(L.-r.) Reggie, Ryder, Erica & Ryleigh invite you to check out Final Touch Quality Cleaners, which will make sure every inch of your home, apartment, business or Airbnb will be sparkling when they leave. (All photos by Charmaine George)ย
Reggie Wakefield and Erica Poniatowski, the owners of Final Touch Quality Cleaners, have become mine and Jannahโs friends over the course of the last two years, since they took over cleaning our previous apartment and especially, since they have been cleaning our larger, new apartment at the Silversaw Apartments.
Jannah first met both Erica and Reggie at her Business Networking International (BNI) meetings. Erica joined the group and we all hit it off instantly.
Both Erica and Reggie have cleaned our place, but Erica is more focused on her career as a Realtorยฎ with Great Western Realty in Tampa, while Reggie…well, Iโll let him tell you.
โI was cleaning houses and apartments in New York City when I was seven or eight years old, when my mom used to take me and one of my sisters (Brittany) with her. We were both young, so we thought she was just doing favors for our neighbors, but we later found out she had made a business out of it!โ
He adds, โWe were both kind of chunky kids, so we loved cleaning food trucks because they would pay us with free food!,โ he laughs.
And, although Reggie got into the home alarm business when he and Erica graduated from the same high school in southern New Jersey, he says, โIโve just always loved to clean! I get a feeling of satisfaction when I leave someoneโs home or business sparkling.โ
So, when both he and Erica made the decision to move from New Jersey to Florida, after both of them left different alarm companies, it was Reggie who pushed for them to start their own cleaning service in the Sunshine State, especially since Brittany, the sister he used to clean with when they were kids, already owned a successful โsisterโ cleaning company in Norfolk, VA.
The couple ultimately settled in nearby Lutz and Erica became the public face of the new Final Touch Quality Cleaners โ despite Reggieโs winning smile and hard-to-resist personality โ so he could focus on the cleaning side while she ran the business and handled the billing and marketing.
โEven though sheโs great at it, I know that cleaning isnโt Ericaโs thing,โ Reggie says. โWhen Erica said she wanted to get her real estate license, I was happy for her to go for it.โ
In the meantime, Final Touch has continued to grow, with all-5-star reviews on 16 reviews on Google. Customer Jackie P., in a 5-star Google review, says, โIโve used Final Touch Quality Cleaners for everything I have! My home and my business! They do phenomenal work and their detailed approach is very reassuring. They also make our appliances look like new each time they leave and we always have a great smelling house afterwards. 10/10. Will always recommend and use.โ
One thing Iโve noticed when Reggie cleans our apartment is how methodical he is. We havenโt had an actual office for him to clean, but I can imagine how he would be able to expand what he does for us for a much larger space.
Speaking of larger spaces, after Erica and Reggie met Rock & Brews general manager Kareem Nelson at a BNI function at the restaurant a year ago, they immediately were hired to clean it.
โKareem told me they had an in-house cleaning crew they werenโt happy with,โ Reggie says. โI told him โI got youโ and weโve been cleaning it ever since. Iโm sad theyโre closing it, not just because weโre losing a commercial client, but because Kareem has been so great to work with.โ
So, as of now, Reggie says he and Erica are focused on finding another big commercial account to replace Rock & Brews.
โWe have a crew and we all work the commercial accounts together to get it done โ not just fast, but right!,โ he says. โWeโll always make sure your office, restaurant or other place of business always looks as good as your home when we finish cleaning.โ Reggie and Erica also are happy to clean your Airbnb, and provide move-in, move-out and post-construction cleans, too.
Final Touch also is looking to hire additional cleaners after an amazing occurrence with part of their crew. โWe had a couple working for us but they recently won a million dollars on a scratch-off ticket!,โ Reggie says. โAt first, they said they would keep on working…after all, a million dollars isnโt worth as much today as it once was… but they ended up leaving anyway.โ
Erica and Reggie have a daughter named Ryleigh and a son named Ryder and you can see how much they love their little family.
โWeโve got to make it work for them,โ Reggie says, โand I have no doubt we will.โ
New clients who mention this storywill receive 10% off their first clean with Final Touch Quality Cleaners. For more information and a free estimate, call (813) 530-5591 or email FinalTouchQC@gmail.com.
The memory board of Dave displayed during the celebration of Life
Join Us When The Former Proprietor Also Will Be Celebrated At Stonewood Grill On Monday, July 28, 1 P.M.-???ย
Even though I had met David (โDaveโ) Rathbun when he managed the Carrabbaโs Italian Grill on N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace, I didnโt really get to know him until 2002, when he opened the first Stonewood Grill & Tavern in the Tampa Bay area.
There werenโt a lot of great restaurants in our area at that time โ heck, there werenโt a lot of restaurants, period โ but Stonewood became New Tampaโs favorite restaurant pretty much from the day it opened and thereโs no doubt that Dave had as much to do with it as the restaurantโs steaks and seafood.
The way Dave seemed to remember everyoneโs name after one or, at the most, two times meeting them, the way he made sure his instant slew of regulars always got their favorite table or seat at the bar โ literally everything about the guy was warm, funny and genuine. He was the very definition of the word โhospitableโ in the hospitality industry.
(L.-r.) Emily Barreira, Gina & Dave Rathbun (Photo provided by Emily Barreira)ย
I didnโt know that Daveโs wife Gina was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, better known to many as โLou Gehrigโs Diseaseโ) for the first several years she was stricken with it, and it wasnโt because Dave didnโt talk about Gina. It was because he constantly talked about how wonderful she was, what a great mom she was to her daughter (and Daveโs beloved stepdaughter) Emily and what a talented artist Gina was. The first time I found out Gina was ill was when Dave asked if I could publish an article about her in the paper to show some of her art, which I did and I wish I couldโve found the issue with that story before I went to press with this issue.
Now, mind you, Dave Rathbun never asked me to write anything about Stonewood. He literally had never asked me for anything until that day. And, for the first time ever, I saw pain behind his ever-present, infectious smile.
When Dave left Stonewood, a lot of people were heartbroken. There were some who told me that they couldnโt keep going to their favorite place if Dave wasnโt there anymore.
The next time I heard from Dave was in 2023, when he had accepted a position as a manager at Bella Brava New World Trattoria in The Hub at Bexley (off S.R. 54 in Lutz) , which opened a few months later. He introduced me to general manager Tina Stormer and made sure the Neighborhood News was on-hand for Bella Bravaโs โFriends & Familyโ pre-opening and introduced us to co-owner Thomas Sanborn, who was the original chef at Stonewood when Dave opened it.
Dave seemed to thrive in his new position at Bella Brava, but in April, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that affects the kidneys. Suddenly, after years as Ginaโs primary caregiver, Dave was receiving dialysis treatments three days a week for several weeks.
In June, Dave decided to work a full shiftย at Bella Brava, even though Emily โ who is a nurse with two degrees โ was concerned that her stepdad wasnโt fully recovered from his weeks of dialysis treatment. He just loved the work.ย
But, when Dave got home, he told the caregiver that he wasnโt feeling well. He went to sleep…and never woke up.
At only age 69, the man who loved his wife for 28 years and had taken care of her for the last 17 years as she struggled with ALS, was gone.
Tiny quickly organized a Celebration of Life in Daveโs honor and memory on July 14 and an estimated crowd of 300-400 people showed up to hear his family and closest friends talk about what a wonderful husband, father, brother, friend and manager of people he was. Here are a few excerpts from the speeches given about Dave that day:
Daveโs stepdaughter Emily Barreira & her mom & Daveโs wife Gina Rathbun (Photos by Charmaine George)ย
Gina (Emily read a letter from her Mom to her husband Dave): โFrom the moment David came into our lives, he became a second father figure to Emily, loving her as if she were his own. He was endlessly dedicated and loyal not just to me, but to our whole family. He showed his love through his strength and unwavering support by always putting us first. David, you carried your confidence and kindness with you. Wherever you went, your compassion touched countless lives, and your love will always remain alive in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege to know you. But, you left me so fast and unexpectedly. I love you more than you will ever know, and I will miss your radiant smile everyday. Your love is the lasting legacy you left with me and your family. Your kindness was a true gift to everyone who had the chance to know you.โ
Emily: โDavid always had a favorite story that he love to share. When I was four years old, I was sitting out in the living room with him watching TV. My mom came over and reminded me that it was time to go to bed. I looked up at her and said, โNo, mommy, I canโt go to bed. Iโm watching baseball with my โlittle stepdaddy.โ From that day on, thatโs what he was to me… my little step daddy. He instantly became my bonus dad at a very young age and supported me throughout the rest of my life.โ
Daveโs brother Paul Rathbun
Paul (Daveโs brother): โWhen I was 16 years old, and we lived in Boston. David, John myself and Daveโs friend Tim took us to see the Trammps, a disco band in the seventies, and they were pretty hot at the time. There were a lot of problems with that evening, not the least of which was that four of us were under age. The five of us were invited on stage to sing the finale, โDisco Infernoโ with the group. It was amazing. Okay, it was the seventies. Dave loved his family, He loved the restaurant. He loved the people he worked with. He loved his customers. He just loved people.
โDave loved reading his devotionals. A recent one he shared was, โHeโs Preparing a Place for You.โ Jesus promised that heโs preparing a place for us, a place where we will be with him forever. Itโs not the size of the room or how fancy it is. Itโs about being in his presence, where thereโs joy, peace and love that never ends. Dave, you have fought the good fight. You finished the race. You have kept the faith. Well done, my brother.โ
Dave’s brother John Rathbun
John (Daveโs brother): โHe and I talked about the power of positive thinking โ in the things you do, the things you say, the things you think โ it all determines your destiny and the energy you give off to people. Dave greatly valued his family, connecting with his creator, and mentoring his coworkers. He loved his customers and obviously, his friends, and many of his customers became his friends.
โThe French have a phrase โโJoie de vivre,โ which means โthe joy of life.โ I think Dave possessed that. He put a lot of effort into his relationships with his coworkers and his customers. and he brought a lot of joy to you guys and, to be honest, you brought a lot of joy to him, too.โ
Dave’s close family friend Tim
Tim (Daveโs long-time friend): โDave had gone to school for physical education but when he moved here, he was going to nursing school and he was working in an Italian restaurant (Lorenzoโs). And I would come down from Tennessee to visit and you could just tell that he loved it. I soon realized that he all the things that he could do as a P.E. teacher, he could do in the restaurant business.
โHe mentored so many people and was a great coach. He was so inspirational to so many people. Iโll never forget that we were working on a paint crew here in Florida. I was going to school, and Iโm borrowing money to go to school and I didnโt know what I wanted to do. And I was really beating myself up and I had one conversation with Dave and he said to me, โTimmy, donโt worry about it. Donโt put so much pressure on yourself. Youโre smart, youโre a hard worker and people like you. Just focus on doing the best that you can every day and treat people around you the way you want to be treated, and youโll be successful.โ
Daveโs friend Kelly Barnett
Kelly (another long-time friend): โI worked at the Olive Garden in New Tampa, right across the parking lot from Stonewood. Dave and I had worked together like 30 years before that, and we end up working right next to each other. So, one day I was eating there and Iโm just watching him.
โI knew what he was like, but I never got old to watch him work a dining room. He knows everybody by name. And he knows something about each of them. Itโs not like heโs just out there saying, โHey, howโs your dinner?โ And the person I was with was also in the restaurant business. And they said, โOh my God, heโs like the Mayor of Stonewood!โ
Bella Brava Bexley GM Tina Stormer (with Emily & her husband Ryan Barreira)
Tina (Bella Brava GM): We closed the restaurant today so all of our employees could be here to celebrate Dave. He was the definition of hospitality at its best. They called him โDiamond Daveโ for a reason. If he didnโt know who you were when you walked in, he would definitely know you by the time you left.โ
Please join us for a second Celebration of โDimond Daveโ Rathbunโs life on Monday, July 28, 1 p.m., at Stonewood Grill & Tavern.
(l-r) Daveโs brother Mark Rathbun, his sister Martha Peddle (with Paul) & his sister Mary DeSantis
Editorโs note – Unfortunately, due to the timing of our issues, we were not able to get this recap of the extended Florida Legislative Session that finally ended on June 16 into the June 24 New Tampa issue, but I did sit down for a chat with District 67 State Representative and Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (photo) a little more than a week after that lengthy session ended to get her impressions of the hits, misses and what the people of her District, which includes all of New Tampa, can expect between now and the start of the 2026 Legislative Session next January. โ GN
NN: First, give me your general impressions of this yearโs session.
FD: To me, this felt like a session of missed opportunities, because the Speaker set a tone at the beginning of the session, that it was going to be a member-driven process and that we were going to focus on affordability issues, and basically there would be opportunities to collaborate on such issues. But in the end, this session was marked by, in-fighting amongst Republican leadership. The Speaker of the House, the Senate President and the Governor just could not seem to get on the same page, so what was supposed to be a 60-day session wound up being over a hundred days. And unfortunately, the budget was the biggest bargaining chip and the budget process was held up and it wasnโt as transparent as it typically is, meaning that there wasnโt really the opportunity for the public, I donโt think, to advocate, as much as they specifically would have for their budget appropriations. It was really tough โ for the public and for lawmakers โ because we also were kind of pretty much in the dark. It just seemed like they couldnโt even agree on even whether or not they were fighting, much less what they were fighting about. In spite of everything, though, I think, in the end, it was an O.K. budget. Definitely not an A+ budget, but it was an O.K. budget.
NN: Whatโs missing from the budget?
FD: What I would like to have seen that was missing were more funds for housing affordability. By my estimation, we actually reduced funds for affordable housing and this is not a time to do that. Especially here, when we know the Tampa Bay area is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and itโs becoming too expensive for locals to live here.
Youโll also notice that the Governor vetoed a number of water projects, just like he did last year. The problem with that, as we continue to endure stronger storms and flooding events, is that we need to have the right infrastructure to try to protect human life and property.
NN: What do you see as your caucusโ victories, despite the Republicansโ super-majority?
FD: In the end, they actually kept the funding for Advanced Placement courses and International Baccalaureate programs and certain certifications for students. And I think that was the right thing to do. And I give full credit, both to the Democratic caucus and to the public for really springing into action and embracing a lot of noise about that, so that they had to reverseย course. I am really proud of our advocacy for students and families on the AP classes. We really hammered them on that, which was good.ย
NN: What about your own successes?
FD: I was really proud to secure some significant appropriations. For example, in a prior session, I helped sponsor legislation to establish what we believe are the first Sickle Cell Disease Centers of Excellence in the country.
So this year, we were able to secure $3.75 million for sickle cell disease projects โ $1.25 million to establish a โcause of death initiativeโ aimed at addressing a long-standing gap in knowledge surrounding sickle cell disease mortality. There hasnโt been enough study and focus to understand the exact causes of death for many in the sickle cell population. Weโre trying to understand more about what happens to sickle cell patients and try to strengthen advocacy efforts.
Then, thereโs another $2.5 million that is going to help that population with non-emergency transportation access because what we found is that transportation is a huge obstacle to that patient population from getting consistent preventive care. They miss a lot of appointments. When that happens, you know, things that were preventable become real complications, and they have worse outcomes.
This is going to allow for two transportation vans at each of the 15 sickle cell centers, including the one in my District on E. Fletcher Ave.
The other thing that we did get was a $350,000 appropriation for the Hillel Jewish Student Center of Tampa on the USF Tampa campus. Weโve heard stories of students feeling threatened on campus. Probably like a month or two ago, there was a gentleman found with weapons on campus, who was not a student, and he had a copy of I believe it was Mein Kampf.
Thereโs been an uptick of anti-Semitism, so weโre very proud to help our students feel safe. The appropriation is for school โhardeningโ and some technology, plus educational and cultural programming to try to counter disinformation and anti-Semitic rhetoric. The daughter of one of my colleagues in the legislature is half-Jewish, half-Black, and she used to wear a Star of David at school. But, there were some things happening at school and now, she doesnโt even feel safe to wear to wear her star anymore. And, sheโs only in middle school.
There also was some drama this year where the Senateโs Democratic leader โ Jason Pizzo โ resigned his leadership position part-way through session and announced that heโs becoming an NPA. It was very dramatic. Iโve been in this position now for about three years, and Iโll tell you that leadership is hard. Thereโs no glory in it. It sounds like a very nice title, but itโs tough. And, for whatever reason, heโd had enough. So then, the Senate elected Lori Berman unanimously as its new leader and I will tell you that Sen. Berman and I work together really well. And, from that point on, Iโve found that weโve been very coordinated. The Senate and House Democrats are already working on a joint platform for next Legislative session, because we recognize that weโre stronger together.ย
And, we did have some platform bills that we worked together on this year, particularly related to housing affordability, expanding Medicaid, safe gun storage and universal background checks. These are things that are not easy to pass, but I do think itโs important to raise them so that we are a part of the conversation, and so that we keep trying to keep the conversation centered on affordability, because thatโs what our constituents want. The most calls that we get are people worried about housing affordability and dealing with property insurance. And, even though weโre the minority party, I think itโs important that we uplift the voices of our constituents and our neighbors.
NN: Which bills of yours didnโt pass?
FD: I had a bill that was seeking to give clarity and direction to doctors with respect to the six-week abortion ban because we continue to hear reports of doctors being unsure of what they can do with respect to miscarriage management because, technically, that could be considered an abortion procedure sometimes. So, in consultation with physicians who practice in this area, we worked on a bill that would just give them some guidelines. Unfortunately, it didnโt pass.
Recently in the news, there was a Republican Congresswoman here in Florida who suffered an ectopic pregnancy, and she was having difficulties getting health care because the doctors werenโt sure what they could do. So, this is something that really has a need. Thatโs a dangerous thing to have an ectopic pregnancy and to have a doctor not know if he or she can provide care for that. I may not be the one who carries it, but weโll definitely bring it up again next Session.
There was also a bill that I carried on water quality improvements. It actually was a platform bill for our caucus. I read a report that Florida is one of the states with the highest amount of lead in our drinking water. So, I was pushing for a study, so that we could better understand the issue and start to remedy this. The bill also is basically asking for the state to implement the recommendations that were made by the Red Tide Task Force that looked at that issue. But, when something is a big hot topic in the moment, the legislature will take action, but then, maybe once the news coverage dies down, they just put things on the back burner. But, our beaches are critical to our economy, so maybe we should be more preventive with it. That was a real disappointment that we couldnโt get that to go anywhere because environmental issues have been fairly bipartisan in recent years.
NN: So, you have one more legislative session in your current role before youโre term-limited out. Whatโs your next political move?
Pasco BCC Votes 4-1 To Bring In Veteran Management Company; Parking At The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus To Be Addressedย
Clearwater-based Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), which manages 90 sports facilities around the country, will take over the management of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus (WRSC) on August 1. Thatโs the good news.
The better news is that SFC has six months to figure out the long-standing problem of not having enough parking at the facility. The not-as-good news, according to the only Pasco County commissioner who voted against entering into the agreement at the June 17 Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, is that improving the parking situation isnโt in black-&-white on that agreement.
When the BCC voted 4-1 to approve SFC as the new management company to operate the Sports Campus, District 5 Commissioner Jack Mariano cast the only dissenting vote โ not because he doesnโt think SFC will do a good job of managing the facility, but because there is no official commitment regarding parking in place in the agreement, other than SFC has agreed to conduct a feasibility study, to determine the best way to add more parking at WRSC.
Mariano also said that it was obvious that the countyโs tourism department, which goes by the moniker โFloridaโs Sports Coast,โ did not do a thorough or correct enough job of looking for a new operator when it put out its Request for Proposals (RFP) for companies to take over the management of the Sports Campus.
โYou say you did it right,โ Comm. Mariano said to deputy director of tourism Consuelo Sanchez before the agreement was voted on by the BCC. โBut, we had only one bidder. If this company coming in says you need to do a feasibility study and you havenโt already done that, you can tell me you think you did a good job, but thereโs a flaw there and they (SFC) exposed it.โ
Sanchez said that the RFP went out to 7,800 sports facilities operators around the country, with only four responses and only one company, SFC, that submitted a bid.
Since June of 2023, the $56-million WRSC has been managed by Pascoโs Parks & Recreation Dept., after the BCC first voted to default (in Oct. 2022) and then bought out the contract of WRSCโs previous operator (RADDSports). According to RADDSports partner Anthony Homer, however, his company was on track to bring in 40,000 room nights when the agreement was bought out in 2023.
In 2024, the first full year the county managed the facility, Sanchez told the commissioners that the events at WRSC only brought in 21,000 room nights and the facility was on pace for about the same number of nights this year. SFC has committed to bringing in 30,000 room nights annually. The county, which is still paying off the four-year, $3-million buyout of RADDSportsโ agreement, also has incurred costs of about $20,000 per month for the Parks Dept. to run the WRSC.
Under the newly approved agreement with SFC, the county will pay SFC $750,000 โ an initial financial commitment of $500,000, which Sanchez called โbridge funding to offset potential revenue shortfalls,โ plus a โmanagement fee of $18,000 per month paid out of the Operating Account (an account to be managed by SFC which serves as the central fund to collect facility revenue and disburse expenses).โ The 10-year agreement also calls for, โup to $250,000 for Facility Floor Resurfacing Reimbursement, since Sanchez said, โthe gym floors [at WRSC] havenโtย been resurfaced since the facility opened in 2020.โย
She added, โThis necessary upgrade must be completed regardless of facility management to ensure athlete safety, event eligibility and competitive standards.โ
When Comm. Mariano raised the question of whether or not SFC was planning to provide additional parking for the Sports Campus, which already has a huge lack of proper available parking, Sanchez called Sullivan up to the microphone to confirm that his company is planning to conduct the study.
Sullivan noted, โWe are really excited about this opportunity. Weโve been working diligently with Consuelo, with Keith (Pasco Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources director Keith Wiley) and their teams to find out whatโs been working at the facility and what needs to be improved upon โ and parking has been one of the challenges. It does us no good to not have convenient and adequate parking and we have full intention of solving the parking solution. We have proposals from three parking garage developers โ two from here in the Tampa Bay region โ and we know [parking] is going to be the number one thing we need to address.โ
Wiley said that it appears that the only available space for more parking at the facility is an 18-acre lot located north of the 98,000-sq.- ft. AdventHealth Sports Arena, which already is north of the five outdoor fields.
โIt is a bit of a walk from that location to those fields,โ Wiley admitted. Dist. 3 Commissioner & Board chair Kathryn Starkey asked if golf carts could possibly shuttle people back and forth from the parking area to and from the fields.
The resolution passed 4-1, with Marianoโs the only โNayโ because of the parking concerns.
Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, who attended the June 17 meeting, but was not asked to speak, told the Neighborhood News after the meeting, โWe are very pleased with the approval by the Board of the outside operator. From our conversations and research, they [SFC] seem more than capable of running the facility, as the donation agreement outlines, as an upper echelon sports tourism facility. We look forward to [SFC] raising the bar of the tournaments and tax dollars brought into Pasco County.โ
Following the vote, the Neighborhood News emailed Sullivan a number of questions about SFCโs plans for the Sports Campus, including:
1) Will SFC have management on-site at the facility?
2) How many weekend events are already on the books at WRSC for the rest of 2025?
3) Are there any weekends available this year for SFC to book events? If not, when will SFC (or its LLC created to run the Sports Campus, WRSC SFM, LLC) be able to start adding new weekend events?
4) Will you be retaining all of the existing employees at the Sports Campus or will you be deciding on a case-by-case basis which of those employees you will retain?
5) Will you be continuing the local programming thatโs currently in place or will SFC be replacing that programming with programs of its own?
6) When will the parking feasibility study actually begin?
7) Have you spoken with JD Porter and/ or Scott Sheridan of Locust Branch, LLC, since being awarded the contract?
8) Have you been in contact with the Peachtree Group about the Residence Inn that shares the Sports Campus site to address any concerns the hotel company may have?
Sullivanโs response to our email was: โWe do not take over operations until Aug 1. I would like to kindly decline any media interviews/discussions until we are formally engaged. I appreciate your understanding.โย
Nicole (left) and Sommer Cholnik were first in line to buy a dozen cookies at the new Cookie Plug store in The Grove at Wesley Chapel on June 28. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Cookie Plug, an edgy, innovative bakery with more than 25 locations nationwide (and growing), has opened its newest storefront in The Village at The Grove at 6013 Wesley Chapel Grove Blvd., Suite 102 (next to the Ice Dreammm Shop). A nice crowd of locals lined up outside the new Cookie Plug at 11 a.m. on June 28, where they received free samples of the different flavors. There also was a DJ and a great Opening Day special โ eight free giant-sized cookies when you purchased four, plus a drink.
Cookie Plug Wesley Chapel is owned and operated by Florida resident David Johnson, who says he is eager to introduce the uniqueness of the bakery to locals. With support from his wife Jackie, Johnson plans to open more locations in the state, including one in Highwoods Preserve in New Tampa, which is at least a couple of months behind the Wesley Chapel store.
โI was initially drawn to the creativity of the concept and the nod to hip-hop culture that Cookie Plug brings to the table, but then, the minute I tasted the cookies, I was hooked,โ Johnson said in a press release. โWe are particularly excited to serve the Wesley Chapel community in a space that is surrounded by thriving businesses, shops and homes. We are eager to bring this sweet addition to the area, offering thick-cut cookies in a variety of flavors that are unlike anything else you can get in Tampa Bay and beyond.โ
Originally founded in Riverside, CA, in 2019, Cookie Plug was inspired by graffiti and street art with the aim to add a unique twist to the conventional bakery. Offering cookies made fresh daily that are part cake, part brownie, part cookie and 100% delicious, the brandโs inventive menu offers 12 different flavors, including: sโmores, chocolate chip, sugar, triple chocolate, strawberry cheesecake (Charmaine and I both loved this one), red velvet, snickerdoodle and two rotating flavors, including this months โBlack Ops,โ the brownie-flavored cookie with red, white & blue star sprinkles shown in the box held by Nicole and Sommer Cholnik, who were first in line on June 28.
Cookie Plug also has keto cookie options available, as well as mini โplug popperโ cookies, ice cream sandwiches and custom cakes to satisfy any sweet tooth.
โWe have an incredible product and I canโt wait for locals in Wesley Chapel and Tampa Bay to experience it for themselves,โ said David Denker, president and chief growth officer of Cookie Plug.
Cookie Plug Wesley Chapel is open Mon.-Thur., noon-11 p.m.; noon-midnight on Fri. & Sat.; & noon- 9 p.m. on Sun. For more info, follow Cookie Plug on Instagram or Facebook @cookie.plug or visit CookiePlug.com/wesleychapel. For franchising opportunities, visit Franchise.CookiePlug.com. โ GNย
