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Talk of the Bay: A bright idea for holidays branches out

By Times Staff
Published September 18, 2007

What do you do when you have amassed 1-million holiday lights, 3 miles of extension cords and more inquiries from prospects beyond the Tampa Bay area than you have crews to handle? In the case of Decorating Elves Inc., you register to sell franchises. Previously known as Holiday Lighting Solutions, the 3-year-old St. Petersburg company decked out 130 local homes and several businesses last year. For a typical home, the bill was about $1,200 for more than 8,000 lights, including installation, maintenance, removal and rental of the equipment for the season. The biggest job so far: $6,000 to bathe a waterfront Belleair home in 60,000 twinklers. Founder Nick Schriver, a 28-year-old landscape architect, got in the business while a student at Ohio State. Now he does landscape design work for homebuilders "but the holiday decorating business pays the mortgage," he says. Startup franchise costs are $35,000 to $86,000, depending on market size.

Man sues overlimo that wasn't

Moshe Leib is invoking his constitutional right to operate his little Toyota Prius as an airport limousine. So he's suing the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, which denied him a limo license in August to pick up customers at Tampa International Airport. Leib, owner of TB Limo in North Redington Beach, claims the ruling infringed on his right under the U.S. Constitution to earn a living. The commission ruled the $26,000, fuel-sipping hybrid wasn't large and luxurious enough to be a limo. But Leib said he's catering to customers willing to skimp to protect the environment. Leib's lawyer is Luke Lirot, best known for defending Tampa strip club owner Joe Redner.

Insurers' rate hikes under scrutiny

As evidence that Florida insurance regulators are ready to toss even a small property insurer onto the regulatory skillet, officials from Cincinnati Insurance Co. and Cincinnati Indemnity are to appear today at public rate hearing in Tallahassee to try to justify their proposed statewide average 37.5 percent rate increase. This follows a recently approved rate reduction of 35 percent, which was effective June 1 for new and renewal business. The companies have a combined 15,350 residential policies in Florida.

.tampabay.com

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[Last modified September 17, 2007, 22:54:45]