These North Tampa Bay Chamber Members Recently Cut Ribbons! 

Photos by Charmaine George

We continue to shine our spotlight on the local businesses who host North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting events — as a no-cost add-on to their Chamber memberships — and this issue is no different. We really hope you’ll tell these businesses that you first read about them in the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News! 

Pinellas Vascular’s Tampa Office 

On April 16, Board-certified vascular surgeon Avianne Bunnell, MD (at right in photo below, with NTBC president/CEO Hope Kennedy), and her staff at their new location (at 3450 E. Fletcher Ave., Ste. 330, Tampa) of Pinellas Vascular, hosted a great party for their Grand Opening, with food, a wine tasting and tours of the new office. 

According to its website, Pinellas Vascular, “provides the most advanced, low-risk treatments available anywhere to help improve your quality of life.” At the ribbon cutting, Dr. Bunnell said, “We are now serving patients with vascular and arterial diseases, diabetic patients…and we also have a wonderful nurse practitioner (Chelsea Hermez, APRN) providing aesthetic services (including cosmetic injections, weight management strategies and vein ablations and sclerotherapy).” 

For more info about Pinellas Vascular, visit PinellasVascular.com or call (813) 771-8346.-GN 

“Just Pull It” At 54 & Collier Pkwy. 

On April 30, periodontist Jeffrey Hameroff, D.D.S. (right), the founder of “Just Pull It,” a unique dental office that specializes in low-cost, same-day tooth extractions, welcomed NTBC members to the ribbon-cutting event celebrating the third anniversary of the Just Pull It location at 1942 Collier Pkwy. in Lutz (across Collier Pkwy. from Pizza Suprema). 

Dr. Hameroff opened the first Just Pull It in Spring Hill in 2018 and today has four Tampa Bay-area locations, including one off U.S. Hwy. 301 in Zephyrhills, with two more offices opening soon. 

“It’s simple,” Dr. Hameroff told the NTBC members in attendance. “No other dental office does what we do — especially for only $250!” 

For more info about the Lutz location, call (813) 738-9490 or visit JustPullIt.dental. 

Clean Freak Car Wash-Overpass Rd. 

And finally, on May 1, regional director of operations Chris Laurella (left) welcomed NTBC members to the new Clean Freak Car Wash at 32359 Overpass Rd., just east of Curley Rd., behind the coming-soon Chick-fil-A. The ribbon-cutting event also included free tasty coffee beverages from Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck. 

Laurella described the differences between Clean Freak — which has 30 locations, mainly in Arizona (Wesley Chapel is the company’s first in Florida) — and other “tunnel” car wash chains. 

“There’s not a lot of water in Arizona,” Laurella told the NTBC members who followed him on a tour of the new Clean Freak (the tunnel wash system was turned off for the tour), “so we do everything we can to reduce our environmental footprint, like our water recycling system and using eco-friendly chemicals. Our tunnels also feature the latest car wash technology.” He even showed the tunnel’s unique soft brushes (below) “that won’t damage your vehicle’s paint job.” 

Clean Freak’s parent company, True Blue Car Wash, LLC, was acquired by the parent company of Circle K. So, your $19.99 monthly membership also earns you discounts on fuel at participating Circle K locations. 

For more info, call (813) 702-0390 or visit CleanFreakCarWash.com. — GN

These North Tampa Bay Chamber Members Recently Cut Ribbons! 

We continue to promote the ribbon-cutting events hosted by members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC). A recent one we attended was for Peak Brain & Body (2404 Creel Ln, #101, Wesley Chapel; below photo) on Mar. 11. 

Peak is the office of Family Nurse Practitioner and Chiropractic Physician Dr. Spencer Zimmerman, who moved with his family to our area from Idaho and is the only dual-licensed nurse practitioner/chiropractor using advanced neurological diagnostics, functional neurology, functional medicine and peptide therapy in Florida. 

For more info, call (813) 437-9630 or visit PeakBrainandBody.com. 

Our photographer Charmaine George also was on hand for the ribbon cutting at Jachimek Chiropractic & Wellness, located at 5111 Ehrlich Rd., Ste. 128, Tampa (Top Photo) on Mar. 20. Chiropractic physician Juliet Marvenko, or Dr. J, cut that Chamber ribbon. 

For more information, call (813) 960-2225 or visit JachimekChiro.com. 

And then, on Mar. 26, Tiny Tots Playtown (photo right & below), located at 24412 S.R. 54 in Lutz (in the Eagle Plaza, behind Brunchies), cut an NTBC ribbon. Owner Lauren Pratt introduced Chamber members to her super-cute, shoe-free (don’t forget to bring your socks) little indoor play center for young kids — which surely will be a welcome respite from Florida’s summer heat and rains, which are fast approaching. 

Tiny Tots can host kids parties and has gift cards and unlimited play opportunities available. 

For more info, call (813) 406-4124 or visit TinyTotsPlaytown.com. — GN 

‘Chamber Chatter’ — Our Editor Is Hope’s First Guest; Plus, Tri-Health Cuts A Ribbon 

If you haven’t yet been to the new North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) office — located at 28329 Paseo Dr., Suite 195, in the same space next to Dillard’s in the Shops at Wiregrass that previously was home to a Pasco Sheriff’s Office substation (and then, the off-site office for the Amberlin at Wiregrass Ranch apartments), you really should go check it out. 

As NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy mentioned when I was her first guest at her new in-office studio for her “Chamber Chatter” podcast last week, “This is the office I always wanted here at the mall. I’m so glad we finally were able to get it!” 

Hope said that it was only fitting that I would be her first guest in the new studio, because of the long-standing symbiotic relationship between the Chamber and the Neighborhood News, especially since Hope first took over the reins at the former Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber 13 or so years ago. 

Not only did I get to tell that story, but also a lot of the history of the only news publication directly mailed to all of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for the last 30 years under the same owner and editor. 

My 30-minute chat with Hope also touched on my obsession with helping local mom-and-pop restaurants succeed in our communities, on my not understanding why we have to have so many chicken places and my decision to host a contest to find our readers’ favorite chicken restaurant. 

Hope also brought up my dismay over the fact that two sisters who live in Wesley Chapel — Scarlett Spongberg and Fallon Fields (above left photo) — didn’t get to win one of 20 drawn-at-random free Raising Cane’s-for-a-year prizes, despite being first in line at the Raising Cane’s Grand Opening. Hope mentioned “the nice story” that local Realtors Chad and April Emory of Emorys Rock Realty split the cost with me of providing that prize for the two young women. 

Check out “Chamber Chatter” at NorthTampaBayChamber.com. To try to be a guest on the show, call the Chamber office at (813) 994-8534. 

Congrats, Tri-Health! 

One of the other things Hope mentioned during the podcast was how much she appreciates us shining the spotlight in print on so many Chamber members who host NTBC ribbon-cutting events at their locations. 

One such event we never published was the ribbon cutting (right) for Tri-Health Primary Care & Women’s Health Services, located at 2253 Green Hedges Way, #101, in the Summergate Prof. Center, which cut a Chamber ribbon on Jan. 30. 

For more info, call (813) 771-6851. — GN 

Viera Interested In County & State Races for 2026!

District 7 Tampa City Council member and New Tampa resident Luis Viera says he hasn’t made a decision yet, but he is looking at either a State House of Representatives or Hillsborough County Commission run in 2026, before his current City Council term expires in March of 2027.

While introducing Viera, who was the guest speaker at North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’ (NTBC)’s monthly Business Breakfast on Feb. 4, NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy mentioned that she had heard Viera might be considering a run for Mayor of Tampa, but Viera said he was more interested in a run for the District 67 State House seat currently occupied by House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, who will reach her term limit with the Nov. 2026 election.

Since that Feb. 4 meeting, Viera says he has been approached by multiple media outlets about his plans going forward. He says he is mulling over the possibility of running not only for Driskell’s Dist. 67 State House seat, but also for one of the County Commission seats up for election in 2026. “I haven’t made a decision yet,” Viera says. “But, once I announce which of those offices I will choose to run for, I will have to give up my City Council seat before my term ends.”

Even though he is a registered Democrat (City of Tampa elections are all nonpartisan), the 47-year-old Viera also discussed his ability to work with other political office holders — including reaching across the political aisle —  in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, as well as with Rep. Driskell, Dist. 20 State Senator Danny Burgess and with Dist. 15 U.S. Congresswoman Laurel Lee.  He also talked about New Tampa’s status as the “Alaska” of the City of Tampa, was well as zip code 33647’s cultural diversity, as well as what he has accomplished in the nine years since first winning election — by 65 votes in the two-candidate Special Election runoff in Nov. 2016 — in his first election over fellow New Tampa resident Dr. Jim Davison.

Look for a full recap of Councilman Viera’s Chamber breakfast chat, and more information about his political plans, in the March 4 New Tampa Neighborhood News Issue #5-25.

3 Natives Cuts A Chamber Ribbon At The Shops At Wiregrass!

Congratulations to local franchise owner/operator Rick Orosco (below left photo), who celebrated the Grand Opening of the 3 Natives Açai & Juicery at 28211 Paseo Dr. (in the Shops at Wiregrass) on Dec. 5 with a North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting event. 

Orosco and his happy staff gave away a number of free samples of his popular açai bowls and fresh fruit smoothies and of course, the always-hungry Neighborhood News crew couldn’t resist ordering a couple of 3 Natives’ pressed wrap sandwiches (like the tasty Hawaiian shown below, center, with grilled chicken breast, spinach, purple cabbage, julienned carrots, pineapple and a zesty ginger dressing) and a full-sized Tequesta Dragon (named for Tequesta, FL, where 3 Natives was founded) açai bowl (below right), with dragon fruit, granola, fresh blueberries, raspberries and strawberries and chi and hemp seeds). We also wolfed down the chicken Caesar and chicken salad wrap sandwiches. 

On previous occasions, I’ve also enjoyed the Thai chicken and Cobb salad bowls and 3 Natives even offers a variety of avocado toast sandwiches, from a Mission Beach bagel with tuna salad and avocado to protein (with hard-boiled egg) and avocado toast on multigrain bread. 

The 3 Natives chain now has 45 locations (including Lakewood Ranch and several in Sarasota) and at least five more coming online soon 

To order online or for more info, visit 3Natives.com. Or, stop in or call (813) 838- 6491 & please tell Rick we sent you! — GN