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Letter to the editor

New Trek store pushes pedals

By SHARON GINN Times Correspondent
Published September 14, 2007

South Tampa's burgeoning cycling community is getting a second bike store, not far from the first. Trek Bicycle Store of Tampa is expected to open in early November at 530 S MacDill, a quick bike ride north from Flying Fish Bikes the former Dud Thames, a local cycling landmark at 2409 S MacDill.

David Sanborn, who owns the Trek location in Tampa, has four David's World Cycle shops in the Orlando area. The local store has a different concept and carries the name of prominent bicyclemaker Trek. (There are other stores that carry the Trek name throughout the country.)

"Most bicycle shops have a little bit of a mom-and-pop feel, compared to going to a mall and going to a traditional retail store that's company-owned," Sanborn said. "This store will have that company-owned feel but will be privately held."

Trek is a 7,000-square-foot open space that, until recently, housed furniture store Ancient Arts.

"There will be more customer space than people are used to," Sanborn said. "When you walk into other bicycle stores, it seems all the space is devoted to inventory."

Aside from inventory, the store will have two "fit stations," so cyclists can get their bike settings custom fit to improve comfort and reduce injury risk. The store also will have a 1,600-square-foot Vision Quest Coaching center, which will offer "remote coaching" by Robbie Ventura, commentator and former pro cyclist, and his Chicago-based staff at Vision Quest. Ventura will devise training regimens through e-mail and phone consultations.

The training center will feature computer-driven stations where cyclists can mount their own bikes and try a new workout or even "road test" some of the country's most popular race courses. "I can't duplicate wind, but I can duplicate a course," Sanborn said.

After using the training center, cyclists will be able to use one of two showers at the store.

Tentative store hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Buyer for building?

The building that housed Chateau Prive at St. Bart's Island House has been empty since the restaurant and club closed abruptly in July, but owner Gordon Davis has been fielding interest in the prominent space at 1502 S Howard Ave.

One potential suitor is Dallas Owens, the owner of Brandon's year-old Mojitos Grill, who is looking to expand into South Tampa.

"We are looking at several locations," Owens said. "Toward the top of the list is Gordon Davis' space. (It's) one of those Tampa staples. It's a difficult space to make a deal on, because it's a tough value to decide. It would be like somebody buying the Bern's building. You don't just go by square footage."

Owens said his business model for Mojitos Grill calls for leasing, not buying, restaurant space. But, he said, "this is one of those unique situations where it doesn't make sense to open there if we don't buy the building."

The Hyde Park location housed Davis' much-loved Le Bordeaux for 18 years, before he converted it into St. Bart's Island House in 2002. Last year Davis sold the business, but not the building, to Philip Glassman, whose efforts to convert St. Bart's into a private club failed.

Owens said he is not in a hurry. He recently moved into a loft in Channelside but for the moment prefers to focus his expansion efforts into South Tampa. "I'm a believer in track records," he said. "South Tampa's got a track record."

Mr. T's shuts its doors

After 27 years, restaurant owner Benedetto "Tino" Ricciardi has closed Italian mainstay Mr. T's. The restaurant opened in 1980 on Davis Islands and moved to its location at 909 W. Kennedy Blvd. in 1998. It closed two weeks ago.

Trish Moore, who owns the building that housed the restaurant, said Ricciardi just decided it was time.

"He's retiring," Moore said. "I think he just wanted more time to go fishing and enjoy life. That's what he told me, anyway."

In recent years, Mr. T's was busiest at lunchtime, serving nearby downtown business people and University of Tampa students. Ricciardi also brought in opera singers on Friday and Saturday nights.

Moore said she has had much interest in the 2,500-square-foot building and expects to lease it to a new restaurant owner soon.

Do you know something that should be everybody's business? Call 226-3394 or e-mail sharonlginn@yahoo.com.

The find

Bar and bat mitzvah onesies

Here's a cute way to say mazel tov on the birth of a baby and announce an event 13 years away. Congregation Rodeph Sholom designed onesies imprinted with SAVE THE DATE 2020. The pink onesie reads "My Bat Mitzvah"; the blue, "My Bar Mitzvah." They sell for $15 in sizes for newborns to 18 months at the 2713 Bayshore Blvd. synagogue. Call 837-1911 to order.

Amy Scherzer

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 07:58:44]