The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

CItrus Park

Hiking, Biking, Shopping and Dining – All Close To Mattamy Homes’ Townhome Communities

By

Mattamy Homes’ two new townhome communities in Lutz and Citrus Park are selling fast because buyers love the fantastic assortment of close-by things to do, from recreational outings to fabulous shopping to an epicurean array of restaurants.

“Our buyers at Avea Pointe in Lutz and Lakeview at Citrus Park are active, engaged families who love being close to so many things to do,” said Kathleen Dec, marketing manager at Mattamy Homes. “These are perfect communities for people who want fun things to do with family and friends of all ages.”

The floor plan of the four-bedroom, three-bath Venice townhome with its gorgeous kitchen received a prestigious Silver Award during the recent Tampa Bay Parade of Homes Tampa.

Avea Pointe is five minutes away from Hillsborough County’s expansive Lake Park, with its non-motorized boat access, hiking trails, BMX track and multiple playgrounds. At Lakeview, its homes overlook tranquil Gant Lake at the end of Tom Fuller Road, where residents have a community pier for fishing, kayaking and paddle-boarding.

Both communities also are an easy drive to Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve, with its flats fishing, walking trails and observation tower. Plus, there are nearby golf courses and equestrian stables, ice skating in Wesley Chapel, and even hot air balloon rides when the weather is right.

When it comes to shopping, Avea Point is just 20 minutes to Tampa Premium Outlets in Lutz and The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, while Lakeview is minutes away to Westfield Citrus Park Mall, and a quick trip down the Veterans Expressway to International Plaza and Westshore Plaza in Tampa.

An array of well-appointed townhomes is now ready at both communities, with quick move-in homes available for families wanting to get settled before the 2019-2020 school year begins.

Avea Pointe In Lutz
Avea Pointe is located off Van Dyke Road on Lakeshore Road, directly across from Mattamy Homes’ Lakeshore Preserve community. It offers three unique floor plans designed to live like single-family homes.

All townhomes feature large open kitchens, optimized living spaces, covered lanais and 2-car garages.  The Santa Rosa is 1,913 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with an owner’s suite on the first level; the Sebring is 2,230 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths; and the Venice is 2,574 square feet with 4 bedrooms (including a first-floor bedroom) and 3 baths. Prices begin in the low $300s.

“We offer some of the largest townhomes in the area,” said Dec. “Their unique designs are perfect for first-time homebuyers, families with children and empty-nesters.”

Avea Pointe is just minutes from St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, within 2 miles of the Veterans Expressway and an easy commute to Tampa, the airport and area beaches.

Excellent schools are another reason families move to Avea Pointe, whose children are zoned to Steinbrenner High, Martinez Middle and Schwarzkopf Elementary, all less than 3 miles away on Lutz Lake Fern Road.

Lakeview Already 30% Sold Out
Mattamy Homes has only been selling in Lakeview at Citrus Park since August, and already over 30 percent of its homes have sold. The community will have 124 townhomes when completed.

“Lakeview at Citrus Park is one of the prettiest and most convenient locations in the north Tampa area,” said Dec. “Our new models are beautifully decorated and furnished, and feel as spacious and private as single-family homes. Plus, prices in this community are very affordable, beginning in the mid $200s.”

Five floor plans are available. The Marianna (1,667 sq. ft.) and Ormond (1,888 sq. ft.) have 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and single garages. The Santa Rosa (1,928 sq. ft.) has 3 bedrooms, one of which is located downstairs, 2.5 baths, and a 2-car garage. The Sebring (2,230 sq. ft.) has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a 2-car garage. The Venice (2,574 sq. ft.) has 4 bedrooms, including one downstairs, 3 baths and a double garage.

 Visit MattamyHomes.com, or call (813) 580-7303, to learn more about these communities. Buyers of quick move-in homes enjoy special savings, including closing costs paid.

Published May 22, 2019

There’s So Much To Do Close-By Mattamy Homes New Townhomes

By

Hiking, biking, shopping and epicurean delights!

Mattamy Homes two new townhome communities in Lutz and Citrus Park are selling fast because buyers love the fabulous assortment of close-by things to do, from recreational outings to fabulous shopping to an epicurean array of restaurants.

“Our buyers at Avea Pointe in Lutz and Lakeview at Citrus Park are active, engaged families who love being so close to so many things to do,” said Kathleen Dec, marketing manager at Mattamy Homes. “These are perfect communities for people who want fun things to do with family and friends of all ages.”

This fun and spacious loft in the Venice townhome won a Best Feature award at last month’s Tampa Bay Parade of Homes Awards Reception. The Venice’s whole floor plan, including this alluring kitchen, received an overall Silver Award.

Avea Pointe is five minutes away from the expansive Lake Park, with its non-motorized boat access, hiking trails, BMX track and multiple playgrounds. Over at Lakeview, its homes overlook tranquil Gant Lake at the end of Tom Fuller Road, where residents have a community pier for fishing, kayaking and paddle-boarding.

Both communities also are an easy drive to Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve, with its flats fishing, walking trails and observation tower. Plus, there are nearby golf courses and equestrian stables, ice skating in Wesley Chapel, and even hot air balloon rides in Lutz when the weather is right.

When it comes to shopping, Avea Point is just 20 minutes to Tampa Premium Outlets and The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, while Lakeview is minutes away to Westfield Citrus Park Mall, and a quick trip down the Veterans Expressway to International Plaza and Westshore Plaza in Tampa.

An array of well-appointed townhomes are ready this spring at both communities, with quick move-in homes available for families wanting to get settled before the 2019-20 school year begins.

Avea Pointe In Lutz
Avea Pointe is located off Van Dyke Road on Lakeshore Road , directly across from Mattamy Homes’ Lakeshore Preserve community, and offers three unique floor plans designed to live like single-family homes.

All townhomes feature large open kitchens, optimized living spaces, covered lanais and 2-car garages.  The Santa Rosa is 1,913 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with an owner’s suite on the first level; the Sebring is 2,230 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths; and the Venice is 2,574 square feet with 4 bedrooms (including a first-floor bedroom) and 3 baths. Prices being in the low $300s.

“We offer some of the largest townhomes in the area,” said Dec. “Their unique designs meet the needs of first-time homebuyers, families with children and empty-nesters.”

Avea Pointe is just minutes from St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, within two miles of the Veterans Expressway and an easy commute to Tampa, the airport and area beaches.

Excellent schools are another reason families move to Avea Pointe, whose children are zoned to Steinbrenner High, Martinez Middle and Schwarzkopf Elementary, all less than three miles away on Lutz Lake Fern Road.

Lakeview Already 30% Sold Out
Mattamy Homes has only been selling in Lakeview at Citrus Park since August, and already over 30 percent of its homes have sold. The community will have 124 townhomes when completed.

“Lakeview at Citrus Park is one of the prettiest and most convenient locations in the north Tampa area,” said Dec. “Our new models are beautifully decorated and furnished, and feel as spacious and private as single-family homes.”

The Marianna (1,667 sq. ft.) and Ormond (1,888 sq. ft.) have 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and single garages. The Santa Rosa (1,928 sq. ft.) has 3 bedrooms, one of which is located downstairs, 2.5 baths, and a 2 car garage. The Sebring (2,230) has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a 2 car garage. The Venice (2,574 sq. ft.) has 4 bedrooms, including one downstairs, 3 baths and a double garage. Prices begin in the mid $200s.

Visit MattamyHomes.com, or call (813) 580-7303, to learn more about these communities, Mattamy Homes’ Spring Sales Event, or to schedule a VIP appointment.

Published April 24, 2019

More Savings at Mattamy Homes’ Spring Sale

By

With two new townhome communities now open in Lutz and Citrus Park, Mattamy Homes is offering extraordinary savings on quick move-in townhomes in its Avea Pointe and Lakeview at Citrus Park communities.

“All of our quick, move-in homes are available with special savings on these spacious three- and four-bedroom townhomes,” said Kathleen Dec, marketing manager for Mattamy Homes. “Plus, for a limited time we are paying closing costs, so it is important to call now to take advantage of these significant savings.”

Avea Pointe In Lutz
Avea Pointe is Mattamy Homes’ newest townhome neighborhood in Lutz, located off Van Dyke Road on Lakeshore Drive, and directly across from Mattamy Homes’ Lakeshore Preserve community.

Avea Pointe’s first residents will be moving into their new homes this spring. The community’s amenities will be ready in the fall, including a resort-style pool, cabana and sun deck. At completion, Avea Pointe will have 224 homes.

This fabulous kitchen in the Venice townhome is one of many reasons why Mattamy Homes was honored with a silver award at the 2019 Tampa Bay Parade of Homes for homes between $350,000 and $399,000.

This gated community offers three unique floor plans designed to live like single-family homes. All feature large open kitchens, optimized living spaces, covered lanais and 2-car garages.

Avea Pointe offers very distinctive plans— the Santa Rosa at 1,913 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with an owner’s suite on the first level; the Sebring at 2,230 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths; and the Venice at 2,574 square feet with 4 bedrooms (including a first-floor bedroom) and 3 baths. Base prices are from the low $300s.

“We offer some of the largest townhomes in the area,” said Dec. “Their unique designs meet the needs of first-time homebuyers, families with children and empty-nesters.”

Avea Pointe is just minutes from St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, and convenient to shopping, dining and entertainment in Carrollwood, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel. Located within two miles of the Veterans Expressway, the community is an easy commute to Tampa, the airport and area beaches.

“This desirable location is one of the main reasons our homes at Avea Pointe are selling so quickly,” said Dec. “Excellent schools are another reason, because parents want their children to attend the area’s best schools.”

Avea Pointe children are zoned to Steinbrenner High, Martinez Middle and Schwarzkopf Elementary, all less than three miles away on Lutz Lake Fern Road. Also close-by is the Sunlake Academy of Math and Science charter school.

New Models in Citrus Park
Mattamy Homes has been selling in Lakeview at Citrus Park since August, and has already sold more than 35 townhomes. With the recent opening of three professionally decorated models, Mattamy expects sales to move even faster in this gated community off Ehrlich Road and the Veterans Expressway.

“Lakeview at Citrus Park is one of the prettiest and most convenient locations in the north Tampa area,” said Dec. “Our homeowners love being so close to Westfield Citrus Park Mall, and value their easy access to the Veterans and downtown Tampa.”

“Our new models are beautifully decorated and furnished, and feel as spacious and private as single-family homes,” said Dec.

The Marianna (1,667 sq. ft.) and Ormond (1,888 sq. ft.) have 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and single garages. The Venice (2,574 sq. ft.) has 4 bedrooms, including one downstairs, 3 baths and a double garage. Prices begin in the mid $200s.

The community, which will have 124 townhomes when completed, overlooks Gant Lake at the end of Tom Fuller Road. Residents have access to the lake for fishing, kayaking and paddle-boarding from its community pier. Other amenities include a children’s playground.

Visit MattamyHomes.com, or call (813) 580-7303, to learn more about these communities, the Spring Sales Event, or to schedule a VIP appointment.

Published March 27, 2019

Mattamy Home’s Fabulous Spring Sales Event

By

With two new townhome communities opening in Lutz and Citrus Park, Mattamy Homes is offering families special savings on new, quick move-in townhomes for a limited time only, including paying closing costs.  A variety of three- and four-bedroom townhomes are available for move in this spring, at Avea Pointe in Lutz and Lakeview at Citrus Park.

New Models in Citrus Park
Mattamy Homes been selling in Lakeview at Citrus Park in August, and already has sold more than 30 townhomes. And now, with the opening of three new, professionally decorated models, Mattamy expects sales to move even faster in this gated community off Ehrlich Road and the Veterans Expressway.

Townhomes by Mattamy Homes offer spacious floor plans and two-car garages.

“Lakeview at Citrus Park is one of the prettiest and most convenient locations in the north Tampa area,” said Kathleen Dec, marketing manager for Mattamy Homes. “Our homeowners love being so close to Westfield Citrus Park Mall, and value their easy access to the Veterans and downtown Tampa.”

New models are beautifully decorated and furnished, and feel just as spacious and private as single-family homes. The Marianna (1,667 sq. ft.) and Ormond (1,888 sq. ft.) have 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and single garages. The Venice (2,574 sq. ft.) has 4 bedrooms, including one downstairs, 3 baths and a double garage. Prices begin in the mid $200s.

The community, which will have 124 townhomes when completed, overlooks Gant Lake at the end of Tom Fuller Road. Residents have access to the lake for fishing, kayaking and paddle-boarding from its community pier. Other amenities include a children’s playground.

Avea Pointe In Lutz
Avea Pointe is Mattamy Homes’ newest townhome neighborhood in Lutz, located off Van Dyke Road on Lakeshore Drive, and directly across from Lakeshore Preserve —a Mattamy townhome community that sold out in less than 18 months.

“The demand for our townhomes in Lakeshore Preserve was so incredible that we’re very happy to be offering families more townhomes in the same great location,” said Dec.

Avea Pointe’s first residents will be moving into their new homes this spring. The community’s amenities will be ready this fall, and include a resort-style pool, cabana and sun deck. At completion, Avea Pointe will have 224 homes.

This gated community offers three spacious floor plans designed to live like single-family homes, incorporating large open kitchens, optimized living spaces, covered lanais and 2-car garages.

Avea Pointe offers very distinctive plans— the Santa Rosa at 1,913 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with an owner’s suite on the first level; the Sebring at 2,230 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths; and the Venice at 2,574 square feet with 4 bedrooms (including a first-floor bedroom) and 3 baths. Base prices are from the low $300s.

“We offer some of the most spacious townhome floor plans in the area,” said Dec. “Their unique designs meet the needs of first-time homebuyers, families with children and empty-nesters.”

In-Demand Location
Mattamy’s Lutz communities are just minutes from St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, and are convenient to shopping, dining and entertainment in Carrollwood, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel. Located within two miles of the Veterans Expressway makes them an easy commute to Tampa, the airport and area beaches.

“This desirable location is one of the main reasons our homes at Lakeshore Preserve and Avea Pointe are selling so quickly,” said Dec. “Excellent schools are another reason — parents want their children to attend the area’s best schools.”

Children at Lakeshore Preserve and Avea Pointe attend Steinbrenner High, Martinez Middle and Schwarzkopf Elementary, all less than three miles away on Lutz Lake Fern Road. Also close-by is the Sunlake Academy of Math and Science charter school.

 Visit MattamyHomes.com, or call (813) 580-7303, to learn more about these communities, the Spring Sales Event, or to schedule a VIP appointment.

Published February 27, 2019

It’s time for the Autumn Market at the Old Lutz School

By

Organizers of Autumn Market Day at the Old Lutz School hope that motorists passing by on busy U.S. 41 will decide to stop and shop for awhile.

This year’s Autumn Market Day is set for Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the school grounds at 18819 N. U.S. 41.

The event seeks to raise money for upkeep and improvements at a school that is on the National Register of Historic Places and where generations of Lutz children were educated before it was closed a few decades ago.

The building is considered a community icon and there’s such a strong attachment to it that a group called Citizens for the Old Lutz School

Here’s what the Old Lutz School looked like decades ago — not much different from what it looks like today. (File)

holds occasional fundraisers to preserve the building for future generations.

“We really, really need people from the community to come out and walk the event. You can’t have these things and nobody show up because then you don’t have these special events anymore,” said Suzin Carr, a two-time Lutz Guv’na who has been the lead organizer of the event in recent years, but is transitioning out of that role because she has moved to Citrus Park.

Stefanie Ensor, another former Lutz Guv’na, is the new market coordinator, Carr said, adding that Ensor has done an excellent job of organizing the event.

Ensor said she expects 35 to 40 vendors to be there, offering jewelry, candles, tote bags, vintage gifts, plants, custom handmade wood signs, among other things. Some nonprofit organizations and a politician have also rented out spaces, she said.

“It’s a perfect holiday time to buy gifts and to support local vendors as well as nonprofits,” Carr said. Plus, there will be a bake sale.

Proceeds from the Autumn Market will be used to pay for electricity and building upkeep.

“We’re always up there replanting and weeding and painting and mulching,” said Ensor, a member of the Old Lutz School Board.

The event also includes a micro-irrigation and water conservation class by the Hillsborough County Extension Service, which begins at 10 a.m.

The Old Lutz School Museum also will be open, with some long-time Lutz residents there to talk about Lutz’s early days, and the role the school has played over time.

The old brick building was designed by Frank A. Winn Jr., who also designed the Seminole Heights Methodist Church in Tampa, the Municipal Fishing Pier and Pavilion in Ballast Point Park and Tampa Heights Methodist Church, according to the Citizens for the Old Lutz School’s website.

Originally, the building had four rooms downstairs and a large auditorium upstairs. But within a few years, the auditorium was divided into four rooms, plus a teacher’s room, the website reports.

The site where the old brick school building stands is the same place where Lutz had its first schoolhouse.

That was a one-room frame schoolhouse, built by the North Tampa Land Company in 1910, says an account on the group’s website. Records show that 37 students, first through eighth grade, attended Lutz School in 1912. They were taught by 18-year-old Callie Berry, who was the school’s principal and teacher — earning $39 a day.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

 

 

Area teenager bowls perfect 300 in North Carolina tournament

By

Chandler Carr, who got his start bowling at Royal Lanes in Lutz, shot his first sanctioned perfect 300 in the Randy Pedersen 4 Game Sweeper in Shallotte, North Carolina.

He achieved the perfect score on Oct. 7 at Planet Fun, helping him to take fifth place in the competition.

Chandler Carr recently shot a perfect 300, while he was in Shallotte, North Carolina. (Courtesy of Suzin Carr)

Carr — whose mom is Suzin Carr, the only person to win the Lutz Guv’na race twice — has done a substantial amount of volunteer work at the Old Lutz School in Lutz, and in various Lutz activities.

The family moved to Citrus Park in November.

Besides this most recent accomplishment, Carr is one of 25 finalists for the Positive Coaching Alliance-Tampa Bay Chapter “Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship.”

The 17-year-old will be the Athlete of the Week in partnership with Casper’s Company on 860AM radio on Oct. 14.

Carr is a senior at Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School. Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate Charter School is the only public school in Hillsborough County which has a bowling team.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

A breakfast sandwich, with a side of nostalgia

By

When Laura Lewis saw the Dunkin’ Donuts going up on U.S. 41, in Lutz, she couldn’t wait until it opened,

She wanted to enjoy a bite to eat there, and to reminisce.

So, once the shop opened, at 17514 U.S. 41, she and her friend Carolyn Smith headed over there for breakfast.

Laura Lewis, left, and Carolyn Smith enjoy breakfast and share memories of Laura Lewis’ dad, who once operated a real estate office on the spot now occupied by a new Dunkin’ Donuts, on U.S. 41 in Lutz.
(B.C. Manion)

The shop serves hot coffee, iced coffee, hot tea, iced tea, espresso-based drinks, sandwiches, donuts and other bakery items.

Alex DaSilva, director of operations, said the shop chose that location because the area is experiencing residential and commercial growth, and Dunkin’ Donuts likes to get in on the front end of new development.

“It’s an up-and-coming market,” DaSilva said.

Lewis said she knows her dad, George M. Lewis, who spent his final years in Lutz, would be happy to see how the spot where he had his real estate office is being put to use.

He’d be glad to see that a family-oriented business is operating there, Lewis said.

Her dad was originally from the Kansas/Missouri area, she said.

He did various kinds of work through the years, said Smith, who has been a friend of Lewis’ for more than 30 years.

“He worked for the shipyard first,” Smith said.

“Then, from the shipyard, he did dredging,” she said. The dredging work involved area canals, and dredging for pipelines in South America, Smith added.

He also got into ranching and real estate.

At one point, he had 1,000 acres in Tarpon Springs, Lewis said. He also had 10 acres on Gunn Highway, in Citrus Park.

Lewis recalls helping her dad, when she was young.

“I used to trail my dad around all of the time, handing him tools and driving the tractor,” she said.

When she was older, she went to work for Maas Bros., earning $28 a week, but decided that wasn’t the life for her.

“I went out at lunchtime and joined the Army,” she said. She enlisted for three years, but had to stay longer because of the Korean War.

After that, she used her G.I. Bill to get her education and then became an industrial arts teacher, teaching woodshop in New Jersey for 35 years before retiring to Lutz.

Smith, whose mother was Lewis’ mother’s best friend, has been a close friend for more than three decades. The women share a home in Lutz.

Lewis’ mother, Smith said, “was like my mother’s sister.”

Both women were enjoying a trip down memory lane during their recent Dunkin’ Donuts visit.

At one point, Lewis’ dad had a huge sign in front of his real estate business on U.S 41, Smith recalled

People would pay him to use the sign for advertising.

“It was 20 (feet) to 30 feet high,” Smith said. “When they would come and put an advertisement on it, he would tell them: ‘No alcohol, no tobacco, nothing offensive,’” Smith said.

“He went to Lutz Baptist, right down the street, and he said, ‘My people see that and I want something nice on the sign,’” she explained. “One time they put up a cigarette ad. He called, and they came and took it down right away.”

When Dunkin’ Donuts was under construction, they had to keep the sign on the property — it was planted too deep into the ground for them to remove it, Smith said.

“I was here when they put it in. It has to be cemented in about 15 feet deep. It’ll never come out,” Smith said.

“They tried to get it out of the ground and they couldn’t, so they just built the Dunkin’ Donuts sign around it,” she said.

“A piece of him is always here,” Smith said.

Published March 8, 2017

Costco will provide up to 275 jobs

By

A February opening is planned

Blame the rainfall, but Costco Wholesale fans will have to enjoy the anticipation a bit longer.

The membership-only warehouse giant is expected to open the doors to the Costco experience in Wesley Chapel in early February.

The fall opening of Costco Wholesale, in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, will be delayed until early February due to rain delays to the construction schedule. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
The fall opening of Costco Wholesale, in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, will be delayed until early February due to rain delays to the construction schedule.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Company officials had hoped for a November opening, but this summer’s rainfall slowed down construction by a few weeks. And, Costco doesn’t open stores in December and January, choosing through the holidays to focus on sales and customer service at existing stores.

However, by November, Costco will begin hiring for about 275 positions. Some slots will be filled with Costco employees transferring from other stores, but most will be new hires, said Hector Mencia, Costco’s general manager in Clearwater.

“We are very excited to come into this area,” said Mencia, who spoke at the Aug. 25 economic briefing luncheon sponsored by The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. “It’s going to be a great location.”

Costco also will be opening a store in Citrus Park in Tampa about the same time. These are the first stores in the Tampa Bay area in about 15 years.

“It shows that the economic status over here is going very well,” said Mencia. “We’ve been trying to get in here for quite a bit in this market.”

Rosina Yeo will be the store’s general manager. She currently is assistant warehouse manager for Costco in Jacksonville.

The 184,000-square-foot warehouse is under construction in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56.
“It will have all the bells and whistles on it,” Mencia said.

Mencia began working at Costco while in college in 1989.

It’s a great place to work and has a low turnover rate among employees, he said.

Entry-level pay for hourly wage earners starts at $13 an hour, rising to $22 an hour on average over time. After six months, employees are eligible for benefits.

Mencia said the opening of an Indiana store attracted about 22,000 applicants.

By November, a storefront will be opened where people can file applications in person.

Memberships to Costco will be available about six weeks before the store’s opening date.

Mencia said on opening day about 2,000 shoppers are expected. Inside and outside the store, employees will be ready to process membership applications.

The store’s retail model is to price low and sell in very high volumes. Shoppers browse aisles filled on average with about 3,800 items, but on a regular basis about 1,500 of those items are rotated out.

“We create the treasure hunt atmosphere,” said Mencia. “They need to buy it then and not wait a week. It will be gone by then.”

In other words, as comedian Rosie O’ Donnell explained in a Costco video, you can walk in with a list but leave with a trampoline and a case of Corn Nuts.

Costco sells nearly everything: wine, clothes, groceries, gas, jewelry, electronics, tires, glasses, hearing aids, vacation packages, cars, home improvement services, hardware, pharmaceuticals, and since 1985, $1.50 hot dogs.

In fiscal year 2015, Costco sold 55 million wieners in a bun. Worldwide shoppers also bought $4.1 billion in produce; $4.2 billion in USDA inspected prime beef; and $888 million in pastries and breads from its bakeries.

Mencia said Costco has about 76.4 million Costco cardholders worldwide.

The wholesale warehouse club is the largest retailer in the world, behind Walmart.

But, its global reach doesn’t keep Costco from connecting locally with area businesses and the community.

Costco plans to join the Wesley Chapel chamber. And, chamber members are ready to pitch in and help as the company prepares for its opening.

“We’ll do anything we can to welcome them with a hug,” said Hope Allen, the chamber’s executive director. “It’s refreshing to hear that they are going to join the local business community, and they understand the importance of chambers.”

Mencia said Costco does a lot of outreach “behind the scenes” locally and worldwide.

For instance, bakery items, including bread, have short shelf lives in order to sell only the freshest. But, these and other food items not sold are donated.

“We give them to nonprofit organizations,” he said. “They pick it up every day.”

The company also donates school backpacks to area schools annually and, in May, collects donations for the Children’s Miracle Network.

About 2.5 million local farmers in Africa supply Costco with cashews. The farms typically are smaller than 2 acres and are family operated.

Costco also supports farmers’ training, donates school kits and provides AIDS awareness education.

In Mexico, a similar program employs fishermen, and in Mozambique, farmers supply vanilla.

“I’m very proud of what we do,” Mencia said.

Published August 31, 2016

He calls cats purr-fect companions

By

The license plate on his car reads “BigCats.”

But, when it comes to cats, Denny Mitchell doesn’t care whether they’re big, small or medium. He loves them all.

And, he wants to persuade others that they should love the furry felines, too.

Denny Mitchell is a devoted cat aficionado who sings the praises of cats – literally – at his musical tribute show, “All About Cats.” (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Denny Mitchell is a devoted cat aficionado who sings the praises of cats – literally – at his musical tribute show, “All About Cats.”
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

While dogs may be a man’s best friend, the way Mitchell sees it: “Cats are our best companions.”

Two years ago, Mitchell took his passion for cats on the road.

He educates and entertains audiences, generally from age 8 and older, at libraries, senior centers and civic groups with his musical tribute “All About Cats.”

On Feb. 27 at 2 p.m., he will bring his musical show to the Lutz Branch Library, at 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz.

The Friends of the Lutz Branch Library is sponsoring the event, which has free admission.

Mitchell, owner of Meowser Productions, spent more than a year composing music and lyrics, and crafting a slide and video show to cover the history and habits of cats.

He brings his keyboard and sound system. A robotic, white-furred cat, named Tallulah, also accompanies him – arriving in a pink cat carrier.

Tallulah rests regally atop a purple pillow, where she purrs, meows and washes her face with slow paw swipes.

“She sets the mood,” Mitchell explained.

He sprinkles his performance with humor and original songs — though sometimes he also sings “Memory,” the show-stopping tune from the musical “Cats.”

Mitchell researches his facts.

Among his nuggets are:

  • Cats date back 35 million years.
  • The Egyptian word for cat is mao, meaning “to see.” In ancient Egypt people were fascinated by a cat’s eyes.
  • Cats, per pound, are 12 times stronger than humans.
  • Adult cats have 244 bones; humans, 206.
  • A cat’s field of vision is about 200 degrees.

Mitchell, who grew up on Long Island, New York, shared his mother’s love for cats.

Tallulah is a robotic cat that purrs and meows as it rests on a purple pillow, when Denny Mitchell begins his musical tribute to cats, “All About Cats.”
Tallulah is a robotic cat that purrs and meows as it rests on a purple pillow, when Denny Mitchell begins his musical tribute to cats, “All About Cats.”

On Christmas Eve, when he was 5, the family heard a plaintive meowing.

“We opened the front door, and there was the tiniest little black kitten all by himself,” Mitchell said.

Clancy, as he was named, had found a home.

It’s a cliché story, he said, but it’s true.

Cats have freedom of choice, he said. “They pick us. We don’t pick them.”

Mitchell is a self-described ailurophile, that is, cat lover.

He is passionate about helping nonprofits that find homes for abandoned cats and that help feral cats living on the streets.

He volunteers as a tour guide at Big Cat Rescue, an animal sanctuary in Citrus Park, near Tampa. The organization rescues and houses exotic cats, including lions, tigers, bobcats and cougars.

A foster program at Big Cat Rescue temporarily houses kittens until they are ready for adoption. The program is in partnership with Humane Society Tampa Bay.

Mitchell became a volunteer at Big Cat Rescue after taking a tour there about 15 years ago.

A few years ago, while he was giving a tour, a promoter on the tour commented on Mitchell’s wit and humor. The promoter suggested that Mitchell put together a show.

So, Mitchell did.

“The mission is to inform, raise money for nonprofits and hopefully pay my expenses — though that is secondary,” Mitchell said.

Kittens can be viewed on live cam as they play at the Kitten Cabana at Big Cat Rescue. (Courtesy of Denny Mitchell)
Kittens can be viewed on live cam as they play at the Kitten Cabana at Big Cat Rescue.
(Courtesy of Denny Mitchell)

While it wasn’t his college major, music has been one of Mitchell’s chief interests for years.

He has written lyrics and performed music, and for more than three decades, he has played piano and sang at church, often as a soloist.

He’s constantly doing volunteer work with cats.

Mitchell has given donations to that group and others, including Humane Society Tampa Bay and Humane Society of Pinellas. Both agencies have trap, neuter, vaccinate and return programs for feral cats, as well as offering foster care and adoptions for domesticated cats.

“This is how you break the breeding cycle,” said Mitchell. “It’s a harsh life (for feral cats).”

Mitchell lives in Seffner with his wife, who also volunteered for 13 years at Big Cat Rescue. She now spends most of her time operating a boarding stable for horses.

“We are very much animal people,” Mitchell said.

And, of course, they have cats.

“I told my wife I thought we should have two. So, we have five,” he said.

Want to know more?
You can see live cams of Big Cat Rescue’s kitten rescue operation by going to Explore.org/bigcatrescue.
You can also visit Denny Mitchell’s website, MeowserProductions.com, to find links to area nonprofits and about adoption events.

Published February 10, 2016

Carrollwood Day School may soon have home-field advantage

By

Phase II of Carrollwood Day School’s Patriot Pride campaign includes a multipurpose sports complex on the private school’s campus at 1515 W. Bearss Ave., in Tampa.

It includes space for football, baseball and soccer games, and will allow the school’s athletic teams to finally play home games at home.

It will also cost a couple million dollars.

The school has raised about 25 percent of that cost.

And while $500,000 is a significant number, it still leaves a lot of ground to cover.

This rendering depicts a view of the proposed $2 million multipurpose sports complex at Carrollwood Day School. It will include space for football, baseball and soccer. (Image courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)
This rendering depicts a view of the proposed $2 million multipurpose sports complex at Carrollwood Day School. It will include space for football, baseball and soccer.
(Image courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Thanks to a $1 million matching pledge by Todd and Kari Wagner — who have children attending the school — the home fields are very close to becoming a reality.

“It’s a game-changer for Carrollwood Day School,” said Head of School Ryan Kelly. “It’s the largest donation that we have ever received. And it just is going to allow us to do something that I’ve dreamt of doing, and that is having our own sports complex.”

Kelly made the announcement about the donation at the football team’s home game on Aug. 28 against Admiral Farragut.

Like other sports at Carrollwood Day School, the home football games aren’t actually played at home. They play football at Skyway in Tampa, baseball at Citrus Park and soccer on a leased parcel of land.

That’s all going to change by next season, according to Kelly. That $500,000 now puts Carrollwood Day School halfway to accessing the $1 million match and funding the complex.

When it’s finished, the complex will include turf fields that will be used for outdoor sports, dugouts and batting cages for baseball, a press box, bleachers that will seat 600 to 1,000 fans and a concession area.

High school football, baseball and soccer are the primary beneficiaries, but the complex also will be used by the middle-schoolers, physical education activities and possibly lacrosse, at some point.

That accessibility will be a dramatic change from what the school deals with today, and Kelly is well aware of the challenges and hard work that goes into making it work.

“The athletic director, Baker Mabry, does an outstanding job. But it is a nightmare,” Kelly said, describing the scheduling and logistics of constantly going off-site for games and practices.

“We cannot wait until we don’t have to do that any longer,” Kelly added.

Head of School Ryan Kelly announced the $1 million matching donation at halftime of the school's Aug. 28 football game. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)
Head of School Ryan Kelly announced the $1 million matching donation at halftime of the school’s Aug. 28 football game.
(Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

They won’t have to wait long. With current cash on hand and the pledge secured, Kelly expects to see the project started in December and to be completed as early as late spring of 2016.

If that timetable holds, next year’s home games will be at the new complex.

Todd Wagner, along with fellow entrepreneur Mark Cuban, founded Broadcast.com, a pioneer Internet radio company that was purchased by Yahoo! in 1999. He and Cuban also co-own the media group 2929 Entertainment.

Kelly said he laid out his vision for the school to the Wagners, and being down-to-earth people, they were receptive and eager to help. For him, the hard part was making the public announcement once the deal was done.

“To be honest, I was probably more nervous about that than meeting with the Wagners,” Kelly explained. “Just because I knew it was such a big announcement for the school, and I really wanted to make sure people were excited.”

When he took the field at halftime with a row of cheerleaders behind him, his words were met with plenty of excitement and loud applause from fans. And, in perhaps another good sign, Kelly’s Patriots won the game, 22-18. They’re currently 3-0 on the season.

The Phase II field project will get underway while Phase I is still under construction. The first project, a $3.5 gymnasium and facility, is currently on schedule and should be completed by early March of next year. It will include space for the athletic director, a weight room, three volleyball courts, two basketball courts and seating for 500 fans.

There’s also the business of raising the final $500,000 for Phase II, and Kelly is very confident about the school’s prospects in that area.

Kelly said the Wagners’ gift will encourage other families to be involved, and he expects to see increased interest in others being part of the project.

For now, entering his eighth year at Carrollwood Day School and third in the role of head of school, Kelly can finally look forward to a true home-field advantage for his teams next year.

“It’s outstanding. It’s even hard to put into words how exciting it is,” he said.

Published September 23, 2015