Monday, July 31, 2006

Updates on the shops at Osborne and Florida

From my sources:

There will still be an antique store where Now & Again II was at. Michael and John (formerly of N@A II) will be managing it and most of the same dealers with their merchandise will be there, with room for fresh merchandise/dealers to come in too.

Karen's Place Antiques has expanded into Ashley's old place.

The most exciting news is a that a couple is seeking to open a coffee shop in the old Coffee Bean location. They have experience with owning coffee shops, and plan to renovate the interior to create more of a comfy (sofas) atmosphere. They hope to open in September, with proposed hours of 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. (or maybe even start at 6:30 a.m., with a curbside takeout for phoned in orders!). They will be a full coffee bar with lots of choices of blended hot & cold beverages, plus some light fare, like gourmet sandwiches, pastries.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah! give Starbucks a run for their money - I have only been to Starbucks 2 times since they opened - I don't drink coffee or hot tea and don't just want a cookie to eat so I just drive on by. This sounds like a great option - hope it happens.

Anonymous said...

Why would it be a great option Greg? You just said you don't drink coffee, tea, or eat cookies. Now you are exciting you get to choose between two places you would never go to? Or are you just hating on Starbucks? So basically, you are a vehicle for hate. Where are you going to drive to next so I don't get into an accident and get hate all over me?

If you are hating on Starbucks, you have been there 2 times? Yet you don't drink coffee or tea and don't eat cookies. So do you love to hate?

You are very confusing Greg. Are you a lover or a hater. Or are you a closet coffee and/ or tea drinker with an affliction for the occational cookie?

I think the community would like to know Greg...

Anonymous said...

Holy coffee beans, Anon ... try decaf!

Anonymous said...

Tyler Durden, Do you like starbucks before or after you kick the sh$t out of yourself?

Anonymous said...

the first rule of buying Starbucks is that there is no Starbucks.

Anonymous said...

also, i am glad that there might be a place to hang out and drink coffee on a couch that is not my own couch. i would like to see a home-grown place that you can go into (wish Indigo had such a place) succeed in the hood.
sounds like these folks might know what they are doing.

Anonymous said...

ya home-grown usually is better...!

Anonymous said...

What ever happened to the planned coffee shop next door to Forever Beautiful spa? I have been hearing about that for years and it looks like there is some kind of construction going on there. Is it realistic to think that two independent coffee shops on that section of Florida Ave will both survive with Starbucks just around the corner?

Anonymous said...

Oh God please no. Don't renovate please! I can't stand it. No more coffee shops or restaurants. There is no parking & this ain't a walking friendly community. Nothing will work on that corner that needs more than 1 parking space. Hey Terry wise up and rent it to John & Mike a @ a good deal and you won't ever be vacant again.

Anonymous said...

First of all, anon 2:22, you are the only one sounding like a hater here, give the guy ( or girl) a break! I am so glad this subject came back up! Definately excited about the new coffee shop and the reopenning of the antique shop, I really missed the coffee bean, Milton was very nice. Let's just hope that John can get off his duff and actually help customers- he can be rude.

David Scott Banghart said...

Interesting how things change depending on where we are.

Think to the last time you went to the mall, Home Depot or Target, or downtown. How far did you have to walk?

There is plenty of parking for the shops at Florida and Osborne. South side of Osborne halfway up to the middle school.

Anonymous said...

I will be a customer of the new coffee shop - even though I know it will fail- nothing works on that corner. There parking lot is used by the apartments and antique shops customers & employees and a gym. Osborne will hold 7 more cars but notice none of the employees will park on osborne. Their are not enough spaces to support a coffee shop-- yeah it will hang on a dy a so death but it life. Business is location!!

Anonymous said...

John rude? He lost all that weight now he nows he's a hotty!

Anonymous said...

I think Karen should just take over the whole building and put a teahouse on the end! She's da bomb diggety! I have been to the shops many times and never had a problem finding a place to park. I do know the restaurant does have huge plumbing problems and sewage back ups-(yuck). Anyway good luck to all -I will continue to patronize.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:22 see below:

"with lots of choices of blended hot & cold beverages, plus some light fare, like gourmet sandwiches, pastries."

This would be what I am looking forward to.

I really don't care about Starbucks as long as they maintain their building and keep the trash picked up and the fact that they have cleaned up a commercial corner in my neighborhood - I say welcome.

Regarding the location next to the day spa - Elizabeth will be opening a restuarant no longer a coffee shop when construction is complete - the last I heard it was scheduled for Sept but she is having trouble finding a contractor to finish the job.

Have a groovy day Anon!

Anonymous said...

OK - I suggest we make a rule --- if everybody can't understand what the heck you're talking about in your post, don't post. What is the 'hater' stuff all about?! I was feeling good, reading a positive story about a new business coming in and then all the sudden it got weird and negative. Come on now!

CouldBeSherry said...

Parking is impossible and while people DO walk in the hood, it is pretty far from many. However,it WILL be a bit of a walk from your car! In rain or the 100 degree jheat that will be a bummer. Love to see something on this corner but have always thought food is dumb unless only at night when most of the othe places are closed. Or it would be a super location for a home delivery based food business.

Anonymous said...

What is the history of that corner. Has anything lasted longer than a couple of years?

Anonymous said...

Dammit! I go on vacation, and it sounds like you guys harvested all the mushrooms. Crap, I miss out on all the fun.

Anonymous said...

Tyler, you guys are the sh*t. Maybe we can get together and paint each other up!

Anonymous said...

6:30am curbside takeout for phoned in orders? what da f@#&? this I have to see. what if you have to park 1/2 mile away?

Anonymous said...

They aren’t even open and someone is already complaining about a service they may or may not offer. Nice. Baby Jesus feels your pain.

Anonymous said...

Be realistic
How much does a coffee shop pay it's employees?
How many will show up @ 5:00 am for that pay?
Would you?

Anonymous said...

Suck it up and go to work early in the morning for little pay? I'm sure NO ONE in Tampa does this on a daily basis.

Anonymous said...

and you are better off for it - have you heard of the latte factor regarding retirement savings - put the cost of your weekly latte in the bank and retire sooner as a result! Now that's a good trade-off.

AngelSil said...

I'd rather have my latte now, thanks. I know it makes sense and all but no coffee = cranky sil

Anonymous said...

Given that the last several businesses to open there were opened by people with little to no experience, it's hard to judge their lack of success on location alone.

If I learned anything from Rigos (when it was owned by Rigo over on Knollwood) it's that the antique stores do better if there's a cafe to lure customers into them. You get synergy between the businesses.

A wise cafe owner will offer some healthy food as well to attract the gym customers (of which I am one.) A healthy smoothy after a workout would tempt me more than a latte will.

Of course, if the folks over there South of Hillsborough are gonna bitch and moan about them opening there... they can open over here by Hampton Terrace. We'd be happy to have something nearby. :-) And many neighbors here walk to Publix. We're not afraid of a little heat or rain if it means a nice walk and exercise.