The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Floor & Decor

Pasco is ushering in 2021 with more shops, restaurants

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Shopping centers along State Road 54 and State Road 56 are continuing to attract more new stores and restaurants.

The Cypress Creek Town Center, Tampa Premium Outlets, The Preserve Marketplace, the Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard, Starkey Ranch Town Square, Starkey Ranch Business Center, The Shops at Wiregrass and the Grove at Wesley Chapel are building and remodeling in anticipation of new openings.

New shops and restaurants are opening or coming soon at the Starkey Ranch Town Square, at Gunn Highway and State Road 54 in Odessa. (Kathy Steele)

Total Wine & More is moving into the Cypress Creek Town Center in space formerly occupied by the Earth Fare grocery store.

The building, at 25535 Sierra Center Blvd., will undergo “interior alteration” for a remodel, according to a permit filed with Pasco County.

The town center, at the juncture of Interstate 75 and state roads 54 and 56, soon also will have a grand opening for Floor & Décor, now under construction on Sierra Center Boulevard. And, a Good Feet Store is on tap for the boulevard, too, according to county records.

A Hooters restaurant is under construction at the Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard at State Road 54 and Suncoast Parkway.

Across from the town center, construction is underway on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets for a Tidal Wave Car Wash. A Zaxby’s restaurant also is anticipated. Recent arrivals at the outdoor mall include Main Event, Cigars International and Rock & Brew restaurant.

Along State Road 54, west of U.S. 41, online shopping will get a boost from an Amazon shipping center under construction at 17030 Mentmore Blvd. The facility is within the Bexley by Newland master-planned community, at the intersection with Bexley Village Drive.

E sushi & grill is open at the Starkey Ranch Town Square, at Gunn Highway and State Road 54 in Odessa.

The Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard, west of Bexley, is completing a makeover with a Hooters restaurant under construction. And, Pasco County just sealed a deal to bring Santander Consumer USA to occupy a portion of the former Target Superstore. The deal includes bringing 875 new jobs to the county.

Rasmussen College also previously submitted plans to the county, indicating it would occupy 44,000 square feet in the former big box retail store.

Further west, The Preserve Marketplace and two shopping centers by Starkey Ranch, off State Road 54, have construction work in progress. But, some shops and restaurants are open.

Amazon is building a shipping center at 17030 Mentmore Blvd., at the Bexley at Newland community, off State Road 54 and Suncoast Parkway.

CVS Pharmacy is open at The Preserve, along with the anchor grocery store, Greenwise. Majik Touch Cleaners is open, and 100 % Chiropractic is coming soon. Other businesses coming are Heartland Dental,  Chipotle, Panera Bread and Papa John’s.

At Gunn Highway and State Road 54, Publix is the anchor of the Starkey Ranch Town Square. Other tenants include e sushi & grill, J. Joseph Salon, The UPS Store, Polish The Nail Bar, and Zampelli’s Pizza and Pasta restaurant.

At Heart Pine Avenue, the Starkey Ranch Business Center hosts shops and restaurants including The Wicked Pour, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Yoga Six and Hungry Greek restaurant.

Tidal Wave Car Wash is under construction on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 54.

The Shops at Wiregrass, off State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs, and the Grove at Wesley Chapel, off State Road 54 west of Interstate 75, both are welcoming new stores and restaurants, too.

The Grove is in the midst of a major makeover, in progress, following the $64 million purchase of the shopping center by Mishorim Gold Properties in 2019.

The company is investing more than $110 million to renovate the Grove. Plans include a shipping container park – known as KRATE – with shops, offices and restaurants. A stage will feature daily live entertainment. A dog park and a playground will build on the overall design in promoting a community place in Wesley Chapel.

On its Facebook page, the Grove recently began teasing to future tenants at the container park with the “12 Days of KRATEmas.” Among the tenants are 365 Café Italiano; ATO, specializing in sushi and burritos; Provisions, with specialty coffees and an artisan café menu; and The Cake Girl.

Floor & Décor will open soon at Cypress Creek Town Center in a shopping center on Sierra Center Boulevard. Also, a Total Wine & More is slated to move into the Earth Fare space.

RAW, a workspace collaborative, held a grand opening Dec. 3.

In addition, Prime Barbershop and Brooklyn Water Bagels recently opened. King of the Coop, a Nashville hot chicken eatery, soon will open, too, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. It will be the second location for King of the Coop, currently located in the restaurant-rich Seminole Heights neighborhood in Tampa.

County permits also show Best NY Pizza Worx is coming to 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., in the Grove.

The Shops at Wiregrass has opened, or will soon open, 11 new shops, according to a news release from the mall.

New shops are Beauty In Abundance, a beauty, hair care and make-up shop; Crimson Chain Leatherworks, specializing in costumes and accessories for Renaissance fairs, fantasy and historical reenactments; and Arega NY, a swim and activewear boutique.

Additional stores include a lululemon Pop-Up, specializing in yoga-inspired and athletic clothes for women and men; Chuck Lager’s American Tavern, a family restaurant with a classic menu of pasta and burgers; GO! Calendars Games and Toys; Ornament Shoppe, with decorative and personalized ornament selections; Design Hut, a boutique with personalized gifts including custom shirts; Hickory Farms, featuring cured meats, cheeses, wine pairings and hand-picked fruits; and, Fit2Run, a superstore with brand name athletic footwear, running apparel and accessories.

Sephora, a makeup and accessories boutique, is slated to open in spring 2021.

By Kathy Steele

Published December 23, 2020

Dining and shopping options expand, near Wesley Chapel

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Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced businesses to shutter, and others to regroup — but activity continues to hum along at the Cypress Creek Town Center, near Wesley Chapel.

Crews are busy working on this massive store that offers a wide assortment of hard-surface flooring materials. A nearby sign says it’s coming soon. (B.C. Manion)

Located at Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 56, the outdoor mall features a broad array of shops, restaurants, stores and a hotel on the north side of State Road 56.

Meanwhile, across the way, on the south side of State Road 56, Tampa Premium Outlets occupies a large chunk of real estate, but is surrounded by free-standing restaurants, big box stores, an entertainment venue and other things.

The assortment of places to eat, drink, shop and have fun continues to grow.

The newest development is a massive Floor & Décor, now under construction at 25737 Sierra Center Blvd.

Crews were busy painting an exterior wall recently, and a sign hung on a chain-link fence made this promise: Coming soon.

Floor & Décor, headquartered in Atlanta, offers a wide assortment of in-stock, hard-surface flooring, including tile, wood, laminate/luxury vinyl plank, and natural stone, along with decorative and installation accessories.

Hockey enthusiasts can get their gear at Pure Hockey, a sporting goods store that specializes in that sport.

A number of other new businesses have opened nearby, or are expected to open soon.

They include:

  • Pure Hockey, 25629 Sierra Center Blvd., sporting goods store that specializes in hockey gear
  • La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Decor, a 13,560-square-foot store at 25960 Sierra Center Blvd.
  • Five Guys, a restaurant specializing in handcrafted burgers and fresh fries, at 25598 Sierra Center Blvd.
  • Crumbl Cookies, a dessert shop offering specialty cookies, at 25922 Sierra Center Blvd.
  • European Wax Center, at 25914 Sierra Center Blvd., provides a range of waxing services for the entire body.
  • Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming, a specialty shop for pet grooming, pet food and supplies, at 25912 Sierra Center Blvd.
  • Charles Schwab, at 25926 Sierra Center Blvd., which provides a range of brokerage, banking and financial advisory services
  • IVX Health, at 25930 Sierra Center Blvd., offers biologic injections and infusions for patients with health care issues, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
  • Zukku Sushi, at 25916 Sierra Center Blvd., is opening soon, according to its Facebook page. It offers a menu of sushi burritos, curated pig bowls and curated sushi bowls, sashimi and nigiri.

Meanwhile, at the western end of Sierra Center Boulevard, Bloomin’ Brands plans to open a trio of restaurants.

Bonefish Grill, which is part of the Bloomin’ Brands family of restaurants, is expected to open soon, near Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 56.

The first of those, Aussie Grill, opened in May, at 25340 Sierra Center Blvd. It is the first stand-alone restaurant in this brand that the chain has opened anywhere.

A Bonefish Grill is expected to open this fall, and a Carrabba’s Italian Grill is expected to open early next year, according to the company website.

The three restaurants will be clustered together with a shared parking lot.

On the southern side of State Road 56, Rock & Brews is in the process of hiring, in anticipation of opening soon.

Rock and Brews has been busy filling positions, in anticipation of opening soon.

The restaurant, at 26000 State Road 56, will have décor that features rock n’ roll posters. Televisions will play music videos, and diners will be able to play shuffleboard, corn hole and foosball.

The restaurant’s menu includes burgers, pizzas and salads — made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients. Plus, there’s a large selection of craft beers and an outdoor patio.

Nearby, Cigars International, at 2691 Creek Grass Way, recently opened — offering a selection of 1,300 cigar brands, a full-service lounge, an outdoor lounge and other amenities.

This sushi restaurant, in the Cypress Creek Town Center, is expected to open soon, according to its Facebook page.

Another recently opened attraction, Main Event, at 2839 Creek Grass Way, is a 49,000-square-foot venue offering 22 bowling lanes, billiards, laser tag, gravity ropes, shuffleboard, games, banquet rooms and various food options.

Future plans in the development call for a 70-seat Zaxby’s restaurant and a 3,120-square-foot  Tidal Wave car wash, in the general vicinity of the Aldi grocery store, which opened earlier this year, at 2215 Sun Vista Drive.

Beyond what’s already been developed, there’s also room available for future growth, according to a marketing brochure prepared by Colliers International.

The brochure reports an estimated population of 112,600 within a 5-mile radius of the center, with an average age of 37.8 years old and an average household income of $99,937.

Those statistics may explain why the area has fared so well, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Published October 21, 2020