Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Restaurant notes

By Times Staff Writer
Published June 24, 2005

RESTAURATEUR TO PUT GRILLMARKS IN OLDSMAR - The founders of the popular Grillmarks restaurant in Largo have sold the business but plan to open a second Grillmarks in Oldsmar.

The new restaurant will be a little larger than the original Grillmarks, said Nick Pappas, 31, but will have a similar menu.

"There's a lot of growth going on in Oldsmar, and we're real excited about moving there," he said. The new Grillmarks will be in a shopping plaza under construction at Tampa and Race Track roads.

Five years ago, Nick Pappas transformed the Geo. Pappas Restaurant his parents, George and Ginny Pappas, had owned and operated for 26 years into a savvy, contemporary bistro specializing in fire-grilled steaks and market-fresh seafood. It opened in the fall of 2000 and was an instant success.

A NEW PASCO STARBUCKS - Starbucks Coffee, home of the frozen Frappuccino, has opened a 500-square-foot drive-through store in Land O'Lakes' Collier Commons. It is Starbucks' 45th store in the Tampa area. "It's going to be a booming location," said Marshall Morris, district manager for the North Tampa region. "Land O'Lakes is a huge bedroom community, lots of homes; so many people were driving to get to their first Starbucks."

Regular hours are 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5:30 a.m. to midnight Fridays. On Saturdays, the store will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight, and on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, call 948-7399.

FIRST WATCH MOVING - Carrollwood's First Watch Restaurant, 11610 N Dale Mabry Highway, will move to a yet-to-be-announced location this fall. The restaurant says the move came about after the chain was unable to reach a satisfactory agreement to renew its lease. The present location, which opened in September 1995, will close June 27.

Employees have been offered positions at three of the chain's other locations in the area. The breakfast, brunch and lunch chain has 52 restaurants and will open new locations in Bonita Springs and Bradenton later this year. Others include 520 Tampa St. in downtown Tampa, 2726 E Fowler Ave. near the University of South Florida and 2569 Countryside Blvd. in Clearwater. The restaurant is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call (813) 961-4947.

[Last modified June 23, 2005, 08:09:06]