Samantha Taylor gets a little tough in her efforts to help a struggling gym in the Spike reality series ‘Gym Rescue.’ Taylor owns Pure Health & Fitness Studios in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Spike)
Local business owner on reality television
Samantha Taylor, the owner of Pure Health & Fitness Studios in Land O’ Lakes, appeared Aug. 10 on the new Spike reality show “Gym Rescue.”
“I flew out to Fort Lauderdale last year for a week to film this show, and it’s finally airing,” Taylor said, in a release.
The show, Taylor said, is similar to programs like “Kitchen Nightmares,” where someone goes in and helps a failing restaurant, except this one is for gyms and fitness studios. MMA fighters Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock host it.
Taylor had only 45 minutes to “change the life” of the gym owners in the episode, she said, “so I had to toughen up a little on the owners to help them stop making excuses for why they weren’t succeeding, and just listen to the experts giving them advice.”
Couture, according to the cable channel, owns a successful chain of gyms called Xtreme Couture MMA, while Shamrock owns Shamrock MMA.
To learn more about Taylor’s studio, visit PureHealthStudios.com.
Wesley Chapel Walmart opens
The newest Walmart at 28500 State Road 54 is set to open Aug. 13 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m.
The store created 300 jobs, and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Stephanie White will manage the store. She began her Walmart career in 1988 as an hourly cashier in Port Richey.
The store will offer the Site to Store program where items purchased online can be delivered to the local store. It also offers fresh produce and a full line of groceries. A pharmacy will offer a full range of products and services, including an iPhone and Android Walmart mobile app.
The grand opening celebration includes presentations of $7,000 in grants from Walmart to local community groups. Those recipients include the Wesley Chapel Lions Club, Wesley Chapel High School, Watergrass Elementary School, and Lily of the Valley food pantry.
A celebration is planned Aug. 16 that will include family activities and free food samples between noon and 3 p.m.
Lennar opens new phase at Concord Station
Homebuilder Lennar has opened a new phase with 145 lots at Concord Station, the company’s master-planned community located off State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.
Lennar plans to build 52 new three- and four-bedroom houses beginning at $180,000, along with 93 new three-, four- and five-bedroom houses at a higher price point.
Concord Station has a 5,000-square-foot community center with a swimming pool, fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, a sport court, a lake pond, and a community park with a picnic area.
Upcoming PHHCC events
The Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will have its regular luncheon Aug. 13 at 11:30 a.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road in Lutz.
Lunch is $20 per member, or $25 for non-members. To RSVP, call (813) 435-1499.
The chamber will host a mixer Aug. 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Good Faith Insurance Services, 5854 Argerian Drive, Suite 101 in Wesley Chapel.
For information, visit PHHChamber.com.
TBBA council wins award
The Sales and Marketing Council of the Tampa Bay Builders Association received an Excel Award as Florida’s Best Sales and Marketing Council during the recent Southeast Builders Conference in Orlando.
The council was honored for outstanding achievements in membership efforts, programs, seminars, education, council marketing and awards programs, including the annual Parade of Homes and Awards of Excellence.
The council boasts membership of more than 250 sales and marketing professionals in the Tampa Bay area. Through networking, speakers and a variety of educational programs for sales professionals, the council promotes better and more efficient sales practices so consumers can enjoy a more positive and informed home-buying experience, according to a release.
Zephyrhills looking for contest entries
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominees for its annual business and community awards, which will be honored during the chamber’s annual meeting and banquet Sept. 18 at Scotland Yards Golf Club.
Nominees do not have to be a member of the chamber, but should meet the criteria established in each category. Winners from last year are not eligible, and deadline to enter nominees is Aug. 13.
For information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.
Dade City chamber wants award winners
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will host its annual awards banquet Oct. 16. With that, it’s seeking nominations for various awards.
Typically, awards are open to members who have been a part of the chamber in good standing for at least a year. Some of the categories include Business Leader of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Civic Association of the Year and Citizen of the Year.
To learn more about how to nominate, contact Jo Uber at the chamber office at (352) 567-3769, or email her at .
Bank stands up to cancer
Fifth Third Bank has returned its “Pay to the Order” of campaign that earlier this year raised more than $2.3 million for Stand Up to Cancer.
The campaign was first launched in January and leverages new checking accounts to help drive donations that support collaborative cancer research programs, the company said in a release. For each new customer who opens a checking account with direct deposit, and makes three online bill payments, Fifth Third will give $150 to the customer and donate $150 to the cancer organization, more commonly known as SU2C.
The campaign runs through Oct. 17.
