A successful restaurant near the Florida State Fairgrounds wants to expand into Zephyrhills, but nearly $40,000 in much-needed repair work on the new location could kill the deal.
The Zephyrhills City Council, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, could approve a measure that would give Michael and Laura Andrews a chance to open a Smokehouse B-B-Q & Grill at 5740 Seventh St.
The Andrews want to take over the space formerly occupied by Pancho Villa’s Mexican Restaurant, and purchased the 36-year-old building for $95,000, according to county property records. The property sold in 2003 for $250,000, and was being sold as part of a short sale, according to a June letter from Rebecca Gaddis, a vice president at San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union.
The Andrews tried to get a Small Business Administration loan to help cover the purchase cost of the building and complete the major repairs, but the the condition of the building made that impossible, Gaddis said.
“The down payment, closing costs and required repairs will exhaust the available capital the Andrews currently have,” Gaddis said in her letter. “The opening of Smokehouse B-B-Q & Grill Inc., would be delayed, while the furniture and needed equipment to operate the business are purchased over time. ”
Gaddis added the restaurant could create 25 to 30 new jobs for Zephyrhills, and remove a vacant storefront from the city’s downtown.
Smokehouse B-B-Q was started in 2004 on U.S. 301, one mile north of Interstate 4 in Tampa, Gaddis said. Although revenue has steadily increased over the past few years, the Andrews felt they had reached their capacity at their current location, and wanted to add a second one.
The CRA is set to meet Aug. 11 at 5:30 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St.
