Category: Business

Radiant Wellness Spa Offers Licensed Massage, Facials & More

Spa On S.R. 54 In Wesley Chapel To Highlight Its Services At Its FREE Health & Wellness Fair On Sunday, March 19!

Willie Williams has played basketball most of his life at a very high level (including the NBA’s “D” League) , and that grind produced a few injuries along the way that he can still feel today. He was recently in a car accident that has made his body creak and groan more than it should for a man only in his mid-30s.

However, Willie says his body only creaks and groans these days until Yuhanna Alahmary, LMT, MLD-C, CCT, CMT, gets her hands on him.

*Radiant Wellness Spa owner Yuhanna Alahmary*

The owner of Radiant Wellness Spa in the Brookfield Professional Park on S.R. 54 just west of Eiland Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, Alahmary has learned plenty of skills over the years related to massage therapy, and Williams says those massages are the only thing, including physical therapy, that can make him feel better.

“She’s the real deal,” he says. “I’ve had massages before, but the way hers make my body feel afterwards is something different. I’ve known her for three years and she has allowed me to get back to moving around, get out of bed and not be limping around the house all the time.”

After a decade of working as a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) at a local spa in Wesley Chapel, Alahmary decided to branch out and open her own spa in April 2022.

She may not be new to Wesley Chapel, but her business is, which is part of the reason she is reaching out to the community by hosting a Health & Wellness Fair on Sunday, March 19, noon-4 p.m. (see ad on pg. 34) with a food truck, businesses from the KRATE at the Grove container park (including 3 Eleven candles, Mythos Gifts and Blush Wine Room) and health-related vendors like Florida Pain Medicine, Humana and Double Branch Chiropractic Rehab. Alahmary says some of the vendors will be doing free health testing, and her spa will offer complimentary 5-minute massages.

More Than Just Massages

Radiant Wellness Spa offers a wide array of spa services, from massages to facials.

The massages include the standard Swedish, therapeutic and deep tissue, as well as couples and prenatal massages.

Hot stone and bamboo massages also are available, or try the “Sticks & Stones” massage, which is a combination of both.

Alahmary says she also has a therapist on staff who specializes in oncology massages for cancer patients looking for pain relief and relaxation.

And, cupping therapy, which decompresses the body’s tissues with suction cups, helps with a host of issues and is one of the spa’s more popular services. In addition to her other titles, Alahmary is a CCP (certified cupping therapist, CMMP (certified medical massage practitioner) and master post-op care provider and body contouring specialist.

*The acne and microneedling program at Radiant works wonders for high-grade acne skin, producing amazing results.*

When it comes to facials, there are many from which to choose. Alahmary says the enzyme and OxygenGLOW facials are the most popular among her array of offerings, and microneedling (also called collagen induction therapy) continues to be in demand for those seeking to firm and tone their skin, especially the arms and face. Alahmary says the Circadia brand products used at the spa are high-grade.

Body waxing services and sauna wraps also are available.

Alahmary says that Radiant’s staff aesthetician Tunde used to own her own spa in Budapest, Hungary, before Covid-19 forced her to close down and move to the U.S.

“She has 20 years of experience and she helps with a lot of European techniques I wasn’t really familiar with,” Alahmary says. Tunde has worked miracles on some of the faces that leave Radiant Wellness Spa with a big smile on them.

If you mention this story, you can receive $15 off your first visit. There are other specials, too — $10 off on Mondays for anyone, and $10 off on Thursdays for teachers, law enforcement, first responders, healthcare and postal workers (with work ID).

“I’ve always had a soft spot for vets and healthcare workers,” Alahmary says. “My dad was impacted by agent orange and nurses really were impacted by Covid.”

What separates Radiant Wellness Spa from other spas, however, may be Alahmary’s own personal specialty: post-op care.

She is certified by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies, which she says makes her a rarity in the Wesley Chapel area.

“So many people drive to South Tampa to get their post-op care done,” she says, “but we have it right here.”

Post-op MLD (or manual lymphatic drainage) care, in Alahmary’s case, often but not exclusively deals with treating patients who have recently had cosmetic surgery like a tummy tuck or liposuction. As a result, their bodies may be inflamed and they may suffer from lymphatic fluid build up.

A certified MLD-C massage therapist uses specific massaging techniques to help transport the lymphatic fluid from the swollen area to an area that is draining properly.

“If you want to heal right, you need some kind of post-op care,” says Alahmary. “It will cut down on fibrosis build up and help prevent fibrosis, which are those hardening knots in people who don’t get the proper (post-op) care.”

Alahmary also says she has spent hundreds of hours learning and taking tests to learn as much as she can, and earn as many certifications as possible. She has even traveled to Thailand and hopes to incorporate Thai massages into her spa in the future.

Alahmary’s commitment to her craft is something that actually helped prompt Williams to follow her to her new practice. For years at the previous spa where she worked, Williams would listen to her talk about pursuing her dream and perfecting her skills.

“She is a real student of her art,” he says. “She used to fly out to different classes to enhance her skill set, and that is something I really admired about her. She’s an expert.”

Alahmary’s daughter Nylah is a senior at Wesley Chapel High who is working towards her Associate of Arts degree from Pasco-Hernando State College, and helps out at the front desk, making Radiant Wellness Spa a family business. Everyone else who works at the spa has at least 10 years of experience, according to Alahmary.

“I’m not just an owner, I’m a therapist myself,” Alahmary says. “We don’t have memberships, so we’re not trying to sell you anything. And, having my own business lets me do what I love to do, and offer the services that I think will help people the most.”

The spa does not accept insurance, but does accept FSA and HSA payments.

Radiant Wellness Spa is located at 33905 S.R.. 54, Suite 101. The hours are Monday & Wednesday, 3:15 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday & Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (813) 715-2099, visit Radiant-Wellness-Spa.com.

NTPAC To Debut This Month; B&B Theatres Unveils Improvements

The New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) will hold its first event for the community on Saturday, March 25, with a performance by the New Tampa Players (NTP), following a dedication to the theatre troupe’s founder, the late Doug Wall.

The doors to the new 20,000-sq.-ft. Hillsborough County-owned facility — located across from the entrance to the Hunter’s Green community — will open at 6:30 p.m.. Doors to the theater open at 7, with the ceremony and a performance scheduled for 7:30.

While the grand opening for the NTPAC itself actually will come at a later date, organizers are using the dedication and NTP performance as a soft grand opening and an opportunity to honor Wall, a major driver of the arts in the New Tampa area prior to his death in 2017.

Wall founded NTP, which held its first production “They’re Playing Our Song” at both Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club and at Hunter’s Green Country Club, in 2002. NTP has survived as a gypsy-like troupe, putting on performances at a number of different locations while Wall and others fought for a permanent New Tampa home for the organization, which NTPAC will be.

After the dedication, NTP will put on a cabaret-style show that will give attendees an idea of how a performance is put on by the group, as well as how the troupe plans its seasons.

Shows already scheduled for this season include:

• “Beauty & the Beast Jr.: A Penguin Project Production” (Apr. 14-16)

• “Grease” (July 21-30)

• “Shrek” (Oct. 20-29) and

• “Dreamgirls” (Feb. 2-11, 2024).

For tickets to and more information about NTP and these upcoming performances, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

MOVIE UPGRADES: Speaking of places to watch shows, the B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel (formerly the Cobb Theater) held a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event on Feb. 15 to show off some of B&B’s remodeling efforts since taking over management of the theater in 2022. Among the new options at B&B Wesley Chapel are:

• Premium Large Format (PLF) Grand Screen, which provides a true wall-to-wall experience.

• ScreenX, which, according to B&B Theatres’ director of communications Paul Farnsworth, is the world’s first multi-projection platform, allowing viewers to experience select films in an expansive, 270-degree presentation, as the two sidewalls of the theater are utilized to give a more immersive experience.

• The Lyric, a smaller (32-seat) theater designed for a more intimate and upscale theatrical experience. The Lyric will be used for showing independent and art films — such as the poignant comedy “80 for Brady” — and offers other high- end touches, including seat-mounted tray tables and elegant waterfall curtains

• Max Relax — Located in another smaller (only 50+ seats) theater, Max Relax offers commercial-grade, electric, heated, fully reclining leather chaise lounge chairs that are great for movie watching….and, if the movie isn’t great, a nice little nap.

*Among the new features unveiled at B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel’s ribbon-cutting event on Feb. 15 included (left) the Cycle Cinema*.

• Cycle Cinema, which is being leased to owner Pascal Collard of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness center in Zephyrhills and three partners (Nick Walton, Andy Sorrentino and SVB co-owner Andy Green), which brings a Peloton-type shared workout experience to the big screen, with classes for everyone from total beginner to expert.

• SideSplitters at The Grove, the comedy club which already has been operational for more than a year before the Grand Reopening event.

For more information, visit bbtheatres.com or Facebook.com/bbtheatres. For more info about Cycle Cinema, visit TheCycleCinema.com.

B&B Theatres NTPAC Wesley Chapel

Thousands Get A Preview Of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel!

Scooping his free Island Fin Poké Co. poké bowl into his mouth, Trey Walker paused for a second before answering the question of the day at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel’s open house last month.

“I don’t like hospitals,” the Tampa truck driver said, smiling, “but if I ever need to go to one, I hope it’s this one.”

Walker was one of an estimated 4,000 people who took part in the area’s newest hospital’s open house on Feb. 18, which featured tours, food trucks, vendor booths and a kids area.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel was expected to open to at least emergency room patients today (Mar. 7). The 86-bed, state-of-the-art hospital is located on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. just south of S.R. 54.

BayCare Wesley Chapel president Becky Schulkowski was thrilled to finally unveil the hospital to the public.

“It’s just been extremely exciting, rewarding, and humbling seeing the response from the community,” she said. “I’m being thanked for coming to this community. It just feels like such a blessing…and we will live up to their expectations.”

*The new hospital features private rooms with Alexa-enabled services, and a Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System*. (*Photo: John C. Cotey*)

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel boasts 318,000 sq. ft. of space, and will feature comprehensive medical services and health care resources, including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and on-site lab services, and physical rehabilitation. BayCare is investing $246 million in the project, which will be the 16th link in the nonprofit’s chain, which has locations throughout Central Florida. The Wesley Chapel location will be just the second full-service BayCare hospital in Pasco County and will feature outstanding technology like the CT scanner and a DaVinci Robotic Surgical System.

The DaVinci robot drew a few oohs and aahs from those on the tour, its multiple arms coiled like a resting octopus. It allows for very precise incisions and techniques used by surgeons, including things like hernia repairs and colorectal surgery.

“So, if anyone with colon cancer needs to have parts of their colon removed, it can be done with the robot,” Schulkowski said. “The procedures with the robot really allows you to heal faster and get out of the hospital quicker. With some of those bigger surgeries, before we started using the robotic surgery, you would be in the hospital for five days (or more) after that procedure. Now, you can be home in one or two days.…and what most people want is to get out of the hospital and get home.”

Much of the planning that went into BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel was about comfort.

“We really thought about what it feels like to be a patient, and how much most people really don’t like to be in a hospital,” Schulkowski said. “So, we really tried to design it with that perspective in mind, and really make it a comfortable, healing environment.”

That means all of the patient rooms are private, and have integrated Alexa, a voice-controlled virtual assistant that allows you to call your nurse, dim the lights, raise the blinds or the thermostat and other things, with just your voice.

The hospital provides most general surgeries, orthopaedic surgeries, urology and a cath lab to diagnose any heart issues, Schulkowski said.

“We went all out to make sure we had the absolute best technology available for the community,” she added.

While 86 rooms may not seem like a lot, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is expandable. Schulkowski said the option is available to build a second tower directly above the ER if needed. “We can pretty much double everything,” she said.

Also planned is a 20-bed observation unit, which could be built next to the ER on the backside of the hospital, by 2027. “That will allow us to cohort what we call observation patients, patients that come in and maybe have chest pain, and we need to run a couple tests and see is it a heart problem? Or is it just really bad heartburn?,” Schulkowski said. “While you’re waiting for those tests, you don’t need to be up in the hospital, you’re just waiting on getting some test results. We’re gonna keep you comfortable, get those test results and then, hopefully, send you on your way.”

It was ten years ago that AdventHealth (then Florida Hospital) Wesley Chapel opened its doors, giving the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa areas newer (and closer) options for care. And, next up is Orlando Hospital Wesley Chapel, a 300-bed facility under construction on S.R. 56.

The nonprofit company that is opening BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel understands that there are options. Schulkowski said her staff is ready to meet the challenge. In fact, one of her pet projects was the sculpture out front — five ribbons coming together. Each ribbon has one of the five BayCare values engraved on it: Trust, Respect, Responsibility, Excellence and Dignity.

“I wanted the very first thing that our community saw when they came onto campus (were) the BayCare values, because that’s what we bring to this community,” Schulkowski said.

For more information, visit BayCare.org.

BayCare hospital Wesley Chapel

Citrus Grove Lutheran Church Wants To Help You Grow, Too!

When Pastor Phil Hunter chose Citrus Grove Lutheran Church as the name for his new congregation in Wesley Chapel, he took inspiration from Florida’s most famous produce, saying that it reminds him of people’s lives.

“It’s a nod to the development in Florida and that people are now growing where the oranges used to be,” Pastor Hunter says. “But, also, that there’s not just one tree by itself (in a grove). At Citrus Grove Church, you have other people supporting you and growing with you. You’re not alone.”

Pastor Hunter and his wife Andrea moved to Wesley Chapel from Wisconsin in mid-2020 with two kids, who are now ages five and three.

They have since also become foster parents and are now raising five kids ages five and younger.

Pastor Hunter says when he saw the opportunity to be a missionary pastor to start a new church in Pasco County, he thought it sounded like fun.

“It was snowing in May 2020 on the last Sunday I preached at my old church in Wisconsin,” he says.

Prior to coming to Wesley Chapel, Pastor Hunter served as pastor at Bethel Church in Menasha, a bilingual English/Spanish church where he taught, preached and counseled people in both languages.

He says the church here in Wesley Chapel is all English, but he is willing to serve neighbors who speak Spanish, and that a Spanish service could be a way Citrus Grove might grow in the future.

*Pastor Hunter says Citrus Grove Lutheran Church, which opened in December 2021, is continuing to grow and is open to everyone.*

Citrus Grove is a mission congregation of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) network of churches. It started because a congregation in Zephyrhills was getting smaller and closed its doors, and requested that a new church from the nationwide organization be formed in the Wesley Chapel area.

Although WELS originally started in Wisconsin and remains headquartered there, there are now 1,300 member churches across North America, including nine in the Tampa Bay area.

Pastor Hunter comes from a line of pastors, including his dad. He knew he wanted to follow in those footsteps, so attended Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, and earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 2011. He then attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary outside of Milwaukee to earn his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in 2015. During that time, he spent a year working at a church in suburban Atlanta.

“Being part of a larger church body is a long-term partnership,” he explains. “Some new churches have to grow very fast, but we have a church body that sustains us and supports us over the long haul. We don’t need a ‘gimmick. (We) can build more realistically.”

Visiting Citrus Grove

“We’re here to help people in Wesley Chapel have healthier hearts and more fruitful lives,” Pastor Hunter explains. “We sing hymns, have hymnals and Bibles in our church, teach from a section of the Bible every week, and emphasize people learning the Bible for themselves and using it as a guide for their lives.”

The church started gathering as a small group in the fall of 2020 and opened its doors publicly in December 2021, meeting at Pinecrest Academy on S.R. 54.

Pastor Hunter says the best way to learn about the church is to show up any Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.

“We meet inside the cafeteria,” he says. “It’s not fancy and there are no bells or whistles, but we meet you in the parking lot and our members will walk you in. Your kids can join my kids in the Kids Zone.”

The church is participating in events and doing outreach to let people know they are here to serve the community.

“We’re meeting our neighbors, bringing lunch to offices, bringing our volunteers to events — especially those that support worthy causes, being a presence at different events around town,” Pastor Hunter explains. “We can also donate supplies and send a financial gift to agencies in our area that are doing a great job, and encourage people with notes, cards and prayers.”

For example, he says, the Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Rd. recently needed breakfast food for an event for underprivileged kids and their parents, so Citrus Grove Church members cooked and delivered breakfast, as a way to let the community know they care.

He says he recognizes that Wesley Chapel is known for being a beautiful place to live with lots to do.

“All the shopping, dining and entertainment can be fine, but it can also wear a heart down with guilt, debt, and insecurity,” he says. “It can cause people to look around and say, ‘I have everything I could want, but I’m angry, lonely, or jealous. What am I missing here?’”

He says people don’t need more entertainment. They need to look deeper.

“My encouragement to (Neighborhood News) readers,” he says, “is to not put off thinking about the biggest questions of life. Have those big conversations with your kids and your spouse about our purpose in life and what happens after this life. I’m here to encourage you to find answers to those big questions.”

Elaine Miller and her husband, Ralph, are members at Citrus Grove Church who want to grow and serve alongside others in Wesley Chapel.

“We had been involved in a mission congregation that our son and daughter attended in Minnesota,” Elaine says. “We watched it grow from meeting in a cafeteria to meeting in a strip mall, to now they have their own building.”

The Millers retired to Florida from Minnesota, and say they love living in Wesley Chapel.

“People in Florida seem so much happier, and we love the sunshine.”

Elaine also says she likes that her church is relaxed and comfortable, and that the people are friendly and welcoming. “If you need anything, people are willing to help out. It’s like a family.”

She adds that the world around us can feel very uncertain and like it’s constantly changing.

“Covid kind of turned us upside down, too,” Elaine says. “But, the church provides a constancy because God is constant. There’s a sense of peace (here) that I think a lot of people are looking for.”

Citrus Grove Lutheran Church meets Sundays at 9:30 a.m. inside Pinecrest Academy, located at 33347 S.R. 54, near New River Rd. in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit CitrusGroveChurch.com, or call or text Pastor Hunter at (813) 788-4126.

Citrus Grove Church

For Tax Help & Much More, Trust Murtha & Murtha

As tax season heads into full swing, Patrick Murtha, the managing partner of the accounting firm of Murtha & Murtha, LLC, says that even if you’ve always done your taxes yourself, now is the time to reconsider.

“It’s a tough landscape this year,” Murtha says, “and there has never been a more important time to work with a tax professional who really knows what they’re doing and can find deductions and credits that you’ll never identify if you’re just using software to file your taxes — especially if you are self-employed or any kind of small business owner.”

Patrick, his father Tom, and Kyle Flischel run Murtha & Murtha in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56 (near Sam’s Club) in Wesley Chapel. All three are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Patrick and Kyle are managing partners, while Tom serves as senior partner for the firm, which handles accounting, bookkeeping, taxes, mergers and acquisitions and related services for its clients.

Together, the trio has more than 60 years of combined experience. Their expertise stretches well beyond tax season, but it is the busiest time of year for any accounting firm.

“We’re anticipating that this year will be a pretty harsh turn back to reality from the last couple of years,” Patrick explains.

After two years of generous credits from the federal government because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Patrick says it’s all coming to a halt for the 2022 tax year.

While all the changes may cause confusion — and people may not get as large a refund as they are used to, or may end up owing money — Murtha & Murtha promises that if you have the firm prepare your taxes, you will always at least understand the issues and exactly why you owe what you owe.

Patrick says communication has always been the top priority at Murtha & Murtha.

“A lot of clients who come to us from another practice say they liked who they were working with, but that they didn’t return calls or answer emails,” he says. “So, our primary goal is to communicate well with our clients.”

And, he says, while some tax firms have a strategy where CPAs meet with clients face-to-face but hire temporary seasonal employees who do the actual paperwork but never communicate with the client, that’s not how Murtha & Murtha does things.

“Whoever you meet with is who is going to actually be doing your tax return,” he explains, whether that’s one of the firm’s three partners, or one of two long-term employees who are taking on their own clients this year.

Those two employees are Kaitlyn Kociba and Kaitlyn Little, who have both been part of the Murtha & Murtha team for the past several years and have finished the education and experience requirements on the track to becoming CPAs.

Of course, they won’t be studying for the CPA exam during tax season, but fully expect to take the exam and be accredited as CPAs sometime in the near future. Meanwhile, they have been carefully trained and have the expertise to manage tax returns to the high standards Murtha & Murtha expects.

Other Services

Although tax season is Murtha & Murtha’s busiest time of year, it’s just part of the services the firm provides.

Patrick says Murtha & Murtha’s “CFO retainer package” continues to attract new clients. With this package, the firm helps businesses and people who are self-employed do monthly accounting and bookkeeping, but also helps with budgeting, and provides an expert for advice when clients have questions about tax planning, mitigating tax bills, or about offering health insurance or retirement plans, for example.

Patrick understands that most business owners are too busy worrying about their primary business to really step back and look at the big picture, so Murtha & Murtha provides its clients with an extra layer of financial planning and analysis for their businesses.

Kurt Dimeler of Tampa Bay Pest Management is a client who says he appreciates what the CFO retainer package has done for him and his business. “Basically, they run everything for me, from budgeting to forecasting, and just keep me updated every couple of weeks, so it’s easy-peasy,” Kurt says. “It frees me up to really focus on what I’m best at.”

He says he used to have to do his own payroll and budget and figure out if financial transactions have any tax liability or benefit, but now, Kyle and Patrick handle that for him.

“It takes so much weight off my shoulders,” he says. “Kyle and Patrick and their staff are just fantastic to work with, and I would recommend them to anybody.”

As of January 1, Murtha & Murtha doubled the size of its Wesley Chapel office, which now occupies a full building in the Seven Oaks Professional Park.

“We’ve expanded and added five offices,” Patrick says, adding that, for the time being, because they don’t quite need that much space for themselves, they have hand-picked a couple of professionals to share offices that also will benefit their clients.

“Starting February 1, we’re sharing space with an estate planning attorney and a financial advisor,” he explains. “These are people we know well and trust, so if a client tells us they need to get their will put together or need a financial advisor to plan for retirement, I can walk them over to the office and know they’ll be in good hands.”

Tom Murtha, CPA, earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981. He has been doing mergers, acquisitions and business valuations since the 1990s.

Patrick, who grew up around tax codes at his father’s business, graduated from the University of South Florida in 2009 with B.S. degrees in both Finance and Accounting. He joined his father in opening a firm in Tampa in 2010, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

Meanwhile, Kyle Flischel, CPA, is practically family, having gone to school with Patrick at USF.

The firm operates a second office in Zephyrhills, as well, located at 5315 8th Ave., and known as Henson & Murtha.

Murtha & Murtha, LLC, is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101. For more information, visit TampaTaxFirm.com or see the ad on pg. 35. Or, to schedule a free consultation, call (813) 991-1120.