It was heartbreaking. After three years, of blood, sweat and tears, the owners of Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill in Brandon lost their lease on the location. And without warning. Simone and Mike Tolley received a letter on Jan. 9, stating they had 10 days to “vacate the leased premises.” The letter came from Tampa attorney […]
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Country home tops December transactions
The home at 3618 Midway Road was the top residential real estate transaction in December, selling for $362,000. Built in 1996, it has four bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths, a pool and 4,284 square feet of living area. It is situated on move than five acres and features a barn with three stalls. The price per square […]
Continue ReadingSunshine State Federal Savings plans conversion
The Sunshine State Federal Savings board made a decision to file for a mutual-to-stock conversion in December. The bank plans to file in mid-March. The initiative requires regulatory approval and must go through the Office of the Comptroller of Currency before being finalized. “If everything goes right, we could be consummating in July,” President Floyd […]
Continue ReadingDurant grad’s jewelry business takes national spotlight
The jewelry hadn’t even shown up yet, but already, there were curious bystanders mulling about Fringe Boutique, Dec. 18. The shop was hosting a trunk show for Bourbon and Boweties. The up-and-coming jewelry line was founded by Durant alum Carley Ochs. The signature piece is a bracelet. The gold plated bangle has oversized stones strategically […]
Continue ReadingZweet Zymphony
Plant City’s Rick Lott and Tom Frederick won the entrepreneurial equivalent of the Super Bowl earlier this year, when they sold Zeno Office Solutions, the office equipment supply firm they founded in 1996. Document management giant Xerox bought Zeno, with $65 million in annual sales, for an undisclosed sum in April. The firm still exists […]
Continue ReadingNew lounge brings bold flavors to Plant City
Anyone who wants to experience a little slice of foreign culture has a new opportunity in town. Four months ago, Plant City residents who wanted to smoke from a hookah had to travel to Brandon or Lakeland. Fadi and Hanadi Abed, who also own Lakeland’s Hookah King, have since changed that by opening Hookah King […]
Continue ReadingWawa, Firehouse Subs set sights on Plant City
Here’s a bit of news that should delight any Northerners and sandwich fans out there: The space on the corner of Interstate 4 and Thonotosassa Road eventually will become a Wawa gas station and convenience store. Wawa, which originated in Delaware, has locations throughout the United States’ East Coast and is tremendously popular in areas […]
Continue ReadingBREAKING: James Hardie to expand Plant City operations
Christmas came a few weeks early for the Plant City business community. James Hardie announced this week plans for a major expansion of its Plant City facility. The expansion will generate more than 100 new jobs and nearly $80 million in capital investment by 2015. The global manufacturer of fiber cement siding and interior products […]
Continue ReadingBREAKING: Sweetbay to lay off 346 employees
Editor’s note: This story first appeared on our partner site, tampabay.com. Sweetbay Supermarkets plans to lay off 346 employees at its Tampa headquarters and distribution center by year-end amid the grocery chain’s pending sale to Jacksonville-based Bi-Lo Holdings. Sweetbay officials said the number released in a state filing may be less if some employees are offered […]
Continue ReadingStrawberry season begins in Plant City
Although it will be another six months before Plant City’s farmers will be able to evaluate this year’s strawberry season, so far, the weather has treated the community’s famous crop favorably. “The weather is delightful,” said Ted Campbell, executive director for the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. “It’s perfect right now. There have been no monsoon […]
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