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 

2 & 2 Restaurant — The ‘2 Minute’ Zephyrhills Tradition Expands To Wesley Chapel! 

(Below left) Owner Kruth (Kurt) Sombutmai thanks everyone for attending the Grand Opening & ribbon-cutting ceremony (above) for the 2&2 Restaurant he owns with his wife, Suzie (also holding scissors) on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Unlike most of his already-large contingent of regular customers — many of whom attended the Grand Opening and Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting event on Dec. 12 — I first met owner Kruth (Kurt) Sombutmai and his beloved wife of 48 years, Sa-Ang (Suzie) a few weeks ago, as they were getting ready to open their 2&2 Restaurant on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, less than a mile west of Morris Bridge Rd./Eiland Blvd. 

Even so, it’s hard not to love this couple, who have been serving down-home food to the Zephyrhills community for 35 years and are now hoping to attract a lot of new customers in Wesley Chapel. 

The ribbon-cutting event wasn’t your usual show-up-stay-for-a-bit-&-go-home affair. Most of the people in attendance, many of whom were, like Kurt, military veterans, stayed for at least a couple of hours to be regaled by stories of how Kurt moved from California, purchased the Hills Grocery on the Zephyrhills side of the corner of Morris Bridge Rd. and S.R. 54 and became one of that community’s best-known restaurateurs. Sure, they also hung around for the delicious free food buffet that followed the ceremony, but there wasn’t a single long-time customer of Kurt and Suzie’s who didn’t have a story they wanted to share about them. The event was indeed a beautiful tribute. 

In addition to the Chamber folks, Zephyrhills Mayor Charlie Procter and former Pasco Clerk of the Court & Comptroller Paula O’Neil were in attendance for the ceremony and Paula said that Kurt and Suzie are among her best friends. 

“Paula first announced she was running for the Clerk’s office at my restaurant,” Kurt recalled. “She visited me in the hospital when I got sick a few years ago, too.” 

Kurt, Paula O’Neil & Suzie at the Grand Opening. 

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering where the name “2 & 2” came from. It’s basically a tribute to Kurt’s original restaurant, which often had lines wrapped around it for Kurt’s $1.99 “Eye Opener” breakfast and “all you can eat” fried fish special on Fridays. Whenever anyone asked Kurt how long the wait would be, he’d always hold up two fingers and say, “Two minutes!” The saying became so popular that when Kurt sold his Hills Grocery coffee shop to CVS and opened his location on U.S. Hwy. 301 in Zephyrhills, he called the new restaurant “2 Minutes,” and he decided to call the new place “2 & 2,” meaning that he now has two restaurants with two-minute waits. 

The 2 Minutes restaurant, as well as Kurt and Suzie’s Best Thai & Sushi on S.R. 54 in Zephyrhills, are both still open, too. 

Whether you visit 2 & 2 Restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, not only are you likely to be greeted by Kurt, you’re also guaranteed to see Kurt’s tribute to his idol, the late, great “Duke” himself, John Wayne. You’ll also find homestyle cooking and always fair prices. 

So, What About The Food? 
The Grand Opening included a delicious buffet of free food, although our editor prefers 2&2’s bacon, ham & cheese omelet with crispy hash browns (below right) & garlic pork chops (below left). 

In the few short weeks since 2 & 2 opened, I’ve been able to sample quite a bit of the menu, especially for breakfast because, unlike some other diners, where the full menu is served all day, you can only get breakfast at breakfast time and lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. 

My favorite breakfast item so far is the cheese omelet, which I got with large chunks of grilled ham and thick slices of crispy bacon inside. And, if you order the hash browns (there’s also home fries and grits and sausage links or patties available as sides) extra crispy, like I do, they really do come out super-crispy. So good. 

I also sampled Charmaine’s pancakes when she ordered the Kurtski Breakfast, which you basically could call the “Kitchen Sink,” because it comes with 2 eggs, 2 pancakes or two French toast slices, 3 pieces of bacon and 3 sausage, hash browns or home fries or grits, plus toast AND refillable coffee, all for just $12.99! The pancakes were light and fluffy and even though they’re not on the menu with blueberries, the kitchen added fresh blueberries at Charmaine’s request and all I can say is that it should become part of the menu! 

There also are veggie and western skillets (the western has ham, green peppers & onions with cheese, hash browns or home fries and egg on top). 

For lunch and dinner, appetizers include everything from bacon-wrapped shrimp smothered in honey BBQ sauce and battered gator bites to soft pretzel bites and Philly egg rolls served with beer cheese. Sandwich options include battered or grilled “2 Mins Fish,” a double decker turkey, ham and roast beef club and “Suzie Spicy” chicken sandwich with melted cheddar, tortilla strips, avocado and sriracha mayo. There’s also a fresh salad bar. 

I can vouch for the 1/4-lb. Kurtski burger and you can sub a short rib, brisket and chuck patty for only $1 more. Tasty fries, too. My favorite lunch/ dinner entrĂ©e so far is the grilled garlic pork chops, served with mashed potatoes (you also can choose baked potato or fries), plus your choice of soup or salad, ice cream and a soft drink, all for just $14.99. I plan to try the slow-cooked pot roast, breaded veal cutlet and fried chicken dinners on future visits. There’s also seafood dinners (catfish or haddock, coconut shrimp, fried clams or grilled salmon) for just $15.99. And yes, the All You Can Eat fish fry is available on Fridays only, for just $13.99! 

For info about 2 & 2 Restaurant (33835 S.R. 54), call (813) 355-4829, visit 2and2Restaurant.com or see the ad below. — GN

The New Steak N Shake Opens On Wesley Chapel Blvd. With A Ribbon-Cutting! 

Of course, the new Wesley Chapel Steak N Shake sells those famous bacon & cheese double steakburgers with fries, (below left) hand-spun vanilla & strawberry shakes (with or without mix-ins) and (below right)Frisco Melts with classic onion rings. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Although New Tampa’s Steak N Shake was one of the first fast food restaurants to open in zip code 33647, the long-awaited Wesley Chapel Steak N Shake — located at 5542 Post Oak Blvd., off Wesley Chapel Blvd. (S.R. 54) — is finally open following an official ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 7 (see photo below). 

Owner Todd Webb and general manager Jason Good and their happy crew are now welcoming the community to Wesley Chapel’s first-ever Steak N Shake and to enjoy those famous “Steakburgers” and hand-spun milkshakes and more in the location’s all-new design, which is a much more modern look than what we have in New Tampa. The old soda fountain/diner-style bar stools are gone and in their place is a more convenient kiosk ordering and pick-up system. But yes, there is a still a drive-through window for customers who are on the go. 

The Neighborhood News was on hand for the new Steak N Shake’s VIP “Friends & Family” event on Oct. 5, as well as at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but one thing is for certain — long-time fans of this 90-year-old chain with more than 450 locations in the U.S. and Europe will not be disappointed. Todd also promises the new Steak N Shake will host some great family events and will feature some cross-promotions with his The Palms Car Wash next door. He will likely keep you posted about these special events in ads in these pages. 

For more information and a 20% bonus when you buy a Steak N Shake gift card at the new location, see the ad below. 

Business Briefs — Rise Dispensary, FiCare & Laceleaf Med Spa Cut Chamber Ribbons! 

Despite the fact that it’s been a long, hot summer, the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC) stayed busy with several ribbon-cutting events in Wesley Chapel. 

The first (which we didn’t have room to write about in our July 23 issue) was held in June at Rise Dispensary (top photo), the second medical marijuana dispensary to open in Wesley Chapel. 

Located at 28053 Wesley Chapel Blvd. (in the former Russell’s Western Wear building), Rise (which has nearly 100 dispensaries in 14 U.S. states, including 18 in Florida) sells “flower,” edibles, vape cartridges and live resin in Indica, Sativa and Hybrid strains (and some CBD, too) for those ages 21 and older with valid medical cannabis cards and offers both in-store pickup and delivery. 

For more information about Rise Dispensary, visit RiseCannabis.com or call (813) 612-6120. 

Next up was the July 10 NTBC ribbon-cutting event at the new Wesley Chapel branch of FiCare Federal Credit Union, located at 26444 Silver Maple Pkwy. 

As explained by president and CEO Denelle Miller (with microphone in the left photo), FiCare started as the credit union for employees of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa 60 years ago. But today, FiCare also has branches serving health care professionals in Lutz, Clearwater and Gainesville, with standalone ATMs in hospitals in Dunedin, Clearwater, Bartow, Riverview, St. Petersburg and Safety Harbor. The credit union’s “Contact Center” for all of its branches is now at the Wesley Chapel location. 

“FiCare exists to serve our members,” Denelle said. “We are the credit union tailor-made for healthcare professionals nationwide. We serve you with complete financial services, competitive rates, and personal care extending beyond your financial health.” 

For more information about FiCare FCU, visit FiCareFCU.org or call (813) 600-5920. 

And, last but not least, was the NTBC ribbon-cutting at the beautiful new Laceleaf Med Spa on July 11. Owner Lisa Rezvan (photo right) and her staff (below) showed attendees how they can “Enhance (their) natural beauty” with aesthetic services like microdermabrasion and others that get rid of age spots and spider veins; a variety of injectables (BotoxÂź, DysportÂź, JuvĂ©dermÂź and RestylaneÂź); laser pigment removal, skin resurfacing and skin tightening; regenerative medicine such as peptide therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and vitamin B12 injections; and skin treatments such as chemical peels, hydrafacials, RF microneedling and treatments for acne scars and sun damage. 

For more information about Laceleaf Med Spa, which is located behind (but in the same building as) the new Moe’s Southwest Grill (at 5490 Post Oak Blvd.), call (813) 705- 7277 or visit LaceleafMedSpa.com. 

PHSC Porter’s Campus Adds Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute 

The ribbon at the new Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute was cut by (l.-r., all holding scissors) PHSC Trustee & BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel president Becky Schulkowski, State Rep. Randy Maggard & Dr. Jesse Pisors. 

I was proud to attend the Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute’s Grand Opening and ribbon cutting on July 17 at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (where the Institute will be housed), where the room selected was so crowded (with probably in excess of 100 people in attendance) that I couldn’t get close enough to sit down and take notes (or record the proceedings). My story in the August 6 Wesley Chapel issue is therefore drastically different from what you’re reading, as I didn’t receive the video of the actual proceedings until after that Wesley Chapel issue went to press. 

At any rate, PHSC received $1.5 million in state appropriations in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ most recent state budget to fund the establishment of the new Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute and the event on July 17 brought together local healthcare leaders, community stakeholders and PHSC staff and faculty to celebrate the establishment of the Institute. 

Among those who spoke at the Grand Opening of the Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch on July 17 were (below right) PHSC President Dr. Jesse Pisors, (below left) State Senator Danny Burgess (who appeared via Zoom) and (above) Dr. Lisa Richardson, PHSC’s VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships. 

According to Lisa Richardson, Ed.D., PHSC’s VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, this innovative and collaborative institute will address the well-documented allied healthcare and nursing shortage in the state of Florida and can be used as a model nationwide. 

“We are committed to building strong relationships, driving innovation and making a positive impact on the lives of those we serve,” Richardson said. 

Through a multi-pronged, comprehensive and collaborative approach, the institute will increase nursing and allied health pipelines on both sides of the equation — increasing the talent pipeline for faculty as well as for future nursing and allied health employees. 

Andrea Brvenik, PHSC’s General Counsel and VP of Government Relations, said that, “There really was a lack of harmony in trying to address our workforce issues. Synergy is what we hope to achieve with this Institute, with the idea of bringing funding to a problem that is needed. We do get state funding to buy equipment, but we don’t get state funding to truly address the workforce issues. But, this whole thing started to come together when (District 54) State Representative Randy Maggard called to ask me, ‘What are the things we can do here?’ And then, this whole thing started to come together.” 

Rep. Maggard said he was proud to get the ball rolling for the state appropriation for the new Nursing Institute at PHSC. 

“Well-trained nurses and medical staff are needed over the next several decades not only for our community, but for our entire state,” said Rep. Maggard. “I was honored to sponsor this funding request for my Alma Mater, so that we can ensure our best and brightest have the opportunity to study nursing right here in our community. Through this program, these future nurses and medical professionals will have the tools they need to prevent a crisis level nursing shortage in the future.” 

Rep. Maggard also noted that, “It’s no secret that this area is becoming the medical hub of the state. We have doctors calling us from Europe and Asia wanting to come here.” He added that he and District 20 State Senator Danny Burgess, who appeared at the meeting via Zoom, are committed to trying to get additional funding for the new Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute in next year’s budget, too. 

“We both asked, ‘What’s our next step to keep this growing and growing?,’” Maggard said. 

The Institute will be housed at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel. The first step in establishing the new institute will be to develop a strategic plan. 

“This isn’t going to be a new building,” PHSC President Jesse Pisors, Ed.D., said. “This is an effort to solve a problem. [This nursing shortage] is one of the major workforce problems our entire nation is facing and in the Tampa Bay area, with our growing and aging population, it is particularly acute.” 

Pisors pointed to PHSC’s 47-year history of adding nurses to the workforce — including more than 160 last year alone — “In fact,” he said, “NursingProgress.org listed PHSC as the best on-line and in-person LPN (Licensed Practical Nursing) program in the state of Florida, but the shortage has still grown, so we still need to do more.” 

He added, “Higher education institutions, including PHSC, desperately seek highly qualified faculty, and institutions of health services struggle with significant gaps in nursing and allied health employees. The circumstance is amplified because improved retention and development strategies are critically needed, and without a plan in place, a real threat exists in the health care system. The Nursing and Allied Health Advancement Institute will provide these plans and focus on solutions in collaboration with significant stakeholders.” 

Pisors also noted that the state budget was tight at the State level his year, “So I am grateful to Governor DeSantis for preserving this particular initiative. This wasn’t an easy year for him to do that, but I think this [allocation] is indicative of his commitment to workforce in the health care industry.” 

In addition to Dr. Pisors, Rep. Maggard, Dr. Richardson and Brvenik, other speakers at the event included PHSC Trustee Becky Schulkowski and Billie Gabbard, Ed.D., the Dean of Nursing & Allied Health Programs at PHSC. 

“I am here wearing two hats today,” Schulkowski said. “As a Trustee for the Board of PHSC and as a member of the health care community. As the president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, I can tell you that this institute is greatly needed by our community and our entire state. Hiring and retaining qualified nurses and allied health care professionals is a top priority for not only our hospital but for hospitals across our entire state. We simply can not provide the quality of care that our patients deserve without a qualified pool of candidates from which to hire.” 

Schulkowski also noted that since so many nurses and allied health care workers left the workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic, “the industry has been slow to recover. But, through this new institute, we hope to find solutions to facilitate greater engagement among those who may be interested in pursuing a medical career and provide a clear pipeline from education to employment.” 

She added that it is estimated that Florida will need “an additional 59,000 nurses over the next ten years to meet [the state’s] demand. That is why this Institute is such an important need in this community and our state.” 

Meanwhile, Gabbard hailed the establishment of the new Institute as a “major accomplishment. This Institute will further strengthen the symbiotic relationships that already exists between PHSC and our community health care partners. Together, we can move forward and ensure that the health care needs of Pasco and Hernando counties are met. It is an honor to be part of such an innovative endeavor.” 

Among the many dignitaries who attended the Grand Opening event in person was County Commissioner Seth Weightman, whose District 2 includes the Porter Campus. 

The ribbon at the Grand Opening was cut by Schulkowski, Dr. Pisors and Rep. Maggard. 

For more information about the Pasco Hernando State College Nursing & Allied Health Advancement Institute, contact Lisa Richardson, Ed.D., VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, at (727) 816-3404. 

The room for the Grand Opening event was packed to standing room only.Â