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Go West, Young Business

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Hung “Sunny” Choi opened Sunny Beauty Supply this month at 1907 N. Howard Ave. He likes the location but worries about the one-way traffic on Howard, the poor street lighting and the vanishing of cars and people after 7 p.m.

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By JOSE PATINO GIRONA

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 20, 2008

WEST TAMPA - Wigs, hair extensions, fake eyelashes, fashion jewelry, sunglasses, hair gels and creams.

Welcome to Sunny Beauty Supply, which opened this month at 1907 N. Howard Ave. Owner Hung "Sunny" Choi said he chose the location after an extensive search of Tampa's commercial districts.

Among its attractions: the central location and the lack of competition. Once he develops a client base, Choi hopes to learn the area's needs and open businesses that could succeed in the community, such as a nail salon, flower shop or gift shop.

Despite an economy that appears to be in a no-end-in-sight downturn, Choi is among several business owners investing along Howard Avenue, an area often touted as being on the cusp of excelling but yet to fulfill that potential.

Choi, 50, isn't new to business. The native of South Korea moved to Tampa 20 years ago from New York and opened a grocery store on Nebraska Avenue. He noticed the demand for beauty supplies, so he opened a beauty supply store on Nebraska 16 years ago.

But when the Central Park Village public housing complex was torn down last year, Choi lost a reliable customer base. He sold the property and began the search for a new location.

He was intrigued by Howard because he sees a potential for growth, and some of his former customers had moved to the area. Business is slow, but he anticipates making progress in three to six months.

He likes the location but worries about the one-way traffic on Howard, the poor street lighting and the vanishing of cars and people after 7 p.m.

"This becomes like downtown, no one walking around here," Choi said.

His landlord, Hashim Sullaiman, also is taking a leap of faith.

In September, he's opening Howard Deli next door to Choi's beauty supply store. It will sell sandwiches, Buffalo wings, salads, seafood, coffee, espresso, soft drinks and snacks.

Sullaiman, 38, has owned the properties since 1998. They have been mostly vacant, except for a few months when investors tried a wholesale general merchandise business and a convenience store.

Sullaiman became interested in developing them after learning of the planned redevelopment of the 10-acre Fort Homer Hesterly Armory site on Howard, a residential project in West Tampa and the temporary relocation of the Tampa Museum of Art to the Centro Espanol de West Tampa on Howard.

He would have opened sooner but said he had to buy properties behind his store to create 12 parking spaces required by the city. Purchasing the property, getting city approval and creating the parking lot took three years.

"I hope it generates more interest in the area - more people come and open businesses here," said Sullaiman, a partner in four Bay area convenience stores, including one on Columbus Drive. "Also, I hope it changes the perception of North Howard."

Sullaiman said West Tampa has a stigma as a high-crime area, but he hasn't experienced any crime.

He anticipates the community, founded in 1895, will progress. However, the city needs to ease restrictions on parking and rehabilitating buildings, he said.

"It has a lot of history," Sullaiman said. "Something like this at some point has to come back."

Nearly two years ago, Barbara Baker opened Baker & Company General Store & Antique Emporium, 2502 N. Howard Ave. She spent more than $1 million rehabilitating a 1906 building that was originally a boardinghouse for managers of the Cuesta Rey Cigar Factory.

Baker said she is holding her own. But if she depended solely on retail, success would be difficult.

Her two-story building can accommodate 100 people and has hosted weddings, baby showers, family reunions, birthday parties and socials for local organizations. She leases second-floor space to small businesses.

"I am very diversified for one building," said Baker, who has 41 parking spots over two lots.

She believes the area can thrive because it has the buildings in place and a historic charm. However, it needs a parking garage, traffic lights to slow motorists and fewer restrictions on business owners, such as those limiting the size of store signs.

Baker's advice to business owners: "Go in with your eyes open and be realistic to the neighborhood, to the economy, to everything."

Leo Alvarez, the West Tampa Chamber of Commerce's economic and business development director, said he is "pleasantly surprised" by the crop of new businesses.

Even during tough economic times, there's an undercurrent of interest in the area, Alvarez said. Once the widening of Interstate 275 is complete and work begins on the armory redevelopment, the demand will increase.

"You are going to see it more and more as the norm in a year or so," Alvarez said.

Just south of I-275, Pablo Cruz and Jose Rodriguez opened Procomputernet, a computer sales and repair shop at 1212 N. Howard Ave., three months ago.

Cruz, 33, said he sought a location in Brandon, where he lives, but decided on West Tampa partly because his sister owns the building.

Like other business owners, he likes the location close to downtown, South Tampa and West Shore. Most of his walk-in customers are not from the neighborhood, and he does a lot of business online.

There has been a lot of development on Howard south of his business, Cruz said, and the logical progression is north.

"I am planning to be here a long time," he said.

Reporter Jose Patino Girona can be reached at (813) 259-7659 or jpatino@tampatrib.com.

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