Category: Business

Business Beat: Updates On Aldi, Taco Bell & Medical Marijuana

As he is wont to do (see AMC Theater, the old Sweetbay store, etc.), Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera met with code enforcement officials last week in an attempt to have the area around the closed Ruby Tuesday restaurant cleaned up.

Now owned by Aldi, which has yet to begin construction on its store on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Viera requested that someone come take care of the overgrown foliage around the former restaurant.

Viera got some good news — not only have Aldi officials said they will come clean the area up — which they did — they also confirmed that construction is set to begin construction on the New Tampa location soon. The German supermarket chain recently opened a location in Wesley Chapel in front of the Costco on S.R. 56.

(TACO) SHELL GAME: The Shell station on Doña Michelle Dr. could soon be a Circle K gas station, according to paperwork filed with the City of Tampa.

If those plans go forward, it could mean the end of the popular Taco Bell located adjacent to the current Circle K. According to information presented at a pre-application consultation last month, Circle K Stores Inc. is looking to redevelop the existing Shell gas station to become a larger Circle K gas station, and according to the preliminary concept, that would involve transforming the current convenience store to a 5,187-sq.-ft. store.

The Taco Bell would be replaced in Circle K’s plans by five parking spots and a sitting area, as well as a second proposed entrance/exit behind the convenience store.

Pre-application consultations are very conceptual and very vague, however. Here’s hoping this doesn’t mean the end of late-night taco and burrito runs.

LEGAL WEED: The Mattress1 One store in the Shoppes of New Tampa plaza in front of the New Tampa Home Depot (not to be confused with the Shoppes at New Tampa in Wesley Chapel; see below) has closed, and plans have been filed to transform the former store into a VidaCann medical cannabis dispensary.

According to county records, the location, which is across BBD from Panera Bread and next door to MIT Computers, will undergo a $90,000 renovation.

It will be New Tampa’s first dispensary, and the second Tampa location for VidaCann, joining a location on W. Kennedy Blvd. that opened in 2018. For more information, visit VidaCann.com.

THE BEALLS TOLLS: The Bealls store (above) in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on BBD in Wesley Chapel is being replaced and will become a Ross Labels For Less store.

Bealls’ parent company Stage Stores, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 11. Ross is the largest off-price retailer in the U.S. It is a popular place to pick up name brand items at affordable prices, hence the tagline “Dress for Less.”

The $250,000 Bealls demolition job began on July 1.

MORE WESLEY CHAPEL: The new Ross could have a new neighbor soon — Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, a popular Florida-only chain of about 50 restaurants throughout the state; the nearest locations are in Lutz, Temple Terrace and Carrollwood. The signs on the former real estate office tease that the breakfast joint is “coming soon,” although we are hearing that Keke’s is on hold at the moment, also likely due to Covid-19.

• Miller’s Ale House, which will be a new link in a popular Orlando-based franchised chain of sports-themed bar/restaurants, is officially under construction now in the Cypress Creek Town Center on the southwest corner of S.R. 54 and the Wesley Chapel Blvd. extension, across the street from the new Aldi grocery store.

• The Morgan Auto Group is beginning construction on its new 130,000-sq.-ft., seven-story (which will make it the tallest building in Wesley Chapel) BMW of Wesley Chapel, on S.R. 56, adjacent to the existing Mini of Wesley Chapel dealership (also owned by Morgan Auto Group), just east of I-75.

• Right across S.R. 56 from BMW (on Silver Maple Pkwy.), the long-awaited (plans were first filed in 2014) Volkswagen of Wesley Chapel dealership is much further along, as the building is now standing and the construction is continuing.

The Volkswagen dealership will feature a 21,796-sq.-ft. first floor, a 5,990-sq.-ft. second floor and a 2,604-sq.-ft. car wash.

Aldi BMW

Dr. Duga & Dr. Feeney Can Help Your Kids Enjoy Visiting The Dentist!

Since opening his pediatric dentistry office more than two decades ago, one philosophy has always guided Paul Duga, DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery).

“We provide one-on-one, private, patient-driven care,” he explains. “We provide dentistry that is safe and healthy, and also non-threatening, so kids don’t grow up with an irrational fear of dentists.”

He and Shawna Adams-Feeney, DMD (Doctor of Medical Dentistry) see patients at their Dr. Duga, Dr. Feeney & Associates Pediatric Dentistry office in the Somerset Professional Park in Tampa Palms, located off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at Amberly Dr.

Especially during times of uncertainty, Dr. Duga and Dr. Feeney (as she is called by most of her young patients) are reassuring. While facing a pandemic, the doctors’ always-calm tone helps parents to know their kids are in good hands.

“People want to know how their kids are going to be taken care of safely,” Dr. Duga explains. “That’s very important to everyone. We’re taking temperatures, doing screenings, and all the things we’re supposed to be doing.”

While the office has made some changes because of Covid-19 — such as adding Plexiglas barriers at the front desk — Dr. Duga says most of the health and safety precautions that are currently recommended have always been standard practice at his office.

“The governor of the state of Florida closed us for about six weeks, but not because of risk,” Dr. Duga says. “We already practiced sterilization techniques and barrier control, such as wearing masks and goggles, to keep our patients and staff healthy. We were shut down because front line people needed (so much of) the personal protective equipment.”

Closing dental offices meant masks and gloves that were desperately needed in hospitals would go there until production could be ramped up to provide enough PPE for both hospitals and all other medical offices.

“As far as social distancing is concerned, our office was almost designed for it,” Dr. Duga says. “Our floor plan allows us to keep families all separated and safe.”

He recognizes, however, that many people are even more anxious these days, and the staff does everything it can to counter that.

“We always try to maintain a spirit of positive-ness,” he says.

About The Doctors

While Dr. Duga established the practice in 1998, he says working with Dr. Feeney — as he has since she joined the practice in 2005 and became his partner in 2009 — gives children the option to choose the dentist with whom they feel more comfortable.

“I really appreciate having Dr. Feeney here,” he says with a smile. “If a kid is struggling to connect with me, maybe the next visit he or she might want to go to Dr. Feeney. We do everything we can to keep the children comfortable.”

Both doctors are Board-certified pediatric dentists.

Dr. Duga earned his DDS degree from the Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, and then worked as a general dentist in Milwaukee. He went on to earn his Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in New Orleans.

Dr. Feeney earned her Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the University of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, after receiving her DMD degree from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston.

The doctors encourage their young (usually from age 1 up to about age 18) patients to come in every six months to maintain good dental health.

They provide examinations, cleanings, sealant placement, tooth repairs (such as fillings and crowns), as well as cosmetic whitening and orthodontic alignments.

“We do continuous growth evaluation, bite evaluation, and provide guidance through early orthodontic care,” explains Dr. Duga. The practice also offers braces and Invisalign invisible aligners for its patients, although they do also refer some patients to orthodontic offices, when needed.

For a child who has special needs or is too young to cooperate, a parent can choose sedation dentistry. An anesthesiologist comes in to safely manage the sedation, so the dentist can focus on fixing the teeth and getting them healthy.

“We do accept dental insurance, but we’re not an insurance-driven office,” says Dr. Duga. “Insurance is a contract for paying bills, not healthcare.”

The staff will gladly help patients and potential new patients understand their insurance benefits.

Happy Patients

“I’ve seen kids since they were one or two and now they’re going off to college,” says Dr. Duga. “You get to know these families. It’s been a wonderful thing.”

Atiya Young brings her four children to Dr. Duga and Dr. Feeney. In fact, her oldest, age 18, just came in for his regular cleaning and checkup before leaving for college.

“We started seeing Dr. Duga when he was one,” says Atiya, whose other kids are 15, 12 and 9. “They have friendly customer service and are very clean and organized. I love how they speak to them on their level, how patient they are with them.

Her daughter, Brooklyn, says she actually likes going to the dentist.

“You walk in and they’re so nice to you and so welcoming,” says Brooklyn.

Atiya says her kids like the perks, too, such as fun in the lobby — including video games — and TV screens and headphones in the chair, plus picking flavors for their toothpaste and being rewarded with a small toy at the end of each visit.

Atiya says one of her daughters has special needs. “They treat her no different than my other kids,” she says. “I have no concerns about them seeing her or caring for her. They just embrace her and meet all of her needs. They just love all my kids so much.”

Dan Paone lives in Arbor Greene and also brings his kids to Drs. Duga and Feeney. His children are ages 8, 9, and 10 and are in various stages of their orthodontic treatment. Like Atiya’s kids, they have only ever been to one dental office their whole lives.

“We like that our kids have had one pediatric dentist from the time we first took them to the dentist, including orthodontics,” Dan says. “It’s great that we don’t have to go anywhere else.”

Dan says that while he appreciates how “fantastic” Dr. Duga is with his kids, and that he also is great about communicating with parents, too, such as when he analyzes x-rays and explains to Dan exactly what treatments his kids might need in the future.

“I definitely recommend Dr. Duga and I wish we had someone like him when I was a kid,” Dan says. “Actually, I wish I had an adult dentist like him.”

Dr. Duga, Dr. Feeney & Associates is located at 15293 Amberly Dr. To learn more about the practice, visit DrDugaDrFeeney.com or call (813) 631-1100 to schedule an appointment or find out about your insurance/payment options.

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USF Federal Credit Union Offers Sterling Service In Tough Times

Like all businesses, the USF Federal Credit Union (FCU) has been forced to adapt and change throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, while many businesses have struggled, the USF FCU has continued to thrive.

The credit union’s New Tampa branch, which opened in the fall of 2018, is located at the northwest corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and Imperial Oak Blvd., in the Trout Creek area of New Tampa, just south of County Line Rd. (across from Burger King).

While the New Tampa location’s lobby shut down in March, its drive-through window has remained open throughout the pandemic.

Now, several months into the crisis, USF FCU’s main branch on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida has reopened for regular business hours, while the New Tampa lobby is open by appointment only.

A History Of Helping

From humble beginnings more than six decades ago, when it was founded in 1959 with just 16 members and total assets of $505, the USF FCU has grown to more than 60,000 members and $800 million in assets.

While it originally served only USF faculty and staff, today, current USF students and alumni are eligible to be members, along with employees of more than 40 affiliated companies that have business partnerships with USF. That list includes Tampa General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Darden Restaurants (the parent company to Bahama Breeze, Olive Garden, etc.) and more than 40 other companies, listed at USFFCU.com/eligibility.

The USF FCU offers personal banking services — from checking and savings accounts, to money market accounts and CDs (certificates of deposit), auto loans, home loans, personal loans and more. The credit union also offers business banking.

The difference between USF FCU and a typical bank, explains brand and promotions manager Bill Steiger, is the credit union’s focus on serving its members.

Online Banking

One way the USF FCU has kept both members and employees safe during the pandemic has been by education members about how to bank without leaving their homes.

Steiger says a new online banking platform was rolled out about 18 months ago. As of January 2020, about 58 percent of members who had a checking account with the credit union were using it.

That changed during quarantine and safer-at-home orders.

“We made tutorial videos to show people how to deposit a check with their phones,” Steiger says. “We did a promotional campaign and educated people on how to use digital banking, and saw success in getting people on board and using it.”

He says now, 97 percent of members who have a checking account use online banking to make deposits through their phones or to complete other transactions.

“That has helped us to be able to continue to serve our members,” Steiger explains.

USF FCU also served front-line workers in the midst of the pandemic.

Between April 9 and May 5, USF FCU provided catered meals for a total of 950 front-line workers at Tampa General Hospital, AdventHealth Tampa and AdventHealth Covid-19 testing sites, plus other hospitals in the Tampa Bay area and the USF Police Department.

“It was our way of giving back,” Steiger says.

The credit union also served its members in the most flexible way possible.

Knowing that some members were furloughed or laid off from their jobs, USF FCU made hardship loans available with very low interest rates. Members also were offered a “skip-a-pay” option, which doesn’t reduce the amount owed, but extends the length of the loan.

“That gives our members the ability to not have a car payment one month, for example,” says Steiger, “which is important if you’re furloughed and not getting a paycheck.”

Steiger adds that USF FCU also has been busy with home and auto refinance loans, which allow members to lower their monthly payments and save money during this time of great need.

PPP Loans, Too

Knowing that businesses were going to need assistance to navigate through the pandemic, USF FCU also made it a priority to help its business customers during these most difficult of times.

“We were one of the first credit unions in the area to offer Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the federal government’s Small Business Association,” Steiger says, “allowing us to manage the loans to small businesses and single-owner businesses.”

He says the credit union has provided 486 PPP loans — totaling $18 million — which are fully forgivable by the federal government, if all conditions are met.

Kelly Stuart Williams, owner of Pegasos Public Relations, has been a member of the USF FCU since 1990.

She says she had never previously considered using the credit union for her business banking needs until she received an email from USF FCU that shifted her thinking.

“They were very proactive in letting all their members know they were staying on top of the PPP loan program,” says Williams, who realized she wasn’t hearing that from any other bank.

She says she reached out and opened a business account, and was able to be one of the first to fill out an early PPP application.

Unfortunately, like a lot of small businesses in our area, Williams’ initial PPP loan application was rejected. But, the credit union representative told her not to worry. They would help her get positioned for the second wave of loans.

“It was so different,” Williams says. “The other banks (she looked into) have a policy that if you’re not already a business banking customer, they’re not doing your banking loan.”

The second time around, Williams did receive a PPP loan from USF FCU, and she says she couldn’t be happier.

Now that she has qualified for and received her PPP funds, Williams is counting on USF FCU to keep her informed regarding the forms and processes to have the loan forgiven.

“Sure enough,” she says, “they are way out front from anyone else I’m hearing from.”

Steiger says that’s the goal.

“We were pleased to be able to offer that and really help those people keep their businesses going and their employees employed,” he says.

Sterling Award Winner

While serving its customers well may sound like a matter of opinion, there is at least one objective indicator that measures USF FCU’s effectiveness in its business practices.

In June, the USF Federal Credit Union was honored with the Governor’s Sterling Award.

This exclusive award goes to companies in Florida that are “high performing, role-model organizations, both private and public, who demonstrate superior management approaches and role model results.”

Fewer than 100 organizations in Florida have earned the award since the Florida Sterling Council was created by the state legislature in 1992.

USF FCU is only the second credit union to ever win the coveted honor.

Steiger says that USF FCU began working to put these best practices in place more than four years ago.

“Our organization was getting larger, so we wanted to be sure that our processes were constantly improving,” he explains. “The Sterling process is a very detailed and rigorous set of activities to show continuous improvement and performance excellence.”

This is the first year that USF FCU applied to have examiners evaluate their business, and Steiger says it was “truly a tremendous honor” to receive the Governor’s Sterling Award during this first attempt.

The New Tampa branch of the USF Federal Credit Union is located at 20610 BBD Blvd. The lobby is currently open by appointment only. The drive-through windows open at 8 a.m. weekdays, closing Mon.-Thurs. at 5 p.m., and at 6 p.m. on Friday. It also is open 9 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit USFFCU.org or call (813) 569-2000.

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MOVIE NIGHT!

So, as it turns out, you literally can get anything at a Walmart Supercenter.

Even a drive-in movie.

On August 18 and 19, the Walmart on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel converted a large portion of its parking lot into a drive-in movie theater, which was part of a nationwide pop-up drive-in movie event touring the country and visiting 160 Walmart locations.

At this free event, Walmart stationed two large digital screens and cleared out a big section of its parking lot. Anyone was welcome to go online and register to see a showing of “Spy Kids” on Tuesday evening and “Selena”’ on Wednesday evening.

Both showings were sold out, with about 70 cars lined up with families and couples

who received goody bags full of snacks and water at check-in.

“We love this,” said Wesley Chapel resident Janet Perez, who, with her son, enjoyed some drive-thru Taco Bell while watching “Spy Kids.” It didn’t even matter that the movie was a hit 20 years ago.

“You don’t know how much we’ve missed movies!,” Perez said. “Plus, this is both of our first time at a drive-in, so it’s been great. It was great of Walmart to do this.”

Families with little kids huddled in the front seat(s) of the cars to watch the movie and snack on popcorn, as the audio for the film could be heard by tuning the radio to 92.1 FM. Many of the cars enjoyed the experience with the windows down, as the Florida evening sky turned orange with the sunset.

In the end, it was a fun event that even new Wesley Chapel residents enjoyed.

“This was definitely great, especially for families who don’t have a lot going on, or are low on money because of the virus,” said new Wesley Chapel resident Tiffany Hardy, who said she recently moved here with her family from Leesburg.

Tiffany watched the movie with her husband, Jason, in the driver’s seat and her son, Talon, on her lap (photo, right).

“It’s nice to be able to get out of the house and do something a little different, too,” she said.

movies walmart

Nibbles & Bytes

Pasta Di Guy Is The Real Deal!

If you’re looking for delicious, homemade pastas and sauces, Wesley Chapel has a legitimately authentic new eatery called Pasta di Guy that features a unique, affordable menu created by owner/Chef Guy Carmeli, who is originally from Israel, but was classically trained at the London location of the renowned Le Cordon Bleu cooking school.

Since relocating to Wesley Chapel, Guy has had a popular food truck in our area, but he has since opened his casual, comfortable sit-down/takeout restaurant in the former location of OTB Delights Café at 4839 BBD Blvd. and his homemade pastas — especially the always al denté Strozzapreti (which are sort of like two pieces of thicker-than-linguini pasta twisted and cut into bite-sized pieces), wit your choice of sauces and toppings.

My favorite sauces so far are the vodka, creamy pesto and aglio e olio (garlic & oil), but I still have to try the marinara and beef bolognese (the latter costs extra). I also enjoyed adding chicken, bacon, Italian sausage, broccoli and cauliflower to the different pastas and sauces, but please note that all of the items mentioned do cost extra over the $9.99 base price. But, you know what? It’s worth it!

We also enjoyed the fried zucchini sticks appetizer and people were raving on Day One about the fried ravioli appetizer and photographer/videographer Charmaine George said her zucchini noodles were definitely spot-on.

For more info, stop in (closed Mon.) or visit PastadiGuy.com or call (813) 388-6676 and tell Guy and Emily (photo above) I sent you!

Visit The Exerscience Center!

Congratulations to my friend Dr. Lauren Leiva, DPT, on the recent opening of her new The Exerscience Center (24706 S.R. 54, in Lutz, less than two miles from the Tampa premium Outlets).

Not only is Lauren a Doctor of Physical Therapy, she’s also a personal trainer, nutritional counselor and yoga instructor who works with people of all ages — including athletes who are looking to recover faster from an injury or surgery, neurological patients looking to restore lost function, and busy people who want a more effective, and sustainable approach to fitness.

In the photo on this page, Dr. Leiva is performing what she calls a “master reset” on a client, which she says will provide a “holistic rehabilitation experience.” She uses lots of the latest technology, including the Neubie machine from NeuFit (photo), a patented electrical stimulation device to help re-educate your neuromuscular systems, coupled with manual therapy and functional training.

Dr. Leiva says her patients are healing up to 4x faster than with traditional therapy. She adds that neurological signals can shut down muscles and prevent movement for too long, leaving that area of the body more vulnerable.

At The Exerscience Center, you’ll be able to identify exactly where those neurological barriers are present and break through them on the way to more efficient and effective recovery. But, don’t just take it from me. There’s so much more Dr. Leiva can tell you about all of the unique services she offers. For more information, visit TheExerscienceCenter.com, call (813) 464-0313 or see the ad on pg. 8! — GN

Sprouts Gets Top Grade!

For those who went absolutely bonkers over the opening of the Aldi supermarket on S.R. 56, I invite you to check out a truly outstanding, truly “green” new grocery store — Sprouts Farmers Market, located in the new Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at Hunter’s Green Dr., which opened last month.

Not only does Sprouts have a far superior selection (and quality) of produce (as indicated by the Farmers Market in its name), it also features delicious prepared foods, a beautiful meat and fresh seafood department, crusty breads, a huge variety of the healthiest snacks and so much more.

In addition to produce — not all of which is more expensive than at other grocery stores (here’s a hint — look for the amazing sales!), here are some of my Sprouts favorites to date:

1) Fresh Fish – I’ve already had still-swimming mahi-mahi for only $5.99 per lb. (a truly unheard-of price), and even though the fresh grouper was $22.99 per lb., that’s still $5 per lb. less than Publix!

2) Meats — Grass-fed filet mignon for $16.99 per lb. or the slightly fattier “regular” filet for only $14.99 per lb. ‘Nuff said!

3) Prepared Foods — Amazing tuna salad, savory garlic roasted red potatoes, chicken florentine and parmigiana and better pot stickers than most restaurants, plus different-each-day selections. Yum!

Sprouts (8620 Hunters Village Rd.) is open every day, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. For info, call (813) 683-8072 or visit Sprouts.com!

In the meantime, several of the other businesses in the Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza have already opened, including Grain & Berry, The Coder School of New Tampa and Via Italia.

Among the stores that are under construction but not yet open in that main part of the plaza are the Banfield Pet Hospital and Touch Nail Spa. According to owner Timmy Pham, this second location of Touch Nail Spa (the other is on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel; see ad on pg. 28 of this issue) is expected to open in the Village at Hunter’s Lake sometime between mid-September and early October.

Meanwhile, in the separate outparcel building with frontage on BBD, Starbucks and Dental Care at Hunter’s Green are open; and, in another outparcel set further in off BBD, FitNiche (relocated from the Shops at Wiregrass), YogaSix and The UPS Store are open, with Pure Beauty Salon & Spa coming soon.

Exerscience Pasta di Guy sprouts