New Shops Fill Lakewood Ranch's Main Street

Kathy Steele | Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Michelle Scala and Shepherd Frenchman open dental practice in Lakewood Ranch. Provided by Michelle Scala/Shepherd Frenchman

New businesses are filling Lakewood Ranch at Main Street to capacity. But the sprawling community of master-planned villages in Manatee and Sarasota counties also is seeing commercial growth elsewhere.

The newly remodeled corporate headquarters for MGA Insurance Group is home to a new dental practice and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance.

Longtime Lakewood Ranch residents Michelle Scala and Shepherd Frenchman opened Lakewood Ranch Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in February in Suite 100 at 8430 Enterprise Circle. Their landlord is MGA, which occupies the second floor and leases offices on the ground floor.

This is a second location for the couple who also have Bayshore Gardens Aesthetic Dentistry at 1805 Bayshore Gardens Pkwy., in Bradenton. The couple have doctoral degrees from the University of Florida College of Dentistry. Scala also is a graduate of the University of Miami, and Frenchman of the University of South Florida.

The couple accepts patients of all ages for general dentistry with an emphasis on cosmetics, dental implants and pain-free procedures.

"We've been residents of Lakewood Ranch for 10 years," says Scala. "It's where we began to raise our children. It's a very family oriented community with access to more city-wide elements as well."

And the business community is seeing new life as the economy gets stronger. "It's nice to see more of an influx now," Scala says.

The business alliance recently opened offices in Suite 140 at the MGA building.

Scala and Frenchman will hold a grand opening at their new dental office from 4 to 8 p.m. May 15.

Lakewood Ranch's Main Street business area will reach full capacity in May when In Focus Family Eye Care opens in Suite 103 at 8120 Main Street. The optometry office is owned by Brad and Ashley Masuga. In the next two week, White Rose Interiors and Unleashed for Pets, also will open.

In January the University of South Florida-Sarasota-Manatee opened its culinary school at 8130 Main Street, in the former spot operated as the Viking Culinary Center. The school's culinary students will become future chefs taking their classes at this new facility, the College of Hospitality and Technology Leadership Culinary Innovation Lab.

Late last year Healthy Living Organic and Natural Market opened at 10671 Boardwalk Loop and Shirts and Stones at 8141 Main St. The market offers vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathic and beauty products.

Shirts and Stones sells an array of custom rhinestone and vinyl clothing. The store also is licensed to sell college merchandise including Florida, Florida State, Miami and South Florida.

Writer: Kathy Steele
Source: Michelle Scala, Lakewood Ranch Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

Read more articles by Kathy Steele.

Kathy Steele is a freelance writer who lives in the Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa. She previously covered Tampa neighborhoods for more than 15 years as a reporter for The Tampa Tribune. She grew up in Georgia but headed north to earn a BA degree from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY. She backpacked through Europe before attending the University of Iowa's Creative Writers' Workshop for two years. She has a journalism degree from Georgia College. She likes writing, history, and movies.