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Key West

Mount Dora: A charming way to spend a day

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Arriving in Mount Dora is like walking onto a movie set: sparkling Lake Dora provides the backdrop. Panning out from the lake, front-porched homes, American flags flying, line shady streets, an easy walk from main street shops, parks and even a candy cane-colored lighthouse.

The Mount Dora Lighthouse on the shores of Lake Dora draws visitors with its candy cane colors. It is 35 feet tall and was dedicated in 1988 over the Port of Mount Dora. (Karen Haymon Long)

In the daytime, visitors – like movie extras – fan out to the lake on scenic boat tours, hikes on lakeside boardwalks, then strolls to downtown shops and cafes. They can even take seaplane rides over the lake or rent their own pontoon boat to watch for gators, turtles, otters, herons, egrets and other wildlife.

In the evening, they’re back at the lake to witness salmon-colored sunsets over the water and maybe later to stroll to historic Lakeside Inn for a nightcap.

Mount Dora, a town of 12,534 residents in Lake County, 40 minutes northwest of Orlando, looks like small-town USA, with its moss-draped oaks, flowering magnolias, hilly terrain and higher-than-normal – for Florida anyway – elevation of 184 feet above sea level.

“It’s an extra friendly town. Everyone is really welcoming,” says Henry Ollendick, who co-owns one of downtown’s most charming shops, Papilio, which is Latin for butterfly.

Renninger’s Antique Center in Mount Dora offers all kinds of interesting treasures. You never know what you might find at the center and at one of its antique extravaganzas. The next one is Nov. 17 to Nov. 19. (Karen Haymon Long)

When he and his partner, Joel Maas, opened their shop in 2013, other shop owners welcomed them and asked if they needed anything, which made them feel at home, Ollendick says.

That friendliness, as well as “the hills, the big oaks, the Spanish moss hanging from the trees – so different from the rest of Florida,” convinced them to leave Key West and move to Mount Dora. Now, they walk to work.
“You get to know your neighbors that way,” Ollendick says. “It’s very homey.”

The two were also drawn by the town’s many festivals, which earned it the nickname “Festival City.” Its 33rd annual Craft Fair, coming up on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, features the work of 400 crafters and artists. Its antique extravaganzas at Renninger’s Antique Center, — the next one is Nov. 17 to Nov. 19 — draws treasure hunters from around the world.

Years ago, the antique center and sister flea market next door helped make Mount Dora a darling of travel guide book authors. The flea market is open weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the antique center Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Vendor Stan Lawson, who owns Triple LLL Treasures in the antique center, says he meets people from all over the U.S., and from around the world in his shop. Not long ago, he sold his Native American jewelry to visitors from Iceland, and he often sells to Germans and Brits, he says.

His shop sells jewelry made by Native Americans in the Southwest who he’s known for years. In another area in the center, Steve and Barbara Gretchko sell hard-to-find barrister’s bookcases, wood filing cabinets and other early 20th century office furniture.

Dozens of other booths sell everything from antique glassware and furniture to books, toys, linens, sports

Mount Dora’s downtown shops and restaurants remind visitors of what they would think of as ‘downtown USA.’ (Karen Haymon Long)

memorabilia and paintings. Outside, vendors sell old birdbaths, yard statuary, vintage signs, plants and more, while the flea market next door sells plants and produce, garage-sale-type items, T-shirts and other new clothes.

Downtown shops vary from home decor to paintings and other art, clothing and even dog bakery items. At Papilio, Joel Maas sells his artwork made with real butterflies, as well as stationery, jewelry, garden and home decor, plants and other items.

Like their visitors, downtown restaurants span the globe, with cuisine representing Cuba, Peru, Great Britain, Mexico, India, Italy, China and the Caribbean, along with the usual pizza and pub grub. Florida celebrity chef and cookbook author Norman Van Aken owns a restaurant in a house built in 1921, called, appropriately enough, 1921 by Norman Van Aken.

We chose Magical Meat Boutique for lunch, partly because of its kooky name and partly because it got raves on the online travel site Trip Advisor. Housed in a British pub-style space, it specializes in British fare – think bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie. It also attracts British tourists. On our visit, two parties at nearby tables had British accents and talked nostalgically about how happy they were to find a little home so far away from their homeland.

Next time, we thought we’d try The Goblin Market Restaurant & Lounge, a fancier place with a book-lined dining room and delicious sounding rack of lamb, duck, quail, Idaho trout, and jumbo lump crab cakes with peach and chive chutney on its menu.

The Goblin Market Restaurant & Lounge in Mount Dora looks as friendly inside as out. Its menu offers lamb, duck, quail, crab cakes and other fare. (Karen Haymon Long)

Visitors need at least two days — or three, four or five — to take a boat ride, go out fishing, hike along the lake or just drive around and look at some of the neighborhoods and some of the old Victorian houses, such as the Donnelly House, built in 1893 and now owned by the Masonic Lodge, and open to the public for special occasions.

The old railroad depot, built in 1915, now houses the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce offices and visitor center at the corner of Third Avenue and Alexander Street. The picturesque Lakeside Inn, opened in 1883, is an elegant place to stay and dine, get married or take a boat ride off its shores.

Some 36 years ago, Mount Dora was the setting for the movie “Honky Tonk Freeway,” starring Jessica Tandy, Beau Bridges, Teri Garr and Beverly D’Angelo. Townspeople were extras. The plot: The town – named Ticlaw – already has a wildlife safari park and a waterskiing elephant named Bubbles, so when residents hear a freeway is about to be built, they hope an off-ramp will lead to more riches. But, when the new freeway bypasses them without an off-ramp, they paint their downtown buildings pink to get people to come.

Today, Mount Dora doesn’t have to paint itself pink. It has charm enough to attract visitors – even without a waterskiing elephant.

Tips for the Trip
How to get there: The easiest way to get to Mount Dora from Pasco County is to go north on Interstate 75. That way, MapQuest says it’s an hour and a half, and 80 miles, from Wesley Chapel. Another route is Interstate 4 toward Orlando, then north to Mount Dora. For details, see MapQuest or another directions site.

Where to eat: We liked Magical Meat Boutique, at 112 W. Third Ave., where we had bangers and mash, a stilton, pear and walnut salad, and two Scottish beers for $37. For menu, visit MagicalMeatBoutique.com.

Where to stay: We’ve stayed at Lakeside Inn before and enjoyed its quiet elegance. The town also has a variety of bed and breakfast inns, and other hotels. See the chamber of commerce’s MountDora.com for options.

Festivals: This city of festivals has all sorts of offerings, including Renninger’s Antique Extravaganzas Nov. 17 through Nov. 19; Jan. 19 through Jan. 21 and Feb. 16 through Feb.18 at its antique center, 20651 U.S. 441. For details, visit Renningers.net.

Other events include:

  • 33rd Annual Craft Fair, with 400 vendors, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 510 N. Baker St.
  • Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., begins on Lake Dora at the lighthouse across from Gilbert Park on Tremain Street and Liberty Avenue, downtown.
  • Christmas Tour of Homes, Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $20; for details, visit WCFAMountDora.com.
  • 43rd annual Arts Festival, Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown, with park and ride options; for more, visit MountDoraArtsFestival.org.

For a more extensive list of festivals and events, go to MountDora.com, and click on annual events.

For a more extensive list of festivals and events, go to MountDora.com, and click on annual events.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published Oct. 18, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Yuma dishes Cuban cuisine in Lutz

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Chef Pepe Diaz keeps a close eye on what goes on in his kitchen.

The Cuban dishes that pass from the kitchen to the dining room at La Yuma restaurant are authentic to his native country.

But, Diaz also has recipes uniquely his own.

His back story in itself is not the typical path to culinary success.

Chef Pepe Diaz, left, his wife, Tania Diaz, his daughter, Thania Diaz Clevenger, and son-in-law, Ashley Clevenger, stand outside their new Lutz restaurant – La Yuma.
(Courtesy of Kathy Steele)

As a political prisoner of Fidel Castro, his job in jail was to take scant food staples and turn them into meals for himself and other prisoners.

Later exiled from Cuba, Diaz went first to Spain, and then, to Miami and Key West, where he nurtured a dream of becoming a restaurant entrepreneur.

Patrons of his Key West restaurant in Mallory Square – El Meson de Pepe – have been dining on Diaz’ cuisine for more than 30 years.

Now his daughter and son-in-law, Thania Diaz Clevenger and Ashley Clevenger, are bringing the family recipes to Lutz and Tampa Bay.

Ashley Clevenger is general manager; Thania Clevenger is in charge of marketing. Family matriarch, Tania Diaz, is helpmate to her 76-year-old husband, and overall consultant.

It’s a family-rooted business for five generations.

“But, nobody gets to be chef,” noted Thania Clevenger, except for her father.

La Yuma restaurant opened in Lutz in January, at 16411 N. Florida Ave., south of the apex linking U.S. 41 and Florida Avenue.

The establishment replaces a series of bars that never quite caught on, including The Lutz Area Hangout and Twisted Rooster Bar & Grill.

The bar atmosphere is gone.

La Yuma offers fine casual dining wrapped in a family centric environment.

Murals on the walls depict the journey of Cuban refugees to America, and for some — their new lives in Ybor City.

Pepe Diaz gather at a table at La Yuma restaurant, in Lutz. The family opened the Cuban restaurant in January.

The restaurant’s name, “La Yuma,” is from the street lingo that Cubans use as a stand-in for the United States.

Some believe the term comes from a classic western, “3:10 to Yuma.” The movie, first made in 1957, had a remake in 2007.

“The whole idea was not to tell just our family’s story, but all Cubans’ story,” said Thania Clevenger.

An outdoor patio taps into island leisure. A banquet room will host weddings, parties and special events.

Latin bands perform live on Fridays and Saturdays. Cigars by Tampa’s J.C. Newman cigar company can be enjoyed with Cuba libres, Pepe’s Homemade Sangria and cocktail specialties.

The menu offers tapas, or small plates, including Cuban nachos and Camarone Al Ajillo, a pan-seared shrimp with garlic, parsley and white wine sauce.

Entrees include Cuban favorites, such as Rope Vieja and Picadillo Habanero, as well as combination platters and Paella de La Pepe. A children’s menu includes a Cuban steak platter, hamburgers and chicken fingers.

But, La Yuma isn’t by any means a replica of Diaz’ Key West restaurant. It’s a plan, years and generations in the waiting.

“We kept envisioning a different restaurant we wanted to get to do,” said Thania Clevenger. “We’d sit and daydream about it.”

Thania Clevenger is a civil and human rights attorney who grew up helping out in her father’s restaurant. She earned her law degree from Stetson University.

Ashley Clevenger is a former firefighter and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.

They moved to Tampa Bay in 2007, and to Lutz in 2011. They have one son, 5-year-old Dean Sergio, and another child due in August.

They like the area’s small town.

Ashley Clevenger said his hometown in Illinois had 850 residents. He graduated in a class of 18 students.

“It’s all about family,” he said.

This family legacy is founded on activism and dreaming.

“He essentially lost everything,” said his daughter, of her father’s journey from Cuba to America.

He met his wife Tania, also a Cuban refugee, when they both worked at a Miami restaurant. The move to Key West followed.

El Meson is still family owned and operated.

And, now, La Yuma represents another beginning.

“Once it’s in your blood, it’s always in your blood,” said Thania Clevenger.

La Yuma is open Tuesday-Thursday, and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For information, visit LaYuma.net.

Published April 26, 2017

Retracing her grandfather’s steps

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Betty Lowe Phelps finally had the chance to mark an item off her bucket list last fall, when she climbed to the top of the Loggerhead Key Lighthouse in the Dry Tortugas.

As she made her way to the top, she was making the same climb as her grandfather — Benjamin Howard Lowe Sr. — did when he was an assistant lighthouse keeper there during the 1930s.

Visiting Loggerhead Key Lighthouse has long been on Betty Lowe Phelps’ bucket list. She finally visited the lighthouse last fall. She was accompanied on the trip by her sister, Toni Lowe Clinger, left and by Clinger’s husband, Bryon. (Photos courtesy of Betty Lowe Phelps)
Visiting Loggerhead Key Lighthouse has long been on Betty Lowe Phelps’ bucket list. She finally visited the lighthouse last fall. She was accompanied on the trip by her sister, Toni Lowe Clinger, left and by Clinger’s husband, Bryon.
(Photos courtesy of Betty Lowe Phelps)

The Land O’ Lakes woman now has been inside, or boated around, all four of the lighthouses from which her grandfather worked.

Phelps had been aware that her grandfather worked in lighthouses, but didn’t know many details.

She began doing more research after she visited the Sanibel Lighthouse in 1999.

That’s where she discovered that even though she knew her grandfather had worked there, his name wasn’t in the records.

She set out to find out more.

She began talking to relatives to find out what they knew and also began searching for records.

She now has a binder full of photographs and documents she’s collected. She also has another source: 20 hours of recordings of her grandfather’s recollections.

A profile on her grandfather is included in the 2006 book, “Lore of the Reef Lights: Life in the Florida Keys,” by Thomas W. Taylor.

Taylor gleaned much of the information for the profile from Phelps and other members of her family.

Taylor’s account says Lowe grew up as the son of a boat captain, and worked for his father on a vessel called The Magnolia, until the ship was lost in a hurricane in 1919.

Over the years, Lowe worked on various boats, according to Taylor’s book.

Phelps said her grandfather went to the waterfront whenever he needed work.

“He was a cook on a lot of the crews. They did shrimping. They did lobstering. They did turtling. They did sponging,” Phelps said.

In essence, he would do whatever kind of work he could find, she said.

In 1929, Lowe joined the United States Lighthouse Service as an assistant keeper and was assigned to work at Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, according to Taylor’s account.

After his wife experienced complications while giving birth, Lowe moved the family back to Key West, to be closer to a support network. He then became an assistant keeper at the Loggerhead Key Lighthouse in the Dry Tortugas, Taylor notes.

American Shoal Lighthouse, off Sugarloaf Key in the Florida Keys, is the third lighthouse where Betty Lowe Phelps’ grandfather worked as an assistant keeper.
American Shoal Lighthouse, off Sugarloaf Key in the Florida Keys, is the third lighthouse where Betty Lowe Phelps’ grandfather worked as an assistant keeper.

“During the summer months, when school was out, the entire family would voyage out to the Dry Tortugas to spend the summer with their father at the light station, living on the second floor of the station’s duplex dwelling,” Taylor adds.

He’d make regular trips to Key West, Phelps said.

“There were three men at a time. Every 28 days, one of them came in. They would spend a month with their family,” she said.

When they returned to the lighthouse, they brought fresh provisions, such as fruit, vegetables and fresh meat, she said.

Next, Phelps said her grandfather went to work at American Shoal Lighthouse, off of Sugarloaf Key, which was closer to the family.

And finally, in 1939, he took a lighthouse post in Sanibel.

“His wife begged him to take that job because there was a cottage, and the family could all stay together,” Phelps said.

Phelps has been a member of the Florida Lighthouse Association since 2000, and is delighted she finally had the chance to see the view from top of the Loggerhead Key Lighthouse.

It was a trip she’d planned to make back in 2003, with a half-dozen members of her family, as part of the Florida Lighthouse Association’s trip to the Dry Tortugas.

But, those plans were dashed due to mechanical problems with the boat.

“That was a tremendous disappointment, as we had all traveled from various parts of central Florida for the rare opportunity to visit the island and climb the most remote of our grandfather’s lighthouses,” Phelps said.

Now, she’s finally replaced that disheartening memory with a happy one.

Published March 16, 2016

Ready. Set. Go – Tampa Premium Outlets!

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Shopping season is set to open at Tampa Premium Outlets — no license is required.

The highly anticipated outdoor mall – in the bull’s eye of Pasco County development – will have its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 29 at 9:40 a.m.

Shop doors open at 10 a.m.

Tampa Premium Outlets is a 441,000-square-foot mall with more than 100 shops featuring brand names such as Calvin Klein, Nike, Saks Off 5th, Vera Bradley and PacSun. Courtesy of Tampa Premium Outlets
Tampa Premium Outlets is a 441,000-square-foot mall with more than 100 shops featuring brand names such as Calvin Klein, Nike, Saks Off 5th, Vera Bradley and PacSun.
Courtesy of Tampa Premium Outlets

Shelves will be stocked with upscale brand names at more than 100 shops, including Saks Off 5th, Calvin Klein, Nike, Coach and Michael Kors. Opening day is expected to bring thousands to check out typical discounts ranging from 25 percent to 65 percent on coveted merchandise.

Mall developers at Simon Property Group are planning a full weekend of special events, family-friendly activities, and Halloween Happenings.

As a regular feature, there is a play area for children.

“We want to encourage everyone to come out with their families,” said Stacey Nance, the mall’s general manager, who recently gave the media a sneak peek at the mall.

Reality television star Bethenny Frankel of The Housewives of New York will be a special guest on Oct. 31 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Frankel, also founder of Skinnygirl Cocktails, will greet shoppers, participate in interactive style segments and share fashion advice. She also will host two autograph sessions with fans at the VIP Shoppers Club Lounge.

To access the lounge, fans can enroll in Simon Premium Outlets VIP Shoppers Club at premiumoutlets.com/vip, or in person at the mall, outside the lounge.

Club members are eligible for exclusive deals, coupons and other benefits. The lounge will host several activities during opening weekend, including chair massages, a beauty bar and a photo station.

Other highlights during opening weekend include free entertainment, deals and giveaways.

Rush-hour traffic typically stacks up along State Road 56 at the Interstate 75 interchange. On opening day for Tampa Premium Outlets, 12 extra duty officers from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office will help with traffic and security at the mall. FRED BELLET/PHOTO
Rush-hour traffic typically stacks up along State Road 56 at the Interstate 75 interchange. On opening day for Tampa Premium Outlets, 12 extra duty officers from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office will help with traffic and security at the mall.
FRED BELLET/PHOTO

Rack Room Shoes, for instance, will give shoppers a chance to win a $500 gift card and other giveaways, including coupon books with discounts, according to a news release from the shoe company.

The 441,000-square-foot mall is designed with a “Key West” vibe, with airy pastel colors, a multitude of palm trees, covered walkways and water features.

The centerpiece is a clear blue lagoon outside the Market Hall, which houses customers services, the food court and a lounge where people can sit and watch television.

A bridge crosses the lagoon, which is surrounded by a deck with benches and bistro chairs. A fire pit and Adirondack chairs are nearby.

“I think it will be a feature where people will want to take their picture by,” Nance said.

Traffic in and out of the mall is expected to be heavy but Nance said talks have been ongoing for months with Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Typically, opening days at malls see parking lots turn over four or five times.

“It’s going to be a constant ebb and flow throughout the day,” Nance predicted.

The mall will offer valet parking on a trial basis. If successful, Nance anticipates the service will become permanent.

On opening weekend, 12 extra duty law enforcement officers, paid for by the mall, will be stationed at mall entrances as well as inside the mall, Pasco County Sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Doll said.

The officers will include two supervisors.

If more help is needed, Doll said the sheriff’s citizen patrol group could be tapped to help with traffic.

“We’ve handled big events in the past,” he said. “Hopefully this will go smoothly.”

Outlet mall openings are special events wherever they happen, said Linda Humphers, editor in chief of Value Retail News/International Council of Shopping Centers.

There are only about 100 or so outlet malls in the nation.

In the central Florida area, Tampa Premium Outlets is situated between outlet malls in Orlando and New Ellenton.

“That’s part of the mystique of them,” Humphers said. “You go there. You stay longer and spend more. It’s not like going to a mall and getting something you need.”

Outlet mall developers typically look for locations with easy access, high visibility, lots of rooftops and a solid tourism base, Humphers said.

Pasco scores on all counts for Tampa Premium Outlets, which is off State Road 56 and the Interstate 75 interchange. And the county recently released a report showing a record number of tourist visitors and revenues in the past year.

Marketing for the Tampa Premium Outlets extends into the Tampa Bay region, but in future could spread a wider net, Nance said.

“We’ll definitely be looking at that when we get further along in our marketing plan,” she said.

Pasco’s future is set on a course for more retail and rooftops as developers saturate commercial corridors such as State Road 54 and State Road 56.

New shops are coming to property northeast of the Shoppes at Wiregrass. The Florida Center Ice sports complex is expected to open in 2016. Cypress Creek Town Center is anticipating openings for Chick Fil A, Culver’s and Cheddar Café. And the town center’s representatives recently met with county planners to discuss construction of a retail building, parking space and a boat storage area.

Speculation is that sporting goods retailer, Cabelas, is on the way to Wesley Chapel, too.

And there is a lot of buzz swirling around Tampa Premium Outlets’ opening day, Humphers said.

“Retail begets retail,” she said.

 

Tampa Premium Outlets grand opening

Grand opening: Oct. 29 through Nov. 1

Hours: Ribbon cutting Oct. 29 at 9:40 a.m.; extended hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. opening day through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Regular hours begin Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Celebrity guest: Reality television star, Bethenny Frankel, on Oct. 31 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

 

Published October 28, 2015

Tampa Premium Outlets to open in October

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Groundbreaking ceremonies were held this morning at the site of the new Tampa Premium Outlets, now under construction on State Road 56 just off Interstate 75 near Wesley Chapel.

Behind its weathered-sign, site preparation for the planned Tampa Premium Outlets mall at the Cypress Creek Town Center has recently begun on State Road 56 near Interstate 75. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Behind its weathered-sign, site preparation for the planned Tampa Premium Outlets mall at the Cypress Creek Town Center has recently begun on State Road 56 near Interstate 75. (Fred Bellet/Photo)

And after years of delay, Simon — the mall’s developer — says it plans to have the 441,000-square-foot mall ready for a grand opening in October.

“We are excited to be breaking ground on this long-awaited project,” said Danielle DeVita, senior vice president of development for Simon Premium Outlets, in a release. “We are looking forward to serving the Tampa Bay region, and expect Tampa Premium Outlets to make a significant economic impact with the creation of 300 to 400 construction jobs, and more than 800 full-time and part-time retail jobs opening.”

The mall will feature “a diverse mix” of more than 110 retailers, primarily designer and name brands at savings of between 25 to 65 percent, according to a release. It will offer a mix of products including apparel and shoes, fashion accessories, leather goods, home furnishings and specialty items. The mall also will feature a food pavilion with multiple dining options.

The design elements will incorporate what Simon describes as a “relaxed, contemporary Key West style,” that includes a soft color palate scheme, palm trees throughout the common area, and water features to help enhance the company’s outdoor shopping experience.

Saks Off 5th, the popular store related to Saks Fifth Avenue, will still be a tenant at the new shopping center, according to the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. The retail outlet announced it would join the mall back in 2012, but it had been unclear whether it would be part of the new project once it got kickstarted late last year.

The Indianapolis-based company didn’t say how much it was spending on construction of the outlet mall in the general Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes area, but said all of its current construction projects totaled about $2.2 billion.

Tampa Premium Outlets LLC purchased the more than 48 acres of land on three parcels for $14.1 million on Oct. 3, according to Pasco County property records. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Simon Property Group, according to state corporate records, and Simon’s financial filings with the SEC.

The full project will be built in seven phases, according to plans filed with the county last February, which would include the main outlet mall in the first phase located in nine buildings. It will include nearly 2,400 parking spaces, far more than the 1,600 spaces required by the county for a project of this size.

Pinchers Crab Shack opens at The Shops at Wiregrass

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Pinchers Crab Shack, a seafood restaurant chain based out of Bonita Springs, has opened its 10th location at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

The restaurant, located at 28330 Paseo Drive, Suite 185, is offering dinner service beginning at 4 p.m., and will expand to include lunch beginning July 7 at 11 a.m. It will be managed by Dacie Broshears, who also managed what was the closest Pinchers to the area before in Lakewood Ranch near Bradenton.

Pinchers started in 1997 at a six-table restaurant in 1,500 square feet of space in Bonita Springs. It has grown to 10 locations and more than 500 employees, stretching from Wesley Chapel in the north to Key West.

For more information on the location, visit PinchersCrabShack.com.