Nibbles & Bytes

So Much Building In Wesley Chapel!

In the past few weeks alone in Wesley Chapel — New Tampa’s neighbor just north of the Pasco County line — we have seen the opening of Florida Hospital Center Ice, the groundbreaking ceremony for the first Crystal Lagoon to be built in the U.S. and the green light given by Pasco County’s Board of County Commissioners for the 7,800-acre “Connected City”.

A couple of weeks before those big events, the Williams Automotive Group (which also owns Wesley Chapel Toyota, Wesley Chapel Honda and Tampa Honda on N. Florida Ave.) broke ground on its newest dealership — the 60,000-sq.-ft. Lexus of Wesley Chapel, located just south of Wesley Chapel Toyota, adjacent to I-75.

Brothers David and John Williams, honored as the WCCC’s Business Leaders of the Year for 2015, held a private groundbreaking ceremony for the Lexus dealership, which is being built quickly. We hope to have more information about when the dealership is expected to open in time for our next issue.

Very close to the Lexus dealership, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen was hiring its staff at our press time and could be open around the same time this issue reaches your mailbox. We also got word that a second Wesley Chapel Chick-fil-A was being built near the Walgreens on S.R. 54 at BBD. The land next to the pharmacy has been cleared for some time; we’ll let you know when it goes vertical.

Meanwhile, the pace of new businesses popping up is even faster and more furious along S.R. 56 — especially around the Tampa Premium Outlets — than it is on S.R. 54. The first buildings on the north side of 56 across from the outlet mall are getting very close, as Pollo Tropical is nearly as close to opening as is Popeye’s, Ford’s Garage is likely a few weeks behind those two and Panda Express  is at least 1-2 months behind those three.

Further east on S.R. 56, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, next to FHCI, is now taking reservations and another hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, has gone vertical on Silver Maple Pkwy. off 56, next to the TD Bank near Texas Roadhouse.

Nibbles And Bytes

Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen Getting Closer

Although yours truly isn’t a big fan, the Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen being built on S.R. 54, on previously vacant land located directly adjacent to O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill in the Wesley Chapel Village Market, does have a building rising out of the ground and should be completed by sometime in early 2017.

The 44-year-old, New Orleans, LA-based fried chicken chain now has more than 2,000 locations not only nationwide but around the world.

And, with its location right off the S.R. 54 exit of I-75, Popeye’s is likely to enjoy success here in Wesley Chapel, too. We’ll keep you posted as the opening gets closer.

Nibbles and Bytes

Joe Whiskey’s Thriving In Former Skinny’s Location

If you’re a smoker, but you happen to prefer to drink alcohol to beer or wine, you might want to check out the new Joe Whiskey’s Sports Bar, located at 27429 C.R. 54, in the Pinebrook at The Grove shopping plaza, in the same plaza as Best NY Pizza, right next to Cody’s Original Roadhouse.

Yes, like Skinny’s Sports Bar, which previously was in the same location, Joe Whiskey’s is still a smoker-friendly sports bar with pool tables, some electronic video games, karaoke and live entertainment. The difference is that Skinny’s only served beer and wine, while Joe Whiskey’s has a full, premium alcohol bar with very fair prices.

For info, call 973-8336 or stop in noon-2 a.m. and tell them that the Neighborhood News sent you!

Nibbles and Bytes

O’Brien’s Adds Thursday As Second Karaoke Night

Regular readers of these pages know that I really like the food, the drink prices and the staff at O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill in the Wesley Chapel Village Market.

About the only thing I didn’t like about O’Brien’s was the fact that management reduced the number of karaoke nights from two to one by keeping it on Wed. nights but doing away with it on Thur. nights.

Well, thanks to popular demand, karaoke with my buddy Gary Carmichael of Heart & Soul Karaoke is back at O’Brien’s on Thur. nights, too, usually starting no later than 8 p.m.

For more info, call 973-9988 or visit ObriensWesleyChapel.com.

Nibbles & Bytes: Union 72 BBQ Opens In Shops At Wiregrass

union-72-1If you prefer some good, down-home, yet surprisingly upscale barbecue, I definitely suggest a visit to the new Union 72 Barbecue in the Shops at Wiregrass mall.

Union 72 is a chef-inspired barbecue restaurant with a modern and innovative take on sauces, rubs & pairings. According to Union72.com, local restaurateurs Jeff Martin and Bharat Chhabria have at least two things in common. They love barbecue and they’re both impressed by the increasing use of global spices and flavors in American culinary scene. Their idea became a reality when Geoff Zukosky, whose cooking technique and vision resonated with their own. Union 72 was born, with Geoff as the Pitmaster.

I’m not the biggest BBQ guy myself, but like so many have posted on the Wesley Chapel Community website, I really enjoyed the BBQ brisket, collared greens and mac-and-cheese (left) I tried on my first visit and I like the fact that all of Union 72’s smoked meats come without sauce on them.

For more info about Union 72 (28211 Paseo Dr., next to The Brass Tap) or visit Union72.com.