Want some tasty treats? Sweet Serennah in Ybor City might have what you're craving.
By MICHAEL CANNING
Published April 2, 2004
SWEET SERENNAH ON SEVENTH: Most parents think their daughters are sweet. Rick and Floran Thomas think so much of their daughter that they named their business after her.
Sweet Serennah Bakery Cafe has opened at 1616 E Seventh Ave. in Ybor City, in the former Joffrey's Coffee Co.
Folks used to getting coffee, sweets and culture at this address can still do so. Just expect some additions to the menu.
The bakery sells wheat and white breads, short Cuban loaves, pumpernickel, French bread, croissants and bagels, Rick Thomas said. It offers 13 choices of cakes and pies, beignets, brownies and muffins.
The house specialties are deep-fried cheesecake and the Thomases' version of dulce de leche cake, called dulce de Serennah (named after you-know-who).
As for drinks, there are nonalcoholic frozen daiquiris, hot teas, fountain soft drinks and a variety of hot and frozen coffee drinks.
In keeping with Ybor's entertainment theme, there is live jazz every other Saturday and open mic poetry on Thursday nights, except for the last Thursday of each month, which is set aside for panel discussions. An occasional church group gathers there, as does a "singles cafe," which meets every first Friday.
By the way, the name is pronounced sir-EE-nah, like the tennis star.
BANK, JUICE FILL UP PLAZA: The pairing of Panera Bread and Starbucks is proving to be a formidable combination at shopping centers around the country. At the Town Square plaza at Kennedy and West Shore boulevards, it's no exception.
But the plaza's managers, Regency Centers, have struggled to fill the prime space, which includes Pier 1 Imports and PETCO.
Now the search for tenants is over. Washington Mutual and Robeks Juice plan to divide the remaining vacant space into storefronts.
Washington Mutual of Seattle is scheduled to open its Town Square location in late June, along with about 30 other branches throughout west-central Florida. These locations will function as a bank branch, or a "retail store" in WaMu speak.
WaMu was inspired by retail stores such as the Gap and Starbucks to create its own bank branch experience, spokeswoman Nova Barnett said. Contemporary music plays over speakers, staffers dress in khakis and cotton shirts, color schemes include warm purples, golds and greens, and children have their own play area.
The bank has revamped the transaction routine. Gone is the traditional row of tellers. Instead, customer service reps initiate the transaction by computer, then the customer completes the transaction at a computer kiosk, or "teller tower." This way tellers never handle cash.
The 4,430-square-foot branch will have cubicle offices where mortgage lending and other financial services will be offered.
The Town Square location, along with another opening at the same time in New Tampa, will be the first WaMu retail stores in Tampa, Barnett said. The bank, which has 2,700 locations nationwide, has had home loan offices in the area for several years.
Next door, Robeks Juice will open in about four months, regional developer and franchise owner Jeanne Walters said. Based in Los Angeles, Robeks sells healthy fruit drinks and snacks, a proprietary line of vitamins and supplements, books and juicing equipment.
The 838-square-foot store will offer prepackaged salads and sandwiches, muffins, cookies and nutrition bars, such as Moto Bars from Seattle. It will carry Robeks' famous, or perhaps infamous, wheat grass shots.
That's pure wheat grass, ground up and poured into a 1- or 2-ounce shot glass. It provides the equivalent of 21/2 pounds of green vegetable nutrients, Walters said. The taste? Well, Walters said, folks commonly chase the shot with orange juice.
Bottoms up.
Walters operates a Robeks at Regency Square Shopping Center in Brandon and plans to open 26 other franchises in the area. The Town Square store will have seating for about 15. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. seven days a week.
- Do you know something that should be everybody's business? Call 226-3382 or e-mail mikecanning@hotmail.com
Consignment furniture
You never know what you'll find when you pop into La Di Da Interiors, 3309 S Dale Mabry Highway. On a recent visit, we found this colorfully painted chair for $30 among the ever-changing selection of consignment furniture and apparel. Call 832-6757.
