Now Open: 'Home Plate' Replaces Iris's Grill

Home Plate on the Trail is open for business in time to welcome baseball fans in town for the Toronto Blue Jays' Spring Training season home opener.

Robin Wening hit a home run when Iris's Grill closed in January. New owner Cindy Phillips set out to completely transform and refurbish the Douglas Avenue eatery, right down to its name, and offered the public a chance to come up with its new identity for a $200 prize. Wening, of Palm Harbor, said she saw the contest in a story on Dunedin Patch and drove over to the restaurant to submit her idea. When she hadn't heard anything for a while, she decided to drive by and was shocked to see her "Home Plate" in big black block letters above the trademark roadside sign. She's been a regular customer ever since. "When I stopped in the other day, Cindy, the owner, told one of the customers in there that I'd 'named the joint!'" Wening wrote in an …

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Main Street Hair Closes in Downtown Dunedin

Owners closed Main Street Hair in downtown Dunedin. What would you like to see in it's place?

Main Street Hair closed its doors at the end of January. The bright orange and green corner building that borders the Pinellas Trail and Main Street in downtown Dunedin has been a hair salon for about 22 years, the past two as Main Street Hair. It was formerly Gregory's Salon for 20 years. What type of business would you like to see come to downtown Dunedin? Tell us in the comments! Get more local news delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.

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Elkin Bakery Closed?

What type of business would you like to see in the space once occupied by Elkin Bakery and Cafe inside the Dunedin Plaza Shopping Center on Patricia Avenue?

Red paper covers the windows of Elkin Bakery and Cafe in Dunedin. Rumors circulating around town are that the business closed several weeks ago. A sign on the front door reads "Closed til Wednesday Thanks." The cafe-style bakery inside the Dunedin Plaza Shopping Center on Patricia Avenue once served breakfast seven days a week and lunch every day except Sundays. A Seminole couple opened it on March 29, 2012, as a full-service bakery with cookies, pastries, donuts and more. Several attempts to call the bakery resulted in a busy signal. The business' license expires today, according to state records. What would you like to see open here? Post a comment below and join the conversation! Sign up for the free Dunedin Patch email newsletter to …

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-Ed Harris-

8:05 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013

How about a bakery!   more ›

Laundromat Owners Offer Olive Branch to Obama Supporters

Owners at Rogers Linen Services on Douglas Avenue removed a controversial sign against President Barack Obama, and in its place, painted another message.

Victor and Karen Rogers don't want any hard feelings left over from their political statement in the 2012 election. Their sentiment is painted on a storefront window at Rogers Linen Services, Inc. in the same place a controversial sign suggesting President Barack "Obama Can Kiss My Ass" for his July "You Didn't Build That" campaign speech in Roanoke, VA. To get off on better footing in 2013, Victor Rogers had another message painted in his store window a week before the president's inauguration on Jan. 21: "The Election is over the talk is done. My Party lost, your Party Won. So let us be friends, let argument pass. I'll hug my elephant, You kiss your Ass." It's a poem he found on Facebook, which is where he also found the "Kiss My Ass" …

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Good Neighbors

Kindness Returns to Dry Cleaner Offering Help to Unemployed

Owners at Causeway Cleaners hung a sign in the window offering free dry cleaning to people in need and received a surprising act of kindness in return.

The storefront of Steve and Peggy Milby's dry cleaning business blends into the landscape of strip malls and vacant lots off of Dunedin's Bayshore Boulevard.  With Florida's unemployment rate hovering around 8.1 percent, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the small business owners asked themselves what, if anything, could they do to help. Then, a sign. Three months ago, Steve Milby added a large white sign in the window of Causeway Cleaners, his 25-year business tucked snugly in the far corner of Causeway Plaza. It sticks out among a clutter of colorful stickers and miniature suction-cupped signs honoring his dogs, who've also worked there. The sign contains a heartening message in large, red capital letters: IF YOU ARE …

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Meet the Moms & Pops

Meet Dunedin's Top 'Moms & Pops' of 2012

Local business owners have intrigued us, inspired us, and captured our hearts. Today, we highlight the 10 business owners you loved reading about the most.

You've been getting to know some of Dunedin's small business owners with us throughout the year in a regular feature we call "Meet the Moms & Pops." Many local business owners have shared the story of their successes and struggles. They have intrigued us, inspired us, and captured our hearts. And today, as we look back on 2012, we highlight the 10 stories that you loved the most.  Of course, you can read the stories behind all the local merchants we've featured anytime you want. Visit them here on a special page we dedicated just for them! Or do them a big favor: find their shop in the Dunedin Patch directory and leave a nice review. Your review helps connect your favorite, hard-working small business owners with more customers, so it's an…

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Shop Local: Countdown to Christmas Gift Ideas

Hot Dunedin Gift Idea: Scottish Jewelry

TWO shopping days until Christmas! Find out where you can get this great item right here in Dunedin.

Time is running out to find that perfect holiday gift. To help spur your gift-giving ideas and keeping in the "Shop Local" spirit, Patch is showcasing one hotitem from Dunedin's Mom and Pop shops each day until Dec. 25. With just TWO shopping days left until Christmas, consider this idea from Lothian Kilt Rentals & Bagpipe Supplies at 1570 Main St (State Road 580): Related Coverage: Read more about local businesses and get other headlines delivered to your inbox or smartphone by signing up for the free Dunedin Patch email newsletter.

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Shop Local: Countdown to Christmas Gift Ideas

Hot Dunedin Gift Idea: All-Natural Soaps

Three shopping days until Christmas! Find out where you can get this great item right here in Dunedin.

Time is running out to find that perfect holiday gift. To help spur your gift-giving ideas and keeping in the "Shop Local" spirit, Patch is showcasing one hot item from Dunedin's Mom and Pop shops each day until Dec. 25. With just three shopping days left until Christmas, consider this idea from Two Palms Soaps at 1356 Main St: Read more about local businesses and get other headlines delivered to your inbox or smartphone by signing up for the free Dunedin Patch email newsletter.

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Shop Local: Countdown to Christmas Gift Ideas

Hot Dunedin Gift Idea: Local Memoirs

Four shopping days until Christmas! Find out where you can get this great item right here in Dunedin.

Time is running out to find that perfect holiday gift. To help spur your gift-giving ideas and keeping in the "Shop Local" spirit, Patch is showcasing one hot item from Dunedin's Mom and Pop shops each day until Dec. 25. With just four shopping days left until Christmas, consider this idea from Dunedin Historical Museum and Honeymoon Island State Park: Read More: Read more about local businesses and get other headlines delivered to your inbox or smartphone by signing up for the free Dunedin Patch email newsletter.

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