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Entrepreneurs Have High Hopes For Downtown Plant City

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

Signs of economic recovery can be seen in downtown Plant City. Eateries are grabbing up long-vacant spaces. A full-service Italian restaurant opened soon after another bailed out, and a wine and cigar cafe is taking its best shot at succeeding.

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By GEORGE WILKENS gwilkens@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 4, 2009

PLANT CITY - From Wall Street to Main Street, the economy is reeling.

Yet as Circuit City and other mammoth retailers collapse and chains such as Bennigan's shutter restaurants coast to coast, in historic downtown Plant City there is some evidence of economic optimism.

Along East Reynolds Street, eateries are grabbing up long-vacant spaces and a full-service Italian restaurant opened soon after another bailed out.

Optimism shared by newcomers to the downtown business scene is outweighed only by their enthusiasm.

"There's magic in Plant City, and I wanted to be part of it," said Daniel Del Pino, who invested a small inheritance and most of his lifesavings to launch Earth, Wine & Fire, 117 E. Reynolds St. "I literally walked downtown and fell in love with Plant City."

A native of northern California's scenic Marin County, the 38-year-old came here via Jacksonville a year ago when his employer, travel plaza operator Flying J, promoted him to manage the company's Seffner site.

But his heart wasn't in it, and he dreamed of opening a unique but simple place, a home away from home where customers can relax, socialize, enjoy beer or wine and smoke a cigar.

He and "sweat equity business partner" Kris Smith, a Plant City native, rented the narrow 1,200-square-foot storefront in the historic Mays Building, a long-vacant space that once housed Memory Makers sports shop, Herban Cowboy and Edge Photography.

In support of other business owners with a financial stake in Plant City, Del Pino shopped locally for his contractor, plumber, electrician and all remodeling supplies, resorting to out-of-town sources only for a grease trap and Ikea lighting.

Del Pino doesn't dream of making it big, and that's not how he will measure success at his 44-seat establishment.

"If I can profit $300, $400 a week I can survive; my overhead is so low," Del Pino said. "I opened up to show my passion and give life to historic downtown."

Next door, the 2,500 square feet that housed Good Times Cafe until the late 1990s recently became home to Savannah's Place.

Jean Hayes, who operates the breakfast and lunch spot with her two daughters, said the "restaurant for rent" sign appeared at just the right time. Savannah's outgrew its original space at 6241/2 Evers St. within 10 months.

Larger quarters have allowed for expansion of the sandwich menu to include soups, salads, daily hot entrees and desserts.

Despite the economy, business is increasing weekly, said Hayes, adding that she may extend hours to include weekend evenings and Sundays.

Cathy Davenport, owner-operator of Sister's & Co., said Plant City residents have long been the backbone of her 12-year-old ladies' apparel business. "That's where our success comes from. We are still seeing our locals; we're doing fine," she said of her 2,500-square-foot shop at 104 E Reynolds in the Mann Building, erected in 1914.

She said small shops have some advantages. "We can offer something large retailers can't: We get to know our customers."

Being in the historic downtown area has its own perks, she said. "We do have something unique to offer. We have some of the best architecture around and also have that small-town charm," said Davenport, a Plant City native. "We've been blessed."

On the other hand, Marian Jones' Accents, 107 E. Reynolds St., a longtime downtown gift shop, is scheduled to close March 31.

"It's just a basic lack of sales," largely due to the deteriorating economy, owner Marian Jones said. "It's nothing but the fact people just aren't buying," despite a stream of browsers and doing everything a business owner can to keep afloat.

"We check our prices. We were always competitive with everyone; we were fair; we were courteous," said Jones , in the midst of her going-out-of business sale: 40 percent off everything.

"Through the 11 years we've been in business, most of our customers came from outside of Plant City," so gasoline that once teetered between $3 and $4 a gallon was another blow to business, Jones said. Had more of her customer base been local, "We would have been a lot better off," she said.

She adds, however, that Plant City's historic district is not promoted as much as it should be, pointing to places such as Lakeland and Mount Dora, home to numerous downtown festivals.

Jon Davis, vice president of the Historic Downtown Plant City Merchants and Business Association, said the nonprofit group sponsors a monthly antiques market and is looking at adding seasonal events to draw crowds.

"We've kicked around a lot of different ideas, like maybe an Oktoberfest," Davis said. "You've got to gear more toward spring and fall. It's hard to do outdoor events in summer because people will just swelter in the heat."

Davis said he is encouraged by the opening of new restaurants "The more diversity we have downtown the better. We want to keep the antiques. We want to be known for that, but we want to appeal to everybody," he said.

A train observation platform planned for the downtown depot at 102 N. Palmer St. is expected to draw rail buffs to town.

"We're going to get a lot more aggressive on our promotions and fundraising once we have all our drawings completed and have a timetable" for the project, Davis said.

As for the 2-year-old Espress Yourself Coffee 101, a coffee shop Davis and his wife operate at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., business is "tight" lately, he said.

"When we first opened, it built up for while and seemed like it was kind of carrying itself," he said. "I have a construction company as well, and even as poor as construction is, I've had to feed the coffee shop with my construction business."

While everyone downtown would welcome additional business, "Overall, we're hanging in there," Davis said. "That's all we can do" until, hopefully, the economy improves.

Downtown has seen its shares of ups and downs over the years. Once the booming center of Plant City's commerce, merchants started moving to suburban shopping centers in the 1960s, and downtown began to decline. But in the mid-1990s, the city established the historic district, and investors began restoring the buildings, many dating to the early 1900s.

Marion Smith, president of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce since 2001, acknowledges these are trying times for most businesses - especially retailers and restaurants - trying to endure a lackluster economy.

"Everybody is hurting a little bit right now," Smith said. "I admire the people who are opening up" new businesses. "They have their hearts in it and everybody wishes them well. And we hope all the other stores can hang in there; we're all in this together."

The historic downtown continues to be a drawing card. "We have people coming in every day" to the chamber office at 106 N. Evers St., inquiring about things to see and do downtown, Smith said.

Some of the visitors Smith meets when they pop into the chamber office are often spotted later dining at local restaurants or photographing the city's historic brick buildings.

PROMOTING DOWNTOWN

Plant City has three monthly events to help promote downtown:

•Bike Fest, a motorcycle event, is from 5 to 9 p.m. the first Saturday monthly in and around Union Station Welcome Center, 102 N. Palmer St.

•Monthly market, including antiques and arts and crafts, is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. the second Saturday monthly through March at the municipal parking lot at Reynolds and Palmer streets.

•The Strawberry Classic Car Show, featuring antiques, hot rods and classics, is from 4 to 9 p.m. the third Saturday monthly in and around McCall Park at Collins and Drane streets.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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