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Going Back To Burgers

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By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 2, 2008

GOLFVIEW - After 43 years in the restaurant business, Bella's owner Bill Shumate decided he wanted to go back to square one.

Shumate, who opened Bella's Italian Cafe, 1413 S. Howard Ave., 21 years ago, is working with ex-wife and business partner Joanie Corneil to create a gourmet hamburger diner, Square 1 Burgers, 3701 W. Henderson Blvd.

"Bill started in the burger business," Corneil said. "He had four or five places back in Oklahoma. But that was 43 years ago."

The new 3,500-square-foot restaurant will serve eight types of burger: Angus, Kobe beef, vegan, turkey, crab cake, tuna, chicken and portobello mushroom. They will also serve a quarter-pound hot dog, Oklahoma-style chili, vegetarian chili and several salads, Corneil said.

"We're going to have sit-down service, but we expect to do a lot of carryout and curbside," Corneil said.

The restaurant also plans to serve beer and wine.

A final city council public hearing for the restaurant's wet zoning is scheduled for Jan. 10, said Steve Michelini, Shumate's representative.

"It's a great concept," Michelini said. "Bill and Joanie travel and look at other concepts all around the country. You've never seen anything like this. It's going to be great."

Corneil said the restaurant will also serve ice cream, shakes, sundaes and cupcakes.

The food might scream diner, but Corneil said the decor will be anything but.

"It's going to be really cool," she said.

Corneil said Shumate has been talking about opening a burger restaurant for 10 years. The couple opened Bella's 21 years ago. Two expansions in Clearwater and Temple Terrace weren't as successful, so they closed them.

Corneil said it was natural for Shumate to get back into the burger business.

"He started at one of those restaurants with a phone at the table, and you phoned in your order to the kitchen," she said. "He's been around a long time."

She said they have been working for a year to get all the necessary city permits to open Square 1. She expects it to open in late February.

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109 or msamuels@tampatrib.com.

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