GEICO Wesley Chapel’s Local Office Wants To Help You Get Covered! 


Instead of calling a 1-800 number, if you need almost any kind of insurance, walk into the GEICO local office owned by Jaime Bryant (in blue in front) in the Super Target-anchored Northwoods Plaza on BBD Blvd. at County Line Rd. to meet with a live agent. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

It seems that these days, whenever you go on social media, you find someone saying, “My insurance rates have gone up!” But, in our all-electronic, virtual world, being able to go to a physical location to speak with an insurance expert can make a big difference. 

In case you still didn’t know it, sitting in the Super Target-anchored Northwoods Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., at County Line Rd., is a team of insurance experts. Just walk into the Wesley Chapel local office of GEICO Insurance, where actual live people can help you with a wide variety of insurance needs. 

Owner and long-time Wesley Chapel resident Jaime Bryant opened the office in December of 2020, but he began working for GEICO in 2004, after earning his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of South Florida. He also received his Florida 2-20 Resident General Lines License (which allows him to provide property, casualty, surety, marine, health and miscellaneous insurance lines, including auto, motorcycle, boats/watercraft, homes, condos, RVs, renters and even pet insurance) to ensure that his local GEICO office can provide you with virtually any type of insurance you may need. 

Jaime says his GEICO local office can write policies for your “home, auto, commercial auto, motorcycle, condo, rental apartment, boat/watercraft, jewelry, flood mobile homes/RVs and umbrella policies.” 

An umbrella policy provides added protection beyond your existing limits and coverages of other policies. Jaime says, “Umbrella policies are good for someone who has a lot of assets.” 

When you call or walk into Jaime’s local GEICO office, an agent can take your information, which is then used to customize whatever policies you may want to your specific needs. 

As for GEICO’s rates, although there’s been a lot of discussion these days about rising insurance rates, especially here in Florida, Jaime says, “While everyone has seen some increases in their premiums, the market now appears to be stabilizing, with most (but not all) insurance premiums staying about the same.” 

Help For Home & Condo Owners 

If you need home or condominium insurance, dates may come into play. In most cases, a condo or townhome can be any age. But, for homes, mobile homes and RVs, GEICO can issue you a policy, as long as your home was built in 1995 or later. 

Jaime, Elliot and Shannon Bryant hope you will visit their GEICO local office for your insurance needs! 

Homeowner policies will cover not just the home itself, but also attached structures such as garages, lanais and even fences, as well as any personal property inside the home. These policies, in most cases, also will include liability coverage, which will protect you in the event someone gets injured in your home, although additional liability insurance is sometimes required. Jaime says your GEICO agent can assist you with finding all of the requirements for your perfect policy. 

“For example,” he says, “Your homeowners insurance will usually have hurricane coverage. In the state of Florida, GEICO requires policies to have hurricane coverage, which will include damage caused by tropical storms. In order for this coverage to kick in, the storm causing the damage has to be a named storm. For non-named storms, the claim would be under ‘wind damage.’” 

With hurricane season now just a few days away from starting, Jaime says this is a good time to visit the GEICO local office to see what he and his staff can do for you. 

In addition, while Wesley Chapel is not in a major flood zone, Jaime and his crew can still provide you with flood insurance. 

He says, “Just because flood insurance isn’t required here, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it. Flood insurance will cover water that is coming into your home from your property — for example, from rain that is not from a hurricane, a sewer, or an overflowing pond.” 

He adds, “People don’t think they will find themselves in these situations, but when they do, they wish they would have had the insurance. Plus, flood insurance is not very expensive to add to your homeowners policy.” 

The Buying Power Of ‘Bundling’ 

Jaime says that GEICO’s rates are very competitive and your live agent will always check for all possible discounts. As one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., GEICO also offers discounts for “bundling” different policies together. 

For example, Jaime says that bundling your home and auto policies together will qualify you for discounts on both policies. “It doesn’t always end up costing you less than buying them separately,” he says, “but it usually does.” 

He adds, “But, when you bundle multiple GEICO policies together though, because GEICO (which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway) is such a large company, at least you don’t have to worry about us leaving the state (as so many other insurance companies have over the past few years).” He also notes that auto and renters insurance also are often bundled, “because the renters insurance will then either be free or cost pennies on the dollar, which is probably the biggest savings you get by bundling.” 

When you own a boat, Jaime says that whether you bundle it with your homeowners policy or not, “Boat/watercraft insurance is one of our most competitively priced products on the market.” Other GEICO policies with competitive rates include for recreation vehicles (RVs), travel trailers and mobile/manufactured homes. 

For the best possible information, Jaime says it’s always a good idea to, “Stop by and speak to one of our agents, rather than calling the GEICO 1-800 number. Our people can help you find the policy (or policies) you need at the best possible rates.” 

In addition, Jaime says that if you or your family members or friends who need insurance would prefer to speak to someone in Spanish, he has bilingual agents who can assist them with that, too. 

Giving Back… 

Jaime gives back to our community and to some organizations that he says are near and dear to his heart. The office will be sponsoring a golf tournament for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This nonprofit organization has made a promise to the children of fallen U.S. Special Operations personnel and the children of all service members awarded the Medal of Honor by providing full education and additional opportunities for them. 

Jaime, who lives with his wife Shannon and their two-year-old son Elliot in Wesley Chapel, says he also will sponsor the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Wharton High next year. He also sponsors the sports tickets for Wiregrass Ranch High and has provided folders for Double Branch, New River and Watergrass elementaries in Wesley Chapel. 

The GEICO Wesley Chapel local office is located at 1227 BBD Blvd. The office is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. For more information, call (813) 953- 4200 or feel free to stop by the office in person. You also can visit GEICO.com/insurance-agents/florida/tampa/ jaime-bryant/

North Tampa Law Group For Estate Planning & Real Estate Law 

Attorney Brian Arrighi of North Tampa Law Group can help you with real estate transactions, estate planning, probate and more at his North Tampa Law Group office off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Attorney Brian Arrighi helps people with estate planning, probate and real estate transactions at his North Tampa Law Group office, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 (east of I-75) in Wesley Chapel. 

The Tampa Palms resident has served his neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 19 years, helping those who find themselves in need of an attorney for real estate transactions, estate planning and probate issues. 

Brian, the owner of North Tampa Law Group, relocated his firm to its Wesley Chapel location nearly 10 years ago, after originally opening it in the Tampa Palms Professional Center in 2014. 

Brian earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, where he graduated cum laude, and his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mass Communications from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He’s a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar. 

“Our practice involves three areas,” Brian explains, “real estate, estate planning and probate (law).” 

Real estate law includes title closings, title insurance and organizing and overseeing real estate transactions. This includes handling “For Sale by Owner” home sales from contract to closing. 

As an experienced probate attorney, dealing with distribution of property after someone’s death, Brian also understands the complicated issues that might arise related to real estate titles. 

That’s why he says many of his clients are referred to him by local real estate agents, who suggest they hire North Tampa Law Group instead of a title agency for their closings. He says those agents tell him they recommend his firm because it is quick and efficient in dealing with issues found during title searches. 

Brian says, “If something pops up on the title search, we’re able to get on the legal side of it right away, whereas a title agency will send you to hire a lawyer to figure it out. We can usually get the legal work done and still close on time, because we get such a good head start on it.” 

He adds that hiring North Tampa Law Group to handle a real estate closing doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of a transaction without an attorney. 

“Our fees are very competitive compared to a standard title agent,” Brian says. 

In most transactions, the seller is the party who chooses the title agency, and sellers often use whoever their Realtor recommends. But, people are free to choose, so they can let their Realtor know they would like North Tampa Law Group to handle their closing and title insurance. 

“For someone selling their home by owner,” Brian says, “once they obtain the buyer, we provide the contract and forms and take it from there. We handle everything and oversee it all the way to closing.” 

James is a local resident who had a great experience using North Tampa Law Group for a real estate closing — selling a townhouse in Zephyrhills. 

“The process couldn’t have been made simpler for us and we are thrilled with their service,” James says, explaining that the communication with North Tampa Law Group throughout the process also was outstanding. 

“Based on our experience,” he adds, “I would definitely use them again and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to others.” 

Estate Planning & Probate 

In addition to handling real estate closings, North Tampa Law Group also helps clients with estate planning, such as wills, trusts and the transfer of wealth and assets to loved ones after a death. Brian says he has something of a specialty helping people set up their estates so they can protect their minor children from outside influences and adults from making poor decisions. He works with individuals to set up trusts for health care, living expenses and smaller disbursements, rather than lump-sum payouts, if that’s what the client wants. 

One thing Brian emphasizes is that each client’s individual circumstances are unique, so he helps to arrange documents in whatever way is best for each person’s particular situation. 

Even for those who don’t know where to start with an estate plan, North Tampa Law Group can help. 

“If people aren’t sure what they want,” Brian says, “we can sit down, do a consultation and listen to their objectives — how they want their estate distributed, and what it will consist of. Then, we go over their options and give recommendations for what type of trust or plan will be specific to that individual’s needs.” 

He says that many clients are relieved to find out the estate planning process was not as expensive or as difficult as they thought it would be. 

Most services are offered at a flat rate. At the initial consultation, Brian will go over your options and fee structures. Then, you will have the choice of whether or not to move forward with the services. 

And, while proper estate planning prepares for the management of your assets and determines how to efficiently distribute those assets to your loved ones when you pass away, a lack of estate planning could cause confusion that leads to a potentially lengthy and expensive court process known as “probate.” 

When probate is necessary — for example, for those who have recently lost someone and find themselves needing the court to sort through any issues — Brian is experienced in that process. 

Consultations for real estate, estate planning and probate can all be done in person at North Tampa Law Group’s office, although Brian also offers phone consultations for those who prefer them. 

“Some things are easier to understand in person,” he says, “and it’s really important for people to know all the differences between everything I’m explaining. But, if a client prefers a phone call, I’m still happy to do that.” 

North Tampa Law Group is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102. For more information, visit NorthTampaLawGroup.com, or make an appointment for a free initial consultation by calling (813) 518-7411. 

News Briefs — Whole Foods Resubmitted, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed 

Whole Foods Resubmitted 

Updating the story we reported in our Mar. 19 issue, the developer who previously withdrew plans to build a Whole Foods Market on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at Aronwood Blvd. in Meadow Pointe resubmitted those plans to Pasco County officials on Apr. 23. 

After reviewing the revised site plan (above), it appears that the main differences between the new plan and the old plan is that the developer, SJC Ventures, is proposing to add a trucks-only driveway from BBD behind Whole Foods (see map) to make it easier for delivery trucks to get to the loading bay. 

Also, the new site plan removes the small standalone building near the Lifestyle Family Fitness building and just made the other two standalone buildings a little bigger. SJC also built the recently opened Whole Foods in St. Petersburg. 

Although we don’t know when the plan will come up for approval by the Pasco Board of County Commissioners. We’ll keep you posted. — JP 

Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed Near The Grove 
The location of the proposed skilled nursing facility referred to on its site plan as “Oakley Place” is proposed to be constructed in front of the Avasa Grove West apartments on Oakley Blvd. (Map: NN) 

As first reported on Apr. 22 by Kelly Gilroy on the Pasco County Development & Growth Updates Facebook page, plans for a 202-bed, nearly 112,000-sq.-ft. skilled nursing facility (SNF) were submitted to the county. 

Planned on a 7.83-acre site at the corner of Oakley Blvd. and Grove Isle Dr., in front of the Avasa Grove West apartments (across Oakley Blvd. from Cost Plus World Market), this would be the second SNF in Wesley Chapel, as the only other such facility is part of the Blue Heron Senior Living residence on Eagleston Blvd. off BBD. 

Emorys Rock Realty 

Congratulations to Licensed Real Estate Broker Chad Emory and his wife (and fellow Realtor) April on the establishment of Emorys Rock Realty, which has an office in the Signature Workspace at the Shops at Wiregrass. 

It’s hard “Keeping Up With The Emorys,” as they attend virtually every North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon cutting (Chad also is an NTBC Board member) and other local events, but what they want is to help you the next time you buy or sell a home! 

For more information, call (813) 404- 2286 or visit EmorysRock.com. — GN

The Cottages At Cypress Cay Celebrates Its Official Grand Opening! 


Capstone Communities celebrated the official ribbon cutting & Grand Opening of The Cottages at Cypress Cay on Apr. 17. 
(Photos provided by Carrie Wildes Photography) 

Congratulations go out to Capstone Communities, which celebrated the official Grand Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for The Cottages at Cypress Cay with the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (TBCC) on Apr. 17. 

As we first reported in our July 2023 issue, The Cottages at Cypress Cay is a cottage-style rental community located off Bruce B Downs (BBD) Blvd. 

“With 1,400 member companies and more joining every day, Tampa’s economy is growing rapidly,” said Patie Powers, the TBCC’s director of membership. “Innovative housing concepts like The Cottages at Cypress Cay are crucial for companies to recruit new talent and offer unique housing options to the growing workforce.” 

For rental units that look & feel more like a home, you should definitely check out The Cottages. 

With neighborhood amenities including a 24-hour clubhouse, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a resort-style pool, pavilions and grill stations, sidewalks, a dog park and other pedestrian-friendly amenities, The Cottages at Cypress Cay creates a true sense of place for its residents. The Cottages themselves definitely feel more “home-like” than your usual rental communities, with kitchens and even front entrances that are a cut above most apartment units. 

“Our team is excited to bring this unique housing option to Tampa renters that builds community you don’t typically find in a traditional apartment setting,” said Amanda Wallis, executive VP of development for Capstone Communities. “Build-for-rent communities are perfect for young professionals, new residents and empty-nesters who may be looking to downsize because they provide the space and privacy of a home with the amenities and convenience of a traditional apartment.” 

The community offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom cottages, each with its own private fenced yard, as well as one-bedroom lofts and carriage house units. Homes range from 650 to 1,350 square feet, with wood-grain flooring, in-unit washers and dryers, a “smart home” technology package, 24/7 on-call maintenance and optional enclosed garage parking. 

CBI Construction Services (Capstone’s in-house construction entity) is the general contractor for The Cottages at Cypress Cay, and Capstone Properties (Capstone’s in-house management division) is the leasing and property management team. 

Capstone Communities is an Alabama-based real estate firm specializing in development, management and construction of student and multifamily housing. In 2017, Capstone expanded to the multifamily sector at the forefront of the build-for-rent movement with the introduction of its conventional cottage-style development program. 

Today, with a mission to be an innovative company dedicated to serving people, building community and delivering exceptional experiences that stand the test of time, Capstone’s growing project footprint now stretches across the Southeast with 11 build-for-rent communities open or under construction in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. 

For more information about The Cottages at Cypress Cay, visit TheCottagesatCypresscay.com. 

vomFass Wiregrass Set To Close By May 26 

Less than two weeks after this issue arrives in your mailbox, the vomFass store in the Shops at Wiregrass mall will be closing. On May 3rd, local vomFASS store owner Paula Ayala (photo, left) publicly announced that her location (next to Victoria’s Secret) would be closing the weekend of May 25-26. 

She wrote that, “These past eight years have been a tremendous journey, and I am immensely grateful to each and every one of you who has been part of this adventure…We will miss all of you…” 

Paula’s franchise store beat the odds for many years. Hers was the only vomFASS store left open in Florida, and one of only a handful in the country. “Seven locations in South Florida closed within three years of opening,” she says. As to why those other locations closed so quickly, she says, “The [German] business model was not fully compatible with the U.S. market.” 

Paula currently plans to keep food service operating through Friday, May 17, and the store open through the following weekend, after which it will close permanently. All items inside the store are now on clearance. 

vomFASS is a franchise company that was founded in Regensburg, Germany, in 1994. The name of the store translates to “From the Barrel.” The company’s social media says that vomFass currently has 300 stores in 28 countries. These stores sell higher priced oils, vinegars, spirits and wines, with some unique offerings you can’t find anywhere else. 

Paula said the higher price point on so many of her products was due to higher quality and lower volume, where you could find true one-off, rare, aged single barrels, unique flavor combinations and small-batch offerings. She says, “These are the special occasion products you break out with good food and good company.” 

The best part of the store was that you could taste and sample anything you wanted for free (including the really expensive aged spirits that were up to 25 years old), to guarantee you liked them before buying them. You could also get the spirits in different sizes from the standard 750ml (also known as a “fifth”) to 200ml, which were great for gifts. 

Paula says the best-selling products in her store were the pre-mixed Bourbon Old Fashioned (my personal favorite) and Northern Plains Bourbon Whiskey, which went into the smoothest tasting old fashioned house cocktail I’ve ever had (seriously), made right there at their bar. Even though the pre-mixed Old Fashioned was a huge hit, Paula says she had a hard time keeping some on the shelves because, “it was often on back order from corporate.” 

While some of vomFASS’ big bottles of premium spirits cost less than $100, the most expensive one in the store was around $300. She notes, however, that even the more budget-centric ABC Liquors and Total Wine & More have many bottles way above that price, some into the thousands of dollars. 

Paula says that ABC Liquors, located less than a half-mile from the mall, was not a huge competitor for her, but when Total Wine & More opened a few miles to the west in the space previously occupied by Earth Fare in 2021, she noticed a big impact in sales, “But that was nothing compared to what COVID did.” 

When Paula and her family came to the U.S. from Venezuela in 2016, she was trying to escape poor conditions there. She was able to get a visa in 2015 because of the vomFASS opportunity, which she discovered during a franchise expo in Venezuela. 

“I traveled here three times to get things ready… arriving in 2016 and opening that summer. I honestly thought Wesley Chapel was part of Tampa,” she said. Paula explained that there were multiple stores in the space she occupies that didn’t last. “When I first came [to the store], there were still changing rooms in the back.” 

In order to do even minor food and alcohol consumption, Pasco required full licenses, and a facility with sinks and grease traps. She says this was a blessing in disguise, and gave her an advantage over other vomFASS stores. 

When COVID hit, being able to fulfill online orders helped the store survive, but that was later cut off by corporate. Like many stores, Paula lost workers, and she had to help out family members who became very ill. 

The Pivot 

When she was able, in 2020, Paula added food and bar service to keep vomFass afloat, since it was equipped with a kitchen. The husband-and-wife team of Alvaro Barbado (an expert mixologist) and Ainara Arozena (a gourmet chef), emigrated from Spain and were able to find work at the store. 

With bistro-style seating in the front, a bar in the corner, and a large party table in the back, the store transformed into something more relevant, where you could get unique cocktails made with the liquor sold in the store and gourmet dishes (like pillow soft octopus and tender herb crusted ribs) with perfect wine pairings. Paula says that for a couple of years, the addition of the food and on-site cocktails helped out, “but our costs kept increasing.” 

In hindsight, Paula says there are a few things she would have done differently, but she was grateful that the business’ run was better than she expected. 

For more information, visit vomFass Wiregrass (28249 Paseo Dr., #110) in person or call (813) 907-2167.