Neighborhood Nibbles and Business Bytes

Capital Tacos Opens, Kinda

Capital Tacos, the hugely popular local eatery with an original location at 6765 Land O’Lakes Blvd. (U.S. 41) in Land O’Lakes, has opened its second restaurant in the former location of Café Fresco at 27209 SR 56, in the plaza next to Sports + Field.

As the budding business transitions to having two locations, the hours of the SR 56 location are currently from 2-8 p.m. Friday through Sunday until further notice. You can follow facebook.com/CapitalTacos for the latest changes in the new location’s schedule.

The Land O’Lakes location is always packed, even at night, and the buzz on the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page is that most of the local community is ready to embrace Capital Tacos’ affordable, tasty fare.

For more information, visit CapitalTacos.com or call 973-3777.— GN

Russell’s Western Wear Coming to S.R. 54

If you’ve been looking for a place to stock up on all of your favorite western gear close to home, look no further than the former RaceTrac convenience store located just east of I-75 on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, which will become the fifth Florida location of Russell’s Western Wear.

Russell’s, a one-stop shop for cowboy boots, hats, jeans and apparel with stores in Ocala, Lakeland, Dover and on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood, is expected to be open before the holidays, says marketing manager Chloe Gray. “We don’t have a specific date yet because we’re still working through the permitting and construction process,” Gray explains.

She says that a Wesley Chapel store made sense to reach the customers in between the Ocala store and the regional headquarters in Tampa.— MW & GN

Florida Orthopaedic Inst. Coming To Shoppes Of WC

Although the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel (on Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) doesn’t yet have a restaurant tenant to fill the former D’Alessio Restaurant location, Shoppes leasing agent Barry Jackson of Momenta Real Estate says that the Florida Orthopaedic Institute has leased the remaining 6,000 sq. ft. of space (everything not already leased by Samantha Taylor’s Pure Health Fitness Studio) on the second floor of the plaza.

“It’s official, and we’re really excited,” says Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s director of marketing Donna Bossuyt. “We plan to open sometime in December.”

The Shoppes of Wesley Chapel office will be the 10th location for the medical group and will feature state-of-the-art X-ray technology, physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment, as well as at least three sub-specialty surgeons. Surgeries will not be conducted at the new location.

For more information, please visit FloridaOrtho.com.

Señor T’s Taking Over  Macaroni Grill Location

The long-vacant former New Tampa Macaroni Grill, located on BBD, in front of the also-vacant former Sweetbay Supermarket has not been occupied for more than a year, but that’s about to change, as Señor T’s Mexican Restaurant is getting ready to move in.

A Señor T’s spokesperson says the new Mexican eatery will be the first link in a small, planned start-up chain of about seven locations, with a second location rumored to be moving into the former Macaroni Grill location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood. While the inside of the restaurant still is being renovated at our press time, Señor T’s plans to open on November 15. Once open, the restaurant will feature indoor and outdoor seating, a full premium liquor bar and mid-priced Mexican fare. — MW & GN

VIP Elite Barbershop’s Community VIP Event

If you’re looking for a great haircut at a great price, I can personally recommend VIP Elite Barbershop (20309 BBD, next to Bruster’s Ice Cream), even though I’ve never personally had a “fade” or any other razor cut before.

I took part in VIP’s “Community VIP” event on October 14, when men’s and kids’ haircuts were just $10, and you could even get the VIP Elite logo design in your cut (photo below; although I chose to not have that done) at no extra charge.

“We had some guys get Tampa Bay Lightning bolts, too,” says VIP co-owner Joanne Rivera, whose husband and Master Barber Omar cut my hair. “We had free food and beverages, provided by a number of sponsors. It was just one of our ways of giving back to this community we love.”

VIP is open seven days a week, but you can get the same, outstanding haircut I got from Omar — or any of VIP’s well-trained barbers — for just $10 on any “Ten Dollar Tuesday.” You also can get $5 off any haircut or hot shave with the coupon from the VIP Elite ad on page 34 of this issue.

Walk-ins are always welcome at VIP, or you can make appointments at VIPEliteBarbershop.com or by calling 994-4057. — GN

Tarek’s Cafe & Grill

A new breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant is coming to the Shoppes at Amberly shopping plaza off Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms, in the space we once called the Neighborhood News headquarters.

Tarek Elsayed, who has owned and operated Tarek’s Café & Grill on the University of South Florida (USF)’s Tampa campus for the past 23 years, is set to open a second location, which will take up not only our old offices, but also the former Spices of India market next door, totaling 4,300 sq. ft.

“I’ve been thinking about a second location for years,” Elsayed says. “The opportunity never came. But the location became available.”

Elsayed says the café at The Shops will serve all three meals in 150 seats and will feature an open-kitchen design. The restaurant also will offer vegan options, but will not serve alcohol. Elsayed says he hopes to officially open in early December.

For more information, please visit TareksCafe.com. — MW