TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Awaiting The Time To Sparkle

Tribune photo by JAMIE PILARCZYK

New to the islands, Glass Reunions, 233 E. Davis Blvd., opened its doors for a soft opening Aug. 1, although its owner Kim Sprague and her husband, Bill, have been islanders for six years.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JAMIE PILARCZYK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

DAVIS ISLANDS - Dakota, a large, furry Old English sheepdog with a pink bow in her hair, sits peacefully inside Glass Reunions of Tampa Bay. The store mascot plays dramatic contrast to the fine glass sculptures, bowls and chandeliers surrounding her.

Glass Reunions, 233 E. Davis Blvd., opened Aug. 1 and is aiming for a mid-September grand opening to coincide with the estimated end of construction.

"I'm thrilled," said owner Kim Sprague, who has lived on the islands with her husband, Bill, for six years.

Her store is part of a more than $500,000 face-lift at the Village Shops at Davis Islands in the community's business district, which also includes the welcoming of West Park Bagel and Deli at 217 E. Davis Blvd.

"It was time to clean up the center," said Mike Myers, leasing agent with NAI Tampa Bay. He said the center was built in the 1950s and "not a whole lot had been done since then."

New storefronts with hurricane-rated windows, renovations to the awning, professional signage and sidewalk upgrades will help give continuity to the shops, Myers said.

Living through the construction has been difficult for some shop owners. Now in its second month, the work is taking longer than anticipated. Summer typically is slow for business on the islands and the struggling economy makes it a triple hit.

"I think the actual build-out is something that is overdue," said John Liras, owner of the Grecian Island Restaurant, 223 E. Davis Blvd. "But it's been a little excessive and it's really hurting the business. It's just beating down on us."

Julie Tate, owner of D.I. Body and Boutique, 227 E. Davis Blvd., said most of her business is drawn from pedestrian traffic, which has been severely slowed with the construction.

"A lot of my customers are browsers and without an awning it's hot," Tate said. "But there is no other better time than now to do" the upgrades.

Elaine Taylor, co-owner of Studio Cabello, 245 E. Davis Blvd., couldn't be happier. She and the other owners are planning a ribbon-cutting and grand reopening for September.

"It won't look like the same business at all," said Taylor, whose salon opened in January 2006. "We're extremely happy with the renovations. It will bring a little more upscale feel."

That's what Sprague keeps hearing from the people who brave their way past the construction to peer into her store windows.

Sprague, who grew up in California, was a glass artist for years before opening her first store in Virginia and a second in Key West, where she mostly served tourists. She closed the Virginia store, and after 17 years in the Keys, she said it was time to try Tampa.

Setting up shop in her neighborhood has a homey feel: Her bank is a few steps in one direction; her hairstylist a few in the other. She chose the area not only for its location but also for the stream of people during lunchtime.

The store will be managed by Karen McKinnon, an islander since 1966. Sprague will split her time between the stores until she closes the Key West location in about three years.

She hopes word of mouth and foot traffic get people inside Glass Reunions, which features original works by more than 200 contemporary American artists.

"Honey, you can't find anything like this in Tampa," Sprague said. "They are all one-of-a-kind pieces."

That unique draw is a welcome addition to the business community, said Bill Sharpe, president of the Davis Islands Chamber of Commerce.

"The key thing is the entire area is about to get a whole new face," said Sharpe, president of Tampa Marketing Co. "The outside will be dynamite. We're hoping others will see that and want to do the same."

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 259-7661 or jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT