s a priority for teachers and parents to collaborate with each other for the betterment of the children. “We are very transparent with parents,” says Payel. “We ensure parents are informed about their child.”
Payel says that she and Roxanne and all the teachers communicate with parents about what their kids do each day, what they are learning, and are always happy to answer questions. Conferences also are scheduled.
They also have cameras in the classrooms, so parents can have access to view their children at any time during the day. Private logins and passwords are provided.
Covid Precautions
The school has several precautions in place to keep kids safe, such as a station where everyone washes their hands as they come in, and temperature checks at the door. Staff and teachers wear masks at all times. And, while the school always has been sanitized and disinfected several times throughout the day, Payel says those procedures have been enhanced.
Kids ‘R’ Kids of Meadow Pointe also does not currently allow any third parties in the building. So, classes such as robotics that used to come in to the school are currently paused. Payel and Roxanne now give tours to prospective families at the end of the day, when all of the children have left the building.
“We appreciate all the extra steps,” says Julie Johnson. “It’s an adjustment to drop the kids at the door rather than going in every day and talking with the teachers, but I’ve been very grateful for them to stay open and all the extra steps they went through to make it a safe environment for everybody.”
She says the care that Payel, Roxanne and the teachers offer is evident, and families at Kids ‘R’ Kids of Meadow Pointe are very happy with their choice.
“I absolutely recommend it,” says Julie. “With my oldest being in VPK, I’m hypersensitive to whether she’s going to be prepared for school and where she’s at compared with other kids. I’m very happy with the education my kids are getting.”
The Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Meadow Pointe is located at 1540 Mansfield Blvd. at the corner of County Line Rd. For more information, call (813) 994-4525, or visit KidsRKidsMeadowPointe.com.
Finally! Total Wine & More is coming to Wesley Chapel.
When it comes to surveying our readers about what they would like to see next in Wesley Chapel or New Tampa, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods always top the list, but Total Wine & More is always pretty close behind.
Well, cheers everyone — Trader Joe’s is about to lose its toughest non-grocery competition for that most anticipated title, because Total Wine & More is on its way and opening pretty soon.
While no grand opening date has been revealed, construction is ongoing to convert the failed 24,000-sq.-ft. Earth Fare store on S.R. 56 to the area’s first Total Wine & More, or America’s Wine Superstore, as it dubs itself.
Started in 1991, Total Wine & More has more than 200 stores in 26 states, and a typical store carries more than 8,000 different wines, 2,500 beers and more than 3,000 different spirits.
It’s been more than three years since Dilip Kanji, who was building the Hyatt Place Hotel on the north side of S.R. 56, told local business leaders at a meeting that Total Wine & More was coming to Cypress Creek Town Center North.
This may not have been the exact original plan for the store, but locals will be happy that it is finally almost here.
CHICKEN AND MORE CHICKEN: While the Zaxby’s in front of Costco just south of S.R. 56 has finally gone vertical, another chicken joint is on the way right next door.
Chicken Salad Chick will soon be under construction in the parcel right next to Zaxby’s, according to county permitting records. A 2,665-sq.-ft. restaurant is planned.
While both restaurants serve chicken and are concentrated primarily in the south, Zaxby’s focus is on chicken wings, chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches, most of which are fried.
Chicken Salad Chick specializes in chicken salad served in varieties that include chopped pecans, cranberries and Fuji apples, to name a few.
The menu has more than a dozen different kinds of chicken salad served on bread, lettuce or atop a salad. Pimiento cheese, broccoli and grape salad and other salads also are available.
Chicken Salad Chick has nearly 200 locations in 17 states, mostly across the south, including a few in Tampa.
Stacy Brown, a stay-at-home mom in Auburn, AL, started the business by perfecting her recipes and dropping off samples door-to-door. Demand became so great, she and husband Kevin opened their first restaurant in 2008.
ALSO COMING: Just a few doors down from the Total Wine & More, a Badcock & More Home Furniture store is currently under construction at 25665 Sierra Center Blvd.
The long-awaited Ferman Harley Davidson also is finally ready to begin construction on it’s 37,000-sq.ft. dealership on the west side of Wesley Chapel Blvd. north of S.R. 56 and the Tapestry at Cypress Creek apartments. The new Harley dealership was approved last Nov.
With a BMW dealership under construction on S.R. 56 and ready to join other luxury car dealerships like Audi, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz already with locations in Wesley Chapel, a Harley-Davidson dealership is another feather in the cap for our area. Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson is not only one of the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturers, its brand is absolutely iconic.
AND, ON S.R. 54: On S.R. 54, just west of the entrance to Saddlebrook Resort, a BayCare Medical Group office has opened in a new plaza, called Clearwater Crossings. BayCare, of course, is building a new hospital expected to open on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. just south of S.R. 54 in 2023.
Michelle Spencer, M.D., a family medicine doctor, is the first physician to be located at the new office, and she says she sees patients 2 years old and up.
A dental office and a restaurant (which Dr. Spencer says is rumored to possibly be a breakfast chain) also are scheduled to open in the plaza, which is nearing completion.
For more information about BayCare Medical Group (28864 S.R. 54), call (813) 998-2870 and tell Dr. Spencer and her staff that we sent you.
And, a little west of Clearwater Crossings in the Publix-anchored Hollybrook Plaza shopping center at the corner of BBD and S.R. 54, Banfield Pet Hospital is in the midst of a $680,000 renovation job, as it takes over the 5,500-sq.-ft. space previously occupied by Mattress1One.
