News from AdventHealth — Wangsness Moves On To AHT; Quattlebaum Takes Over At AHWC; Beam Signing At New Meadow Pointe ER

(01/18/2023) ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL – USA – AdventHealth. AdventHealth Executive Leadership. Matt Rainey/AdventHealth

AdventHealth has certainly been busy the last couple of weeks. On Nov. 8, the new freestanding Emergency Room on S.R. 54 at Meadow Pointe Blvd. had a beam-signing event that you can read about below. Then, just last week, the nonprofit health care giant announced that Erik Wangsness, who has been the president & CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (AHWC) since Sept. 2019, will assume the same position at AdventHealth Tampa, effective December 15. Taking over from Wangsness as the president & CEO at AHWC, as of Dec. 29, will be Ryan Quattlebaum, who previously held the same titles at AdventHealth North Pinellas in Tarpon Springs.

For more details about these two latest moves, check out the full stories in the December 10 edition of New Tampa Neighborhood News and the December 24 edition of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.

AdventHealth Meadow Pointe ER Beam Signed! 
Pasco County Comm. Seth Weightman (3rd from left) & the executive team for the new AdventHealth ER in Meadow Pointe sign the beam. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

George Butler, the construction superintendent for Robins & Morton, the firm building the freestanding AdventHealth emergency room (ER) in Meadow Pointe (AHMP), told the crowd of nearly 100 people in attendance on Nov. 8 that, “Today is a major milestone for this project. The next major milestone will be the Grand Opening.”

The milestone in question that day was the signing and raising of a beam that will be above the sliding door main entrance to the ER located at the corner of S.R. 54 and Meadow Pointe Blvd.

“Every time you go through that sliding door, you will all think of this beam that you signed,” Butler said. 

AdventHealth Zephyrhills president & CEO Mike Murrill thanked all of the people & companies that made the project happen. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Butler was introduced by William Villegas, the chief operating officer of AdventHealth Zephyrhills (AHZ), who then said that, “You’re here with us today because you were part of the process of getting this building off the ground…and by signing this beam, you are acknowledging all of the hard work of the crew that is sitting here. And, each and every one of you has played a role in it, whether as a support member, an executive or an engineer with Robins Morton.” 

Villegas added that, “So far, this building has endured two storms, and it’s still standing. On April 29, 2025, when we open this building, we will be providing 32,000 square feet of capacity with 12 beds, two triage rooms and advanced lab and imaging services that will provide freestanding emergency room services to the Pasco community. As we expand our reach, build facilities, touch more lives and care for more patients in Pasco County, we fulfill our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ. And, that’s what we’re here for, to serve our communities and provide the highest quality of care for our patients. None of this would be possible without everyone here today..”

Villegas, the executive sponsor for the AHMP ER, then introduced Mike Murrill, the president and CEO of AHZ.

“I want to thank William Villegas for guiding this team the last several months,” Murrill said. “He just joined our team six months ago and hit the ground running by connecting our community partners and the construction team and it’s exciting to get to this point in the journey.”

Murrill added, “I would just like to take this moment to thank several of our partners who are here this morning — our Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman, Arash Kamangar of Hunton Brady Architects, George (Butler) and our Robins & Morton construction team, all of the subcontractors who have contributed to this project, ans well as our Division Team. We thank you all for your collaborative spirit, your work with each other and what it means to have something new in this community.” 

Villegas then said a short prayer to thank God and to pray that “the patients who end up at this new ER find healing.”

For more information about the new AHMP ER, visit AdventHealth.com. — GN 

Former Beef O’Brady’s On BBD At S.R. 56 In Wesley Chapel Is Now Inchin’s Bamboo Garden 

I don’t know how they did it so fast, but the former Beef O’Brady’s located at 1660 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza in Wesley Chapel, has reopened (only about four months after Beef’s closed) as Inchin’s Bamboo Garden, a small (30 units in 13 U.S. states and Canada) chain of “IndoChinese Fusion” restaurants, with an existing Florida location in Orlando. 

All I can tell you after two quick visits to my new friends Mohan and Suresh’s new restaurant is that it no longer looks anything like Beef’s (it’s actually quite elegant), has a beautiful full-liquor bar (with at least ten beers on tap and many others in bottles) and absolutely everything I’ve sampled so far has been en pointe. 

My favorite Indian dishes so far are the fried momo dumplings (I had them with chicken, photo left; they’re also available in veggie and with paneer, or Indian cheese, and steamed); the “Toothpick lamb,” which is skewered chunks of lamb with mild rendang curry sauce, bite-size potato cubes, green onion, curry leaves and chili peppers; and my current favorite hakka noodles (thin eggless noodles, shredded vegetables, Napa cabbage and celery) with chicken (top photo). 

Other Indian dishes recommended by friends of mine who also happened to be visiting the new Inchin’s are the garlic naan bread and the “Chicken 65” (with curry leaf, bell peppers, onion, dry red chili & cumin). 

Considering that most Chinese restaurants in Wesley Chapel are take-out only, you also have to sample some of Inchin’s Chinese dishes. My faves to date include the crunchy veggie spring rolls, the crispy chili baby corns (bite-sized pieces of baby corn, deep fried with onion and green chilis) and the delicious Mongolian beef (above left), sautĂ©ed with onions and served on a bed of crispy rice noodles. It also was served with a side of white rice but I definitely plan to try it with one of Inchin’s four different fried rice options — burnt garlic chili (which sounds amazing), spicy Thai basil, Szechwan-style and just “regular” fried rice. You can get any of these with veggies, chicken, shrimp or “mixed” (with chicken, lamb and shrimp). 

Other Chinese-style entrĂ©es include Manchurian, Szechwan, hot garlic, chili, extra-spicy Szechwan peppercorn and AK 47 (with ghost pepper sauce, described on the menu as “dangerously spicy”) dishes. I’ve also been told I need to try Inchin’s version of Chinese “Hot Pot,” which is described on the menu as “numbing.” Many of these entrĂ©es are available with vegetable “coins,” cauliflower, tofu, paneer, chicken, lamb, beef or shrimp. 

I’ve also yet to sample any of the soups or any other starters, so you can rest assured that Jannah and I will be visiting Inchin’s Bamboo Garden again in the future — and soon! 

Inchin’s Bamboo Garden is open every day for lunch (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.) & dinner (5:30 p.m.-11 p.m. daily, except Sun. until 10). It closes daily between 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. For more information, call (813) 388-2818 or visit Bamboo-Gardens.com. And, please tell Mohan and Suresh I sent you! — GN 

Totally Blu Pool Builders Will Have You Swimming In Your New Pool In 60 Days!

Whether you want a pool with a beach entry and a waterfall (above) or bubbling jets (below left), Savir and Sunil Mohammed of the Blu
Water Pools store, located north of S.R. 54 on Eiland Blvd., and Blu Water Builders is one of few pool builders that have established a great reputation with
customers. (Below right) If you want your pool to also include an outdoor kitchen, Totally Blu Builders uses grills and accessories made by Bull Outdoor Kitchens.

Sunil Mohammed, owner of Totally Blu Pools, has been in the pool servicing business for more than 17 years. Just last year, he and his wife, Rashmi Maharaj, opened a pool supply store by the same name, located at the corner of S.R. 54 and Eiland Blvd. in the Publix- and Home Depot-anchored Summertree Plaza. At that time, he decided to venture into pool building, as well, and established Totally Blu Builders.

The community was suffering from a number of failed builders who left behind unfinished pools, and Sunil saw an opportunity to help.

“We started off by finishing pools that were started by Staycation,” he says, referring to one of the pool companies that went out of business.

“We’ve built more than 100 pools in about 18 months,” Sunil says, “including finishing about 60 Staycation pools. We just do one pool at a time, and we just kept finishing them.”

Sunil hired former Staycation and Olympus Pools installer Doug Griffith and other staff members who have experience in the industry, including at those failed companies.

He says that while Doug’s knowledge of construction is vast, Sunil brings a new approach to managing his company’s finances that will protect Totally Blu’s customers.

“Doug’s knowledge in construction is amazing,” Sunil says. “Now that I’ve dug pools with him for more than a year, I can say he backs it up by also being a good person. He came from two failed companies, but he had no part in the finances of those businesses that went down.”

Sunil explains that there’s not a lot of profit margin in pool construction, so, he says, “you have to manage your finances well.”

With Sunil’s nearly two decades in the industry, he already has established good relationships with vendors and customers.

“We’ve have made a good name for ourselves, which is difficult in this day and age because of the bad reputation of pool builders overall,” Sunil says.

In fact, his fairly new business has a perfect five-star (out of five) rating on Google. While there are only a few ratings, they are all positive.

One of the keys, Sunil explains, is not to overpromise, but instead to over-deliver.

“Once we get county approval, which usually takes about a month,” Sunil says, “we finish pools within six to eight weeks. We also call every customer every Friday while their pool is in process. When someone is spending $75,000 to $125,000 on a pool, it’s a huge investment. We reassure them as constantly as possible that we are not running away with their money. At every stage, we are being careful with what we do, and are always giving our customers what we promised.”

So, why did Sunil even get into the construction business, knowing how nervous customers are to trust a pool company these days and knowing that the profit margins are thin and potentially how hard it can be to please customers making such a large purchase?

He says first, it’s about serving the community and helping people who have been put in a difficult position by other pool builders or who have heard the horror stories? “More pools being built in the community means more customers for our pool service and supply businesses,” he says. “We are servicing nearly all of the pools we’ve built. If we can build the pool and keep the customers happy, then we can also do their pool service, and that’s how we will make our money for the next 10 years.”

In other words, Sunil is in it for the long term, so Totally Blu’s reputation is of the utmost importance to him.

Building That Reputation

As Totally Blu continues to complete pools, the word is spreading and customers are referring their friends.

The Neighborhood News spoke with Ami Rivera while her pool was being filled, just a few hours before it would be ready for swimming.

“Our goal was to have the pool ready for my daughter’s eighth birthday,” Ami says. “It’s in four days and she’s already put her feet in.”

Ami, who lives in the Watergrass community off Curley Rd., says that when she bought her home in 2020, she was content to swim at the community pool, but as it became obvious that she, her husband Lorenzo, and their daughter Anabel would be staying in their home long-term, they wanted to have their own pool.

“Everyone’s heard the horror stories,” she said, referring to lost deposits and unfinished pools, “so we had a lot of questions and concerns.”

As a Realtor, Ami also is a business owner who knows the importance of supporting the local community.

She says she interviewed four companies, and that all four had very similar pricing. But, she says, her conversation with Sunil stood out. Since he also lives in Watergrass, she saw a neighbor and a fellow business owner who expressed his commitment to the people of Wesley Chapel.

“Customers are valuing communication and transparency, and doing a lot more due diligence,” Ami says. “We had such a great conversation and I felt such ownership from him. I love being able to use someone in my own community.”

While Sunil knows his long-term success depends upon his company’s reputation, he’s building his business not only for now, but also because he says Tru Blu will be a legacy for his son, 17-year-old Savir, who is a senior at Wesley Chapel High.

“Savir came to work with me this summer,” says Sunil. “This kid has taken off and really become my right hand. He has even started designing pools, he goes out on the construction sites, and he has increased sales in the store by 20 percent.”

Savir plans to study electrical engineering in college, while living at home. He is already a Certified Pool/Spa Operator (CPO), a national certification by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) that recognizes expertise in cleaning and servicing pools and spas. Next, he plans to take courses in designing pools.

The Totally Blu Pools store also serves as the Totally Blu Builders showroom.

“I’m teaching him to be ethical in how we deal with people,” Sunil says. “Customers come in here and ask for him by name. He has become an integral part of my business and, for that, I’m very proud.”

While Totally Blu also has offered lawn service in the past, Sunil says he is moving away from that business, although he can still help people who are looking for landscaping services.

With a focus on pool service, supplies and now construction, Sunil believes Totally Blu is in a good position to serve the community and provide for his family for years to come.

And, with Totally Blu’s happy customer list growing, it seems Sunil is on the right track.

“I find it very important to have business owners in our community who you can put your trust and confidence in,” Ami says. “The product is sitting in my back yard and we’re thrilled.”

Totally Blu Pools & Totally Blu Builders are located at 32781 Eiland Blvd. For information about the pool supply store or pool service, call(813)788-7665 or visit TotallyBluH2O.com. To get started with a free digital design for your new pool, call(813)550-2023 or visit TotallyBluBuilders.com.

Family-Owned Wesley Chapel Title Will Go Above & Beyond For Your Closing! 

(Above, l.-r.) Dillon, Jessica, Zak, Stacey, Santo & Jaden of Wesley Chapel Title . (Photo provided by Stacey Arey) 

When Stacey Arey, the owner of Wesley Chapel Title in the Canterbury Professional Park on S.R. 54, walks into the office, she’s surrounded by not just a group of co-workers who feel like family, but also her actual family. 

Her husband, Zak, is a closer. Her son Dillon is working towards becoming a licensed title agent. Her daughter-in-law and Dillon’s wife, Jessica, is a processor. Her son Jaden is newer to the business but also is a licensed title agent. 

Then there are “the two Michelles,” Michelle Warden and Michelle Peterson. Both are licensed title agents and closers, as well as escrow officers, who have been in the industry for more than 20 years. 

“I feel blessed that I have incredible people who work for me,” Stacey says. “This business is complicated and there are a lot of bases to cover, so you have to have people who are excellent, detail oriented, focused on customer service and do a great job.” 

Stacey says that’s what sets her business apart from her competition. Not only does everyone on her team handle each file meticulously, they also provide excellent service. Customers can expect that all of their questions will be answered and they will be kept in the loop along the way, as they go from signing a contract to the day of closing. 

Whether you are buying or selling a home, a title company ensures there are no issues that would impede the transfer of the home from one person to the other. It provides an insurance policy to make sure you have a clean and clear title that protects your investment for as long as you own your property. 

Wesley Chapel Title’s insurance policies are underwritten by First American Title Insurance Company, which Stacey says is the best in the industry. It gives her access to professionals who have helped her learn the details of the business since she first established the company four years ago and continues to provide ongoing support. 

She says there are 150 things that have to be done to close a single file, which is why some title companies are overwhelmed and don’t have time to communicate well with their customers, but Stacey and her team make it a priority. 

“Most people don’t understand how this process works,” Stacey says. “I spend a lot of time educating people. I’m always happy to take my time and walk them through it.” 

The title company handles the actual closing of the property and signing of documents to complete the sale. 

Wesley Chapel Title can send a Notary Public to close anywhere someone might be, whether that’s on a business trip in a foreign country or a coffee shop that’s convenient to their work. 

“People really take advantage of closing at McDonald’s or Starbucks, but I like to roll out the red carpet when they come into the office,” she says. 

For many people, this is the largest purchase they will ever make in their lifetimes. 

“They’re excited, so we don’t rush them in and out,” Stacey says. “We have photo opportunities, like with our ‘Home, Sweet Home’ sign for new homeowners, and a baking station with cookies.” 

Helping RealtorsÂź & Their Clients 

RealtorÂź Lisa Albino-Contreras has worked with Stacey and her team since Wesley Chapel Title first opened four years ago. As the managing Broker at Realty One Group Epic in San Antonio, she works with many title companies, but she says if she had her way, all of her clients would close at Wesley Chapel Title. 

“Stacey and her team are always accessible,” Lisa explains. “She goes above and beyond to facilitate anything that is in her control. If I need an answer, she’ll find it and get right back to me.” 

Lisa says Wesley Chapel Title also is the only agency that gives a gift to her clients when they close. “I think that speaks volumes,” says Lisa. “She comes in and offers her congratulations with a gift. To some it may not mean much, but I think that level of care makes my clients feel great and adds to their special day.” 

Stacey says she works hard to make sure Lisa and other real estate agents want to work with her, from always providing her signature excellent customer service to offering them perks that come from her affiliation with First American Title. 

For example, Wesley Chapel Title offers real estate agents a platform where they can create a “Net Sheet” for their clients right from their mobile device, showing a potential seller the bottom line of what they will make on the sale of their home. 

Agents who are registered with her also can use a “Print Pro” program that allows them to print out anything they need, including paperwork, fliers, folders, or business cards at extremely low prices, such as documents for five cents each. Printed items are then delivered to the agent. 

In addition, both agents and clients benefit from the secure platform used by Wesley Chapel Title called Qualia, which provides a single portal where every document from a transaction is stored, which helps to reduce the risk of fraud. 

“People hack into emails and change wire instructions,” Stacey explains, which would cause money to go into a thief’s account instead of the seller’s. “It happens quite frequently, so we have another safeguard.” 

Qualia also streamlines the process so that all parties have access to the documents they need in one place, so nothing is lost in an email chain and no one has to scramble to figure out where to find important information. 

“With every transaction, we work with a buyer, seller, lender, mortgage broker, listing agent, buying agent, and all of these many points of contact,” Stacey explains. “They can all see the documents they need access to from their dashboards.” 

Stacey, her family, and staff are committed to ensuring they have the tools in place and provide the education needed so that everyone who closes with them will have a good experience. 

“Closings are always smooth,” says Lisa. “Stacey is always available, she’s a pleasant person to deal with and very knowledgeable.” 

Wesley Chapel Title is located at 5857 Algerian Dr., Suite 101. It’s open Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appointment on weekends. For more information, visit WesleyChapel-Title.com or call (813) 993-5222. 

Mo Cookies Opens In The KRATEs; Tous Les Jours To Replace Capital Tacos! 

As we told you in this issue (as well as months ago in a previous issue), the cookie chain known as Cookie Plug (photo below left) is coming to the space in The Grove at Wesley Chapel next to the Ice Dreammm Shop — which, by the way, also sells cookies and was named one of our readers’ five Favorite Bakeries (as well as their second favorite ice cream shop) in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. 

Although we didn’t know, at our press time, when this young chain which claims to serve, “The fattest and thiccest cookies on the block” was expected to open, Cookie Plug, founded in 2019, today has 30 locations in 13 states (with the only Florida location in Ft. Myers), but according to CookiePlug.com, is planning to add more than 100 new locations, including more than 30 in the Sunshine State — ten in Tampa (including New Tampa), 15 in Orlando, five in Miami and this one in Wesley Chapel — over the next year or so. 

I will say that Cookie Plug has its work cut out for it if it plans to serve fatter cookies than what you can get at the new Mo Cookies, which opened in the KRATE at The Grove container park (in the former location of Urban Sweets, which I hated to see close), just before we went to press with this issue. 

Mo Cookies, which has an original location in Tallahassee, offers 20+ varieties of freshly baked cookies in four categories — “Standards,” which are thinner and cost $2.99 apiece (and are in the bottom row in the top photo); “Premiums” (which are thicker cookies served with toppings; top two rows); “Signatures” (3rd row from the top), which are “extra large, extra gooey” and cost $4.99 apiece; and “Grab N Go,” which cost $3.49 apiece (and aren’t shown in the picture), although there are “Pack” discounts on all of these options, too. Mo Cookies also offers your favorite cookies as a “MoZookie,” topped with vanilla ice cream. 

With varieties like “S’mores,” “Freshman 15” and “Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter” (the latter is my current favorite), it seems pretty likely that Mo Cookies is going to develop a local following, too. To order, call (813) 345-8059 or visit Order.Online or stop in & tell them I sent you! 

Tous Les Jours Coming To S.R. 56! 

Although New Tampa has now had its own Tous les Jours French-style Korean bakery inside the Lotte Plaza Market on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. for a little more than a year, many people who live in Wesley Chapel are happy that Tous les Jours has announced (with signage on the doors; photo above) that it is taking over the space previously occupied by Capital Tacos on S.R. 56. Although we had no information at our press time as to when the new Tous les Jours was expected to open, the fact that this international brand, with more than 1,600 locations worldwide (and 130+ in the U.S.), will bring its unique and huge selection of breads, pastries, pies, coffee, tea and blended drinks to Wesley Chapel will surely be a welcome addition. 

For more info, visit tljus.com. — GNÂ