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Hernando Today

Shopping Plaza Erected In Masaryktown

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By TONY HOLT

Published: June 7, 2008

MASARYKTOWN - The southern tip of Hernando County seems drab and desolate compared to the more bustling areas of Brooksville and Spring Hill.

So why is a Naples-area dentist opening a brightly colored shopping plaza there?

The builder thinks there is more going on in Masaryktown than people think. He sees heavy traffic all the time.

"It's a hoppin' area," said Al Watrous, of Proud Pelican Construction. "Once he gets a couple of tenants in there, it's going to do great."

By design, Masaryktown has a rural, small-town feel. Most of the homes are nestled in the woods far away from any major developments.

It is known for its Bingo hall, post office and country-style restaurants. It is not considered to be a vibrant area ripe for a shopping plaza.

But Watrous sees the potential at the corner of Broad Street (U.S. 41) and Ayers Road. The former is a major highway that runs north and south and Ayers stretches from east to west and is accessible from Culbreath Road and Spring Lake Highway.

"I hope it does well, but nothing there ever does well," said Masaryktown resident Lara Tucker, who lives near Ayers Road.

Her parents opened a store, called the Sunbelt Market, in the same vicinity more than 20 years ago. It was robbed at least four times, she said.

Tucker pointed out both of the major roads provide a convenient escape route. Ayers connects with Spring Lake, which gives motorists easy access to the interstate. Broad Street runs south through the most rural area of Pasco County.

"Would I put something over there? Never," said Tucker, who co-owns a salon in Spring Hill.

Nearby business owners want to know what new stores are moving to that location. Mostly all of them want a restaurant of some kind.

"I'm hoping there will be food," said Tiffany McGee, who works at Western Stampede, a feed store located south along Broad Street.

"A nice sandwich shop or deli would be nice," said Robert Santo, a regular at the feed store. "I hope for anything to break up the monotony around here."

The 27,000 square-foot plaza has an L-shaped design. There are 16 store fronts, half of which face U.S. 41 and the other half can be seen along Ayers Road.

The far corner of the building closest to U.S. 41 will be occupied by Daylight Donuts, a franchise based out of Tulsa, Okla.

Dr. Luyen Nguyen is the co-owner of the not-yet-named plaza. He said he has distributed lease applications to those interested in opening a tavern, barber shop and cellular phone store. So far, Daylight Donuts is the only certified tenant. He hopes the business will open by the end of July.

"It's going to improve the town quite a bit," he said of the plaza. "People can go there for a donut, or a haircut, or a cup of coffee … That location is really expanding."

Nguyen is hopeful the Ayers Road corridor extends east to Interstate 75.

Another reason he and his partners – Willy and Heidi Koch, of Switzerland – approved the location was because of the nearby country club and airport industrial park. As the residential and industrial sectors expand, the more his property will benefit, he said.

Construction is ongoing. The parking lot is expected to be finished within a week.

"It's very catchy," he said, referring to the building's pink and peach color scheme. "We wanted something modern. We wanted something where people would drive by and say, 'Wow.'"

Mike Ogren, who co-owns Protech Auto Services next door, is looking forward to the new plaza. Like many others, he hopes to see a restaurant or bar open at that location.

"This is a very diverse, social-economic area," he said. "I hope we see a pizza place here, or some kind of joint."

Ogren found nothing wrong with the unique color scheme.

"Hey, it's a free world," he said jokingly. "(Pink) flamingos would be nice. I like flamingos."

Tucker, however, is less thrilled about the appearance of the plaza. She thinks the bright paint doesn't fit in a rural setting.

"The colors are horrific," she said. "We're out in the country, not Miami Beach. The pink just looks ugly there."

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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