Thirsty Buffalo opens in Bexley
Thirsty Buffalo Brewing Company, a new craft brewery, is holding its soft opening on May 11, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The brewery is at 16974 Focus Loop, in Land O’ Lakes, within the Hub, near the front of the Bexley community, off State Road 54.
The brewery is within a mixed-use project with various shopping and entertainment options, near the front of the Bexley community, off State Road 54.
Thirsty Buffalo’s beers are all crafted on-site using a five-barrel brewhouse allowing the brewery to provide a broader variety of options and flavors to patrons, according to a news release.
The craft brewery is the brainchild of Erin Bishop and Jack Lucas, two passionate beer enthusiasts who wanted to bring their love for craft beer to their community, the news release says.
Bishop is no stranger to the industry and Lucas is a longtime friend making the decision easy. A unique appeal that drew the two to The Hub at Bexley is the fact that there is a large courtyard where community events will take place and the brewery can set up a satellite location to participate, the release says.
“This is a passion project, and we are opening it in the community we live in,” said Bishop, in the release. “The approach we are using to brew features a unique selection of beers, which will appeal to anyone from casual drinkers to beer enthusiasts.”
The brewery will have a rotating selection of beers on tap, including IPAs, stouts, lagers and seasonal brews all available on-site, or to-go in growlers or cans.
For more information, visit http://www.thirstybuffalobrewing.com.
Land O’ Lakes Brochure Exchange
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce has its Land O’ Lakes Brochure Exchange on the second Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., at New Beginnings, 18935 Michigan Lane in Land O’ Lakes. The event gives people a chance to mingle and learn about each other’s businesses.
The hosts for this month’s barbecue lunch are Judi and Jonathan Fisher. Those attending pay the cost of the meal, plus $10 for non-chamber members. The event is sponsored by Architectural Signage & Printing.
If you are not a member but would like to give the event a try, call the chamber office for a one-time free entry. To find out more, call 727-842-7651 or 813-909-2722.
Starting/operating a business from home
Learn some of the pros and cons of operating a home business. The webinar is set for May 31 from noon to 1 p.m. Sharon Eldridge, a Pasco-Hernando SCORE volunteer, will share her insights on this topic. Register today at Score.org/pascohernando.
National Small Business Week
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity celebrated National Small Business Week last week. The department recognizes the vital contributions of entrepreneurs and small businesses in their communities, according to a news release.
Of Florida’s 529,072 private sector businesses, 99.7% employ fewer than 500 employees — representing almost 57% of the state’s total private sector employment, according to state statistics. In 2023 alone, 158,088 new businesses have formed in Florida, more than any other state in the nation, the news release adds.
The department credits Gov. Ron DeSantis’ policies for attracting people from all over the country to Florida.
WUSF Public Media wins awards
WUSF’s Public Media received 18 awards from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists (FABJ), according to a news release.
It received eight first-place awards, for coverage of news in a wide range of categories, including Hurricane Ian, consumer economics, higher education, the baby formula shortage and more.
Kerry Sheridan, a reporter and co-host of “All Things Considered,” was named the state’s top radio reporter for the second consecutive year.
WUSF also won first place in the team coverage category for its reporting on Hurricane Ian.
“I am immensely proud of this wonderful team,” said WUSF General Manager JoAnn Urofsky. “Every day, they strive to cover issues of vital importance to the Florida community, and these awards recognize that level of excellence in journalism,” she added, in the release.
The FABJ is an independent nonprofit organization of broadcast journalism in both commercial and public broadcasting at the professional and college level.
In all, 11 of WUSF’s journalists were honored for their work in categories that spanned the range from newscasts to public affairs, politics and sports reporting.
Tampa rates No. 4 to start a business
The personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2023’s Best Large Cities to Start a Business, and Tampa came in at No. 4 in the comparison, which ranked 100 large cities.
WalletHub compared the cities across 19 key indicators of startup viability. The data set ranges from the five-year business survival rate to labor costs to office space affordability, according to a news release.
Orlando came in at No. 1 on the list, followed by Jacksonville, at No. 2., and then Miami, at No. 3, followed by Tampa. St. Petersburg came in at No. 18.
To view the full report, visit WalletHub.com/edu/best-cities-to-start-a-business/2281.
