HSN CEO Discusses Leadership Style
The New York Times recently featured an interview with Home Shopping Network Chief Executive Officer Mindy Grossman, who discussed her unique approach to leading a company. Grossman told the Times […]
St. Petersburg
About $2 billion has been invested in downtown redevelopment since the late 1990s, establishing St. Petersburg as a leader in the marine sciences and financial services clusters. The city is also building a new $35 million museum to house the works of Salvador Dali. Crislip Arcade is undergoing a rebirth as a hub for aspiring and accomplished artists. Other diversions include visiting an array of funky stores and restaurants, The Pier, the Museum of Fine Arts, American Stage and Tropicana Field for a Tampa Bay Rays’ game. Housing choices range from historic bungalows to high-end waterfront condominiums to traditional subdivisions.
Happy Feet Owner Stays Ahead Of Curve
The Maddux Report features a profile on Happy Feet Plus co-founder Jane Strong. Strong and her partner opened the specialty footwear shop in 1985. It featured Birkenstocks long before the brand experienced a surge in popularity, and sold them online before the company did. The shop's Clearwater location, built in 2002, was the first in the nation to receive the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification. There are nine Happy Feet Plus locations in the region, which employ a total of about 45 people. Click here to read the complete Maddux Business Report profile.
Cool Digs: New Spaces In Old Places
Former hotels, churches and factories converted into new condos and loft apartments represent some of the coolest digs in town both in Tampa and in St. Petersburg. Some were built for industrial, commercial or religious purposes. Some were in terrible shape. The Sunday school even had a tree growing in it. Now, they are people's homes.
Test Kitchen Heats Up
Pinellas County teams with a company to offer a test kitchen for entrepreneurs to try out their food service ideas.
World of Beer Adds More Rounds
Philippe Theodore, 32, and Jason Rappaport, 31, are the first and largest franchisee owners in the World of Beer family. Expanding on the concept started by Scott Zepp and Matthew LaFon, who purchased exclusive rights to the name World of Beer, Theodore and Rappaport just opened their first WOB off of 4th St. in Saint Petersburg, and will open another location in mid-December in Tampa Palms. The duo expects to open 8-10 more locations over the next few years, possibly in Brandon, South Tampa, Clearwater and North Pinellas.
