After a packed opening day & ribbon cutting last Friday & an even more crowded opening weekend, the Lotte Plaza Market is open every day, with huge varieties of Asian groceries, plus fresh fish, produce & meat departments, home & beauty products & six different food court restaurants!
Look for the full story in the Nov 14 New Tampa & Nov 28 Wesley Chapel issues!
With the large population of Asian people living in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, there’s no doubt that a lot of folks in both of our distribution areas have been excited about the long-awaited opening of the Lotte Plaza Market, the latest link in the largest (with more than a dozen units) chain of Asian supermarkets.
Well, that wait is about to end, as Lotte (located at 17605 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) has not only scheduled its Grand Opening to the public for Friday, November 3, at 9 a.m., yours truly got to walk around — and take pictures of all of the departments — at the nearly-finished store shortly before we went to press with this issue. And, even though I’m not Korean or of Asian descent, I am truly excited about this 49,000-sq.-ft. former (and long-vacant) Sweetbay (and Kash N Karry before that) store, which is much more than just another supermarket.
Yes, there are massive bags of rice, a huge variety of Ramen noodles and many other Asian staples. But, the thing that got me most excited, as you might expect, is that our Lotte will have at least five different options in it sizable food court (called Eatery Sijang), all of which are serving different Korean cuisine, although there also is a renowned South Korea-owned French bakery chain, called Tous Les Jours. The other food court options, which are sure to be packed every day, include Luna Tea, BB.Q Chicken, SGD So Gong Dong Tofu & BBQ and JAWS Topokki.
Check the pics on this page for not only under-construction food court pics, but of the fresh seafood, butcher shop, grocery and Lotte’s unique gifts and housewares. For more info, visit LottePlaza.com. — GN
As the owner of a hyperlocal business that will celebrate its 30th anniversary in February of next year, I have seen a lot of businesses come and go over the years and celebrated many anniversaries with dozens of those businesses.
One of the companies I feel particularly close to is the Spinner Law Firm, headed by Charles S. (“Charlie”) Spinner, Esq., which celebrated its 20th anniversary of serving the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel communities on Oct. 5.
In addition to a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting, the event included a proclamation given to Spinner by Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy, a short video created by Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel president (and local videographer) David Alvarez, a red carpet for Charlie and his staff, an appearance by a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office K9 therapy dog, free drinks and a huge crudité table…and something that hit a lot closer to home for yours truly.
Charlie talked about meeting his first employee, office administrator Vicki Portfolio, when both were walking their dogs in a park in early 2003. Vicki was in charge of the “Beer School” at the Busch Gardens Hospitality House at the time. Charlie was working for an insurance defense firm in downtown Tampa and told Vicki he was considering branching out on his own one day. Vicki told him that when he did start his own firm, “I want you to hire me as your legal assistant.”
“OK, what are your qualifications?,” Charlie replied.
“I don’t have any. I teach Beer School.”
But, when Charlie did start his firm in New Tampa, where he lived with his then-wife-to-be Carrie, he immediately took out his first ad in the Neighborhood News and, “The first call I got from that ad was from Vicki, asking me ‘When do I start?’ The rest is history.”
Jannah and I were among at least 100 people in attendance at the 20th anniversary event, so I got to hear that story, for the first time, in person, and I acknowledged that not only had Charlie been advertising continuously with us ever since, he definitely “helped send (my) kids to college,” as he quipped during his short speech.
Charlie thanked every member of his now-much-larger staff, as well as Carrie and the couple’s five kids, the Chamber and the local community.
Hope said that the Chamber was on hand when Charlie cut the ribbon at his new Wesley Chapel office five years ago, but noted that, “We wanted to do something better, something more deserving, to celebrate your 20 years of service to the community.”
The proclamation read that “Through the years, Spinner Law Firm has been committed to unwavering dedication and perseverance, making it a true pillar of our community…We commend Spinner Law Firm for this outstanding achievement, exceptional leadership and continuous growth.”
Spinner then thanked every member of his outstanding staff, including community outreach director Jennie Yingling, who organized the event. He went on to thank Carrie and all of his children before watching Alvarez’s video on one of fellow Rotarian Troy Stevenson’s mobile billboard trucks.
“When I created Spinner Law Firm, I wanted to make a real connection with my clients, and with the community,” Charlie said during the video. That was followed by a number of clients and organizations who said the firm had helped them, all giving testimonials, including coaches from both Wiregrass Ranch and Cypress Creek high schools and Lisa Michaelangelo from the Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center, all of whom thanked Charlie and his firm for helping them.
Eight days after the 20th anniversary party, the Spinner Law Firm hosted the Spinner 20th Anniversary Pickleball Tournament at the Land O’Lakes Recreation Center.
Although I wasn’t in attendance at the tournament, and had not yet received a recap of who played and won the various awards, I do know that Charlie and his brother John, as well as Spinner Law Firm attorney Patrick Barnes all played in the tournament and, according to our photographer Charmaine George, a great time was clearly had by all.
The Spinner Law Firm, located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr., in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, specializes in family estate planning and personal injury law. For more information, call (813) 991-5115, visit SpinnerLawFirm.com.
It’s been a long journey, but this is your last chance to enter this year’s Reader Dining Survey & Contest for a chance to win $100, $60 or $35 in FREE dining to the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area.
Even if you have already entered before, you can still enter and win free dining by also telling us your Favorite Mexican Restaurant in (or near) New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.
Each time you answer a different Dining Survey question, you’ll receive an additional chance to win one of our FREE dining prizes — to the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area! You all love free dining, right?
Enter by clicking HERE or email the entry form to Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. Even if you already answered any previous questions, you can still enter again by clicking HERE!
Note — Please don’t forget that we include restaurants (and bars) located in Lutz (either on Wesley Chapel Blvd., S.R. 56 or S.R. 54, within two miles of I-75) as Wesley Chapel eateries; and those located in the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. and the Oak Ramble Plaza on BBD Blvd. (both are located in zip code 33613) as acceptable places to vote for in New Tampa.
Remember, whether you enter by mail, email or on our website, there is never any purchase necessary to enter and win, but we do need your first AND last name, the community you live in, your daytime telephone number and a valid email address to be eligible to win any of our FREE dining prizes — and please enter all of your Survey entries by no later than November 16 to be eligible to win prizes! All winners will be announced in our December issues!
If you haven’t yet, but still want to answer any of our other dining questions click on the titles below. Good luck! — GN
Five Favorite Restaurants in Wesley Chapel
Five Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa
We are giving you another chance to win a FREE dining prize of $100, $60 or $35!
Even if you have already entered before, you can still enter and win free dining by also telling us your Favorite Breakfast Place in (or near) New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.
Each time you answer a different Dining Survey question, you’ll receive an additional chance to win one of our FREE dining prizes — to the restaurant of your choice located anywhere in the Tampa Bay area! You all love free dining, right?
Enter by clicking HERE or email the entry form to Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. Even if you already answered any previous questions, you can still enter again by clicking HERE!
Note — Please don’t forget that we include restaurants (and bars) located in Lutz (either on Wesley Chapel Blvd., S.R. 56 or S.R. 54, within two miles of I-75) as Wesley Chapel eateries; and those located in the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. and the Oak Ramble Plaza on BBD Blvd. (both are located in zip code 33613) as acceptable places to vote for in New Tampa.
Remember, whether you enter by mail, email or on our website, there is never any purchase necessary to enter and win, but we do need your first AND last name, the community you live in, your daytime telephone number and a valid email address to be eligible to win any of our FREE dining prizes — and please enter all of your Survey entries by no later than November 16 to be eligible to win prizes! All winners will be announced in our December issues!