South Tampa: Where Local Brands Are On The Grid

I've visited my hometown of Tampa, Florida and the neighborhood I grew up in many times over the years. My most recent visit seemed different and it was because I was seeing things in a different way. "With different lenses" is what I've been telling others. If you know me you know I'm passionate about locally-owned local-brand businesses. They are what give communities personality and make them unique. Without them, we all look the same. Within the grid of South Tampa, it definitely looks unique to me!

I define the grid of South Tampa for this post as bordered by Kennedy Blvd to the north, Gandy Blvd to the south, Bayshore Blvd to the east, and West Shore Blvd to the west. It is within this grid you'll find a few hundred locally & family-owned local-brand businesses. Many of them for generations and it was so refreshing to see and finally appreciate! Other business friendly roads within the grid are Henderson Blvd diagonally, Swan Ave, Bay to Bay Blvd, El Prado Blvd, and Euclid Ave horizontally, then Manhattan Ave, Himes Ave, MacDill Ave, and the main drag of Dale Mabry Hwy vertically. In South Tampa national brands seem to be the exception and not the rule serving an estimated 90,000 residents.

So why are there so many small local brands in South Tampa? Tampa just turned 135 years old and there are many older buildings and strip centers within the grid that are local business friendly. They are visible, part of the neighborhood, many of the owners live there, and the residents support them. It's the right formula for a local brand to succeed.

This was a short four day visit for us and I'm so glad we took it. I stopped by the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce to meet my counterpart Kelly Flannery, President & CEO. I wanted to introduce myself and let her know how much I appreciated the number of locally & family-owned local-brand businesses they have the honor to work with and serve. It was really impressive! Do you have a city or community that gives you the same feeling?