patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Small Business

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Who's Recycling in Dunedin?

Check out this list of businesses, schools, churches and apartments that are "committed to the environment," according to the city's website.

Did you know the City of Dunedin's website includes a list of local businesses, schools, churches and more that participate in recycling efforts? The "who's recycling" list includes those places that are "committed to the environment" and even breaks it down by which types of materials they recycle. Check it out here or in the PDF attached to this story. Any surprises? Any place not on the list that should be? Sign up for the Dunedin Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!            

Robbie

2:13 pm on Sunday, May 12, 2013

The Stirling Commons Building (includes all the business's) on Broadway also recycles.   more ›

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Energy-Efficient Lights Save Downtown Merchant Thousands

Switching over to LED lighting more than paid off for downtown Dunedin merchant Lee Mullen, owner of Lasting Impressions Engraving and Gifts.

Lee Mullen likes to keep a copy of his shop's February 2010 Progress Energy bill handy. It's most powerful to see how much the electric bill drops after replacing all the lights in his downtown store with LED bulbs, Mullen said. The numbers don't lie.  "You can talk all you want, but when you actually see proof," said Mullen, owner of Lasting Impressions Engraving and Gifts, as he walked over to retrieve his old bill. The City of Dunedin recently recognized Mullen's efforts with its 2012 Environmental Advocate Award during an April 18 commission meeting.  Mullen invested about $4,800 and three months of tweaking to install all of the energy-efficient lighting inside his 1,200-square-foot Main Street storefront (but technology has come a …

Monday, April 1, 2013

Serendipity Café Adds Dinner to the Menu

Owner Kim Mohr adds an official dinner menu to the other all-natural and gluten-free options on Tuesday.

Months of food experimentation is about to pay off. Kim Mohr, owner of Dunedin's only all-natural, organic and gluten-free eatery Serendipity Café on Main Street, started opening for dinner and serving alcoholic beverages in July 2012. Before that, Serendipity Café only served breakfast and lunch. Mohr was looking to expand her menu, and patrons got to taste-test potential dinner items while she sought to fine-tune and finalize recipes for the new menu.  On Tuesday, Mohr unveils the final product, her "Serendipity After Dark" menu. It features vegan and gluten-free starters like Jalapeno Poppers stuffed with cashew cheese and Raw Tacos, which use Southwest-spiced walnuts in place of meat, as well as dinners like Grilled Turkey Meatloaf, …

Christine Tsotsos

9:32 am on Monday, April 1, 2013

Kim Mohr has successfully tapped into not only a culinary need in our community, but she's also very on trend. Not trendy, but on trend. Everything she offers is delicious and creatively prepared. We are very fortunate to have her among the typical Italian, Mexican, Rib/Steak/Chicken restaurants that can be found anywhere. Serendipity is unique not only because of Kim's food, but her hospitality…   more ›

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Dry Cleaning Goes Green at Causeway Cleaners

Causeway Cleaners in Dunedin specializes in giving the whole dry cleaning package in a environmentally safe way.

Causeway Cleaners offers dry cleaning, alteration, laundry and alteration and they do it all in a way that's safe for the environment. Steve Milby, owner of Causeway Cleaners switched over to the green system of cleaning a few years back. "I just wish I had done it a lot sooner," Milby said. In addition to the green processes, Causeway Cleaners tries to be the "Mom and Pop" dry cleaning location of Dunedin, Milby said. To learn more about the process at Causeway Cleaners, watch the video above. Related Coverage: Sign up for the free Dunedin Patch email newsletter to stay connected to your community.

Julie Ward Bujalski

2:39 pm on Sunday, March 31, 2013

Thanks for being a great Dunedinite Steve. We're behind you 100%!   more ›

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Red 'Roderic' Replaces Celtic Shop's Lost Scotsman Angus

Roderic the Red is not Angus, but he's quickly become a symbol of community for owner of the Celtic Shop of Dunedin Lynn Thorn.

Lynn Thorn was saddened the day her Scotsman left. So one of Dunedin's active Scottish and Celtic heritage groups decided to restore hope to the heartbroken downtown merchant. Angus, so loyal and stoic, kept her company and welcomed shoppers into her downtown Celtic Shop of Dunedin. That is, until one day in early December when the brown-bearded, kilted cutout disappeared. Thorn put out a call for help in a "Lost & Found" announcement on Dunedin Patch Dec. 2, but to no avail. Then one day, the New World Celts surprised Thorn at a meeting and introduced her to a new kilted Scotsman, a red-head. The cutout was designed, painted and donated by local artist Jay Archer, Thorn said. "It's a good example of how community got behind me and …

Rebecca Wellborn

1:32 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013

Just one of the many ways in which the New World Celts provide service in our community. It always makes me feel good at special events knowing they are there helping with security, which they do on a volunteer basis. Thanks NWC!   more ›

Friday, March 8, 2013

Main Street Merchant Tries to Bring Appeal to Mid-Town

The owner of Novel Blend, a new art and collectible shop, is trying to rally mid-town Main Street merchants together in hopes of bringing a Dunedin sense of place to the State Road 580 corridor.

Marcia Devine wants to create an eclectic shopping oasis along one of Dunedin's most busy and vapid roads. And she's bringing neighboring merchants with her. Devine, the owner of Novel Blend, a new art, collectible and consignment shop, is trying to rally mid-town Main Street merchants in hopes of bringing downtown Dunedin flavor to the State Road 580 corridor. She started by completely transforming the building at 1075 Main St. What was once an outlaw Internet gambling cafe is now a quiet, clean respite on one of Dunedin's most heavily trafficked roadways, providing coffee to customers looking for unique items for their home or as gifts.  She dreamed of the idea many years ago in her previous career, and didn't want to live her retirement…

Jayne Krakowiak

7:03 pm on Saturday, March 9, 2013

My support goes to anyone trying to make improvements. Just getting more positve, uplifting businesses into the area is a wonderful move. One challenge is to improve the curbside appeal - street, to parking lot, to store door is not very appealing. I will be stopping by to check out Our Place Dunedin.   more ›

Sail Honeymoon Not Exempt from Bid Process, Commission Rules

Dunedin commissioners agreed in a 3-2 vote to move forward on a three-year-old agreement with Glen Steinke, the expiring concessionaire at Sail Honeymoon on Dunedin Causeway, to open the land to competitive bidding.

Sail Honeymoon supporters turned out in droves to Thursday's city commission meeting, hoping to convince city officials to make a policy exception for beloved owner Glen Steinke. Despite Steinke's plea to "do what’s right, do what’s right for me, right for the taxpayers and right for the community," the exception they all hoped for wasn't approved. An estimated 60 supporters filled the seats inside City Hall, overflowing into the aisle and front foyer. They wore printed stickers that read "I Support Glen + Sail Honeymoon Dunedin Causeway," and many spoke of their affection for the longtime owner of the iconic kayak rental business. They all asked them to skip the competitive bidding process, known as the RFP (request for proposal) process…

Christine Tsotsos

8:13 am on Saturday, March 9, 2013

It was my first time watching a commission meeting. Wow. Just as an observation...could the Mayor be more condescending and rude to Commissioner Scales? Not sure what Barnette's ramblings of "random thoughts" he was having during the RFP debate meant except to say he was playing both sides of the coin. I'm very impressed with Commissioner Gracy's intelligent debate contribution. I'm happy I voted…   more ›

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

City Attorney, Staff: Sail Honeymoon Concession Should Go to Bid

After months of delays, Dunedin's city attorney and staff experts are recommending that elected officials allow the Causeway concession services open to competitive bidding at Thursday's public meeting at City Hall.

Sail Honeymoon's expiring contract is causing Chuck Ankney to lose sleep. Ankney, the city's purchasing manager, is worried that repeated delays in the bidding process that allow the kayak rental business to operate on the Dunedin Causeway could potentially push the agreement past its July expiration, a violation in the city's purchasing policy. "I was thinking about this issue last night when I was trying to go to sleep….not a preferred way to go to sleep," Ankney wrote in a Feb. 21 email to City Attorney Tom Trask.  Some Dunedin officials have pushed for a loophole that would allow Sail Honeymoon to skip the bidding process altogether, an exception given to no other business in the city. Leaders are reviewing the policy as it pertains to…

-Ed Harris-

5:19 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Glen, I would love nothing more than to be there, but tomorrow night we have to be at Osceola High for our new soon to be ninth grader. Hopefully the commission will consider all possibilities wisely and fairly.   more ›

Sail Honeymoon Favoritism? What Dunedin's Saying

A story on Dunedin officials' Jan. 24 discussion for creating a loophole in policy that allows a Causeway concessionaire to skip the re-bid process in a soon-to-expire city agreement sparked some insightful opinions.

Dunedin Patch's story "Are Dunedin Officials Playing Favorites with Sail Honeymoon?" generated lots of discussion several weeks ago. The story focused on public officials' Jan. 24 discussion for creating loophole in policy that would allow the Causeway's Sail Honeymoon concessionaire to skip a re-bid process in a soon-to-expire legal agreement he made with the city three years ago. At least three commissioners moved to delay the bidding process for the Causeway concession contract, saying they wanted to review and address concerns the city's purchasing policy. Some said they also believe Glen Steinke, owner of Sail Honeymoon, who has been operating on the Dunedin Causeway for about 20 years, was treated poorly prior to the legal agreement …

-Ed Harris-

11:07 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Dear Mr. Steinke, The law is the law and if the City feels they have no other choice, then they have no other choice. I do disagree with that thinking since there are always choices. However, I am only interested in doing business with you. As a customer, I am loyal to you and I am not interested in doing business with anyone else. If you do not get awarded the contract please let us know where …   more ›

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Hair Salon Returns to Downtown Main Street

Gregory Brady, property owner of 351 Main Street in downtown Dunedin, is re-opening the longtime hair salon under a new name at the end of March.

Gregory Brady is bringing a beauty back to downtown Dunedin. And he's bringing Broadway's Awaken Organic Skincare & Boutique with him. Brady, who owns the bright green and orange corner building at 351 Main Street, intends to open "Salon GW" at the end of March.  Brady said he's working to resurrect the location as a six- to-seven-day-a-week hair, skin and beauty destination by March 25.  "It's kind of the logical thing right now," he said.  Brady said he wants to keep the salon simple. One side of the building will be equipped with five stations that he'll contract to local stylists. "They'll be on their own," Brady said. "They'll have the freedom to do what they want with color, product, or whatever their vision is." The opposite side …

Got a Hot Tip?
 
 

Videos