3 Coins goes 24/7

Starting today Seminole Heights has a 24/7 place to go to eat. A long time neighborhood gathering place has a new feel, new attitude, and new expanded menu. New granite counters. They now even take credit cards! Breakfast is available anytime with new omlettes choices. A number of new lunch and dinner items. From the looks of the menu items, it looks like they are aiming to compete with Perkins, Denny's, and Village Inn.

The resturant came under new ownership about 2 months ago. The new owner clearly felt there would be a market for a 24 hour establishment in the neighborhood. It also is a huge vote of confidence in the future of that section of Nebraska Ave.

Three Coins is located on the corner of Broad and Nebraska

FOR ALL YOU NAYSAYERS, ALARMISTS, AND GENERAL MALCONTENTS!

For all of you who thought you had something big to talk about....down on TPD, spreading the rumors, read it and weep!
http://www.seshca.com/TPD.htm

Ybor Pizza - Resurrected

"News of my death is greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain

When Ybor Pizza closed, my neighbor and original owner of the restaurant told me, "It may come back."

True to his word, Copa Cobana on Nebraska Ave. is back in his hands as of last weekend and he's been quick to turn it around and prepare it for business. Down came the beautiful yellow/red flame paintings on the glass windows touting "The Best Wings in Town." Gone went the matching yellow outside walls.

We on the blog, expect no apologies from people like Alex Zayas (reporter - St. Pete Times), who skewed the neighborhood for our take on businesses like Copa Cabana; transforming our opposition of shady local establishments into a racial issue. Still, if not an apology - some sort of wink of acknowledgement would be nice if the rumor holds true that Copa's owner packed it up in the middle of the night and skipped out on his two leases (the other place being on Florida Ave.). If it's confirmed the owner just took all he could from the neighborhood and ran - disappearing when real people/employees (and likely families) are depending on him for a wage - I believe it unfortunately justifies our initial concerns.

In the end the neighborhood as a whole not only perseveres - we win! Seminole Heights might have been changed in the minds of some outsiders due to yellow journalism, but as neighbors we know we have many things to be proud of: Diversity, acceptance, beautiful homes, great people, a growing trend for neighborhood serving businesses, and once again the best damn pizza trifecta in Tampa Bay: Cappy's, Stephanno's and Ybor Pizza.

Note: As for what's to become of the Florida Ave. location, I do not know. However, I did see it still seemingly open for business on Saturday.

MERINOS DELI NEEDS MID-DAY HELP!

Merinos Seminole Heights Deli is seeking a person that has the lunch time available to work at the deli from Monday thru Friday.
School will be back and we want to train a person to learn to help us make our delicious deli sandwiches and greet our neighbors at lunch time from 11:30 till 1:30 and possibly later if necessary.
No experience is necessary, but you will have to be ready to bring your smile and good hearted nature.
Drop by the deli at 6428 Florida Ave. or call me on my cell at 431-5730.

Leroy's officially For Sale?

There is an unconfirmed rumor that Leroy's 4x4 has officially been put up for sale on a wide scale. After a scour of resources I did find a confidential listing for a 33604 "Auto Repair Business" that's "located along a heavily traveled corridor."

The price is $1,050,000 for the two buildings and land, but to get specific information I'd have to sign a Confidentiality and Non Circumvent Agreement, which ain't gonna happen.

Other tib-bits I learned about the property is that it has/is:

• Bay doors & Lifts
• Near Major Interstate
• Business Established nearly 12 years
• High Traffic Count
• Strong Financials
• Commercial Zoning

I don't know a ton about Leroy's, but from what little I do, it certainly sounds like the place to me. Please chime in if you have any news/info.

Merino's Deli Reaching Out

Compliments to Merino's Deli for continuing to reach out to the people of S.H. and beyond. In addition to a recent Blood Drive with goodies for participants, they've been running coupons in publications that are delivered in and beyond neighborhood boundaries.

One is pictured here. Another can be found on their website or at: http://www.efloridacoupons.com/hill_rest_merinos.htm

Keep it up Mike!

Grand Opening & July Mixer

BGoSH is proud to announce that Custom Creations & Events, Inc., located at 6420 N. Central Av., is hosting their first mixer along with their grand opening on Friday, July 27th 2007 - 5pm to 9pm.

Cocktails and Hors D'oeuvres will be served, start your weekend off right and come party with the party people!

Public invited, please feel free to bring co-workers, friends and family, we are looking forward to seeing you there!

Call if you have questions or need directions 813-234-3755 or visit us on the web at www.CustomCreationsAndEvents.com

Come and see what Custom Creations & Events can do for you! Specializing in events of all kinds. . . Weddings, Anniversaries, Family Reunions, Birthdays, Holiday Parties, Fund Raisers and more!

Parking is available at the church.

Revitalization north of I-275 stokes Debate

Very interesting story from John Allman of the Tampa Tribune about revitalization efforts going on between S.H. and downtown Tampa.

I think he did a decent job at balancing the debate of "progress" vs. providing services for the less fortunate.

S.H. gets a plug too: "Seminole Heights, the neighborhood north of Tampa Heights, continues to attract homebuyers and popular retail spots such as Starbucks."

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB86OFJ34F.html

Tax cut. Can Tampa make it a Win-Win?

Perhaps I'm being too logical here, but today it hit me that these two events might be able to help each other:

1(link) Tax cuts: "Mayor Pam Iorio laid off 121 full-time city employees and eliminated 133 part time and seasonal jobs and 115 other vacant posts Thursday to trim $15-million from the city's bottom line. "

2 (link) Code enforcement/collection: "Court records show the city fined Bitman about $43,000 in a 1999 code case involving inoperable vehicles and open storage but never collected."

"... the oldest violations date nearly 10 years to a vacant lot ... which has fines totaling about $107,000."

Seems to me that if Tampa wants to help make up the shortfall in property tax cuts, they should be investing more in code enforcement/collection -- not less.

What do you think? Am I missing something here -- or are they?

Farmers' Market trumps Car Lot

Our friend, Alan Snell, of Bike Stories reports the owner of the northwest corner of Florida and Hillsborough Ave. is bucking used car lot owners' offers to buy the property and is instead trying to start a Farmers' Market.

Alan wrote "Rob [the owner] said he's going to have the freshest fruits and veggies and will eventually build a small structure to house the goods. But for now, he'll sell the stuff from his green truck. A white fence is coming, too, on this property that he owns."

I think the premise seems positive and community serving -- and its success could encourage other property owners to continue to say no to car lots.

Please stop by the Farmers' Market, anytime between 7-2pm on Saturdays. There might not only be great produce deals there -- but you just might find yourself a business opportunity.

Read more from Alan Snell at: http://alansnel.com/blog/2007/07/farmers-market-blooms-in-seminole.html

Moving Fence for Safety

Odd how threat of a lawsuit draws more action than a senseless death.

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - Nothing can ease their loss, but the parents of a woman killed in a wreck say they hope an agreement to relocate a chain-link fence will make Florida Avenue a safer road.

http://centraltampa2.tbo.com/content/2007/jun/30/st-moving-fence-for-safety/?news

FREE TO ALL GREATER SH RESIDENTS

A Summer Gift from SESH to all it's SH neighbors!

This is the second annual SESH Summer Ice Cream Social. We had so much fun last year we are extending an invitaion to all of our SH neighbors to join us. As long as the delicious home made ice cream lasts...............IT'S FREE! So come early!

Lots of toppings, cones and cups, and a brownie to made a delicious sundae..............oh yeah..............we even have sugar free!

See you there!