MOUNT DORA BUZZ - Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

NEW MOUNT DORA WALK-UP EATERY DISHES OUT FOOD ON THE GO

1/15/2019

Enjoying a relaxed lunch at one of Mount Dora’s many restaurants is just one of the of things people love to do in this quaint Central Florida town. Some days a slow meal just isn’t in the cards, so grabbing a healthy option to go makes sense.

That was the thinking of one downtown Mount Dora restaurant owner when she decided to open her second business in the same building. Jimberly Staubs originally opened The Loft Cafe in 2018 on the second floor of the historic Renaissance Building. The vegan and traditional menu was so well-received by tourists and local residents that she decided to open a small walk-up eatery on the ground floor.

RELATED: Mount Dora Cafe Plans Reopening After Fire

Fresh by the Loft opened this month and serves a light and limited menu for diners to take out or eat in at the counter or small tables. Its main dishes are a fruit and yogurt parfait ($5.95) and acai bowls (small $8.95, large $12.95), made with an acai puree base, fruit and a choice of toppings like coconut flakes, hemp hearts and granola.

RELATED: New Cafe Brings Something New to Mount Dora Coffee Scene

The eatery, with its vintage garden decor, also offers refreshing drinks like frozen lemonade and four flavors of kombucha, a fermented tea beverage served cold in bottles or on draft. Four flavors of smoothies ($5.95) like Strawberry Banana, Tropical and Green are blended using pre-made mixes and ice with optional shots of green or protein ($.50). For customers that need a little jump start, hot and cold coffee drinks, including lattes, cold brew and nitro, are also available.

Fresh by the Loft is located at 411 N. Donnelly Street in downtown Mount Dora. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz.

MOUNT DORA CAFE PLANS REOPENING AFTER FIRE

1/14/2019

It’s been a staple eatery in Mount Dora for years. Now, loyal patrons are anxiously waiting as The Highland Street Cafe undergoes repairs after a small fire crippled its kitchen last Monday.

Mount Dora Fire Department and police were on the scene by 7 a.m. and the fire was contained to a small area of the kitchen and put out with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries or damage to other parts of the restaurant which won the 2018 Best of Mount Dora award for “Best Breakfasts.”

Related: Mount Dora Brewery on Highland expands offerings

A crew was working to repair the damage and the cafe’s owner, Christine Annis, said she hopes to reopen by Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the timeliness of city approvals. The Highland Street Cafe is located at 185 S. Highland Street in uptown Mount Dora.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz.

LAKE COUNTY BREWERY EXPANDS OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE SPIRITS

1/8/2019

ABOVE: Co-owners Jeff Herbst (left) and wife Peggy (right) with mixologist Megan Green (center).

Well known in Central Florida for its house-brewed craft beers, Mount Dora’s only brewery has added craft cocktails to its offerings. Mount Dora Brewing, the popular restaurant and bar located uptown, now serves top-shelf spirits that include Patron, Crown Royale, Ketel One, Jack Daniels Black Label, Chivas Regal, plus single-malt scotches like Oban, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet.

Jeff and Peggy Herbst, the establishment’s owners and long-time Mount Dora residents, added the premium liquors to accommodate customers that may have a thirst for something other than beer and wine. The bar’s mixologist, Megan Green, has created a craft cocktail menu that includes the Hoppin’ Blood Mary, Very Dirty Vodkatini, Bottom of the Barrel Manhattan and a Hazelnut Caramel Irish Coffee.

Nineteen years ago Jeff began crafting beer at home, and eventually his thirst for beer making grew into an unbridled passion. Following the unrelenting call of hops and barley, Herbst spent three years converting his carpentry shop into a full-blown brewery. Mount Dora Brewing, his labor of love, opened its doors in January, 2010.

Herbst's old carpentry tools and a hodgepodge of collectibles hang in the open rafters above the brewery's Tap Room. This is the rustic space where friends gather, great beer flows and live music fills the room on weekends. The brewery also boasts an outdoor beer garden, and the Rocking Rabbit Cafe dishes out lunch and dinner Thursday through Monday to rave reviews, as well as their popular breakfasts Thursday through Sunday.

Mount Dora Brewing and Rocking Rabbit Cafe are located at 405 S. Highland Street in Mount Dora.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. Free subscriptions to the monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz are available here.

FLORIDA HOSPITAL IS NOW ADVENTHEALTH

1/2/2019

Florida Hospital facilities, as well as hundreds of physician practices, urgent-care centers and other medical sites across the country, officially became AdventHealth on January 2 as part of a new consumer-centric brand launch.

The change comes several months after Florida Hospital’s parent company, Adventist Health System, announced the organization and its wholly owned hospitals and care sites would adopt the AdventHealth name.

AdventHealth, headquartered in Altamonte Springs, has nearly 50 hospitals, including Waterman Hospital in Tavares, and more than 80,000 team members in nearly a dozen states.

“This is an historic and transformational time for our organization and the communities we serve. We’re building on our rich legacy and stepping into the future with a new name and renewed dedication to caring for the whole person — body, mind and spirit,” said Daryl Tol, president and CEO of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division which encompasses 16 hospitals in the six counties in and surrounding metro Orlando: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia and Flagler. “We are the only national health-care company based in Florida, and with our hub in Orlando, we will continue to spotlight our world-class physicians, clinical excellence, and growing commitment to research and innovation.”

Throughout the year, AdventHealth will launch new programs and initiatives as part of its commitment to whole-person health, clinical excellence and making health care easier for consumers to navigate. Those initiatives include a new app for patients to manage their health, records and medical needs; a wholeness screening tool in physician practices; and the Center for Genomic Health in Orlando.

AdventHealth was founded in 1908 by Seventh-day Adventists who believed in whole-person health — healing the body, mind and spirit. It has grown into one of the largest nonprofit hospitals in the country, caring for more than two million patient visits per year in metro Orlando alone. AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division encompasses 16 hospitals in the six counties in and surrounding metro Orlando: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia and Flagler. The Central Florida Division’s care network also includes over 30 CentraCare urgent-care centers; dozens of sports-rehab and imaging centers; and hundreds of physicians, ranging from primary care to a full spectrum of specialties.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. Free subscriptions to the monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz are available here.

LENNAR BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO DORA PARC DEVELOPMENT

1/1/2019

Perched on a hillside on the southeastern border of Mount Dora just a mile from downtown, sits Dora Parc, with its 38 home sites on 22 cleared acres. After years of no sales, Lennar has purchased the property and is preparing to bring it to market with its own floor plans, pricing and marketing strategy.

Site work originally began on the development in the summer of 2015 by New York City-based Empire Equities and A.R. Bailey Homes. Later, four oversized and brightly-colored plastic penguins (yes, penguins) appeared as a conspicuous art installation at the entrance, a choice that perplexed area residents. In what has been dubbed the “‘Curse of the Penguins,” there were no takers for the two model homes or any of the four upscale models that ranged from 2,574 to 3,365 square feet with prices from $429,000 to $526,000.

Lennar did not purchase those original two models, but will be building its own model in March and offering seven of its own floor plans ranging from a 1,914 square-foot, four-bedroom home to a spacious 3,922 square-foot home with six bedrooms and a basement.

The original Empire Equities development also provided a plague of problems to neighboring Chautauqua homes after mud and runoff spilled into some patios.

Fast forward a couple of years and the penguins are gone and Lennar, a large Florida developer, may have the secret formula to turn the development into a thriving Mount Dora community. The site plan will remain the same, however Lennar is currently changing the grading and adding retaining walls.

At time of publication, pricing has yet to be determined, but it will be the “Lennar Everything Included” pricing model. Dora Parc is located on south Clayton Street at the Orange County line.

For more local news and events for Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.

NEW CAFE BRINGS SOMETHING NEW TO MOUNT DORA COFFEE SCENE

1/1/2019

ABOVE: Co-owner Rachel Pepper, right.

As is typical in small towns, trends take a little longer to arrive. Coffee trends are apparently no different.

Nitro, a coffee that first came on the scene a few years ago, is a kegged cold-brew infused with nitrogen and run through a tap. The result is a cold, frothy black coffee, with an appearance similar to Guiness on tap. Now, to satisfy the yearning of downtown Mount Dora’s coffee aficionados, the nitro trend has landed on Fifth Avenue.

A new coffee spot, Serendipity Coffee, is the latest in a series of cafes in its location. It replaces Cafe Aroma which opened last Spring after its predecessor, The Coffee Branch Cafe, closed. Although the location and the smell of fresh coffee may be familiar, that’s where much of the similarity ends.

ABOVE: Serendipity's Avocade Toast on an 'everything' bagel.

Like The Coffee Branch, Serendipity Coffee is owned by two sisters, both of whom are Mount Dora High School graduates. Rachel Pepper and her older sister Christy Harris are neophytes in restaurant ownership, but are eager share their passion for artisan coffee with the community. In addition to nitro, the cafe serves a variety of other coffees, including espresso, cold brew, pour-overs, flat whites and French press, as well as the traditional lattes, macchiatos and brewed coffee. Serendipity Coffee also features premium teas by Tea Forte. Anyone desiring a nosh can try their sandwiches, soups, avocado toast and bagels, or indulge in one of the many fresh-baked cakes, cookies, and muffins. The sisters are also planning to serve light dinner fare, once a beer and wine license is obtained.

Serendipity Coffee is currently in the process of their soft opening and is located at 144 W. 5th Avenue in downtown Mount Dora and will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more local news and events, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here and follow Mount Dora Buzz on Facebook.

MOUNT DORA'S HOLIDAY WINDOWS LURE VISITORS

12/4/2018

Mount Dora's main attraction during the holidays is either the two-million-plus twinkling lights set in a historic downtown or the marina’s sprawling light display on the shore of Lake Dora. However, downtown’s unique stores have also been attracting onlookers during the season with their impressive holiday window displays.

This year, more shops than ever have elevated their decorating game, to include everything from frolicking elves, recycled doors, upside-down trees, Snoopy, a Christmas palm and more.

Every year all downtown store windows are automatically entered into Mount Dora’s annual Holiday WIndow Competition and a panel of impartial judges stroll the quaint streets to select their favorites. The winners in the three categories are:

MOST CREATIVE WINDOW:

LOVE HOME HARMONY
Can you say “three-peat?” This is the third year in a row this home decor store has taken top honors in the window competition. Its new larger location provided even more space for their impressive decorating and its White Christmas display turns heads from across the street. Love Home Harmony is located at 438 N. Donnelly Street.

BEST TRADITIONAL WINDOW:

PAPILIO
This gift store has a knack for creating stellar window displays and once more, they didn’t disappoint this year. The large window features a Christmas tree made from a recycled vintage door and beautiful traditional accents of the season. Papilio is located at 120 W. 5th Avenue.

MOST WHIMSICAL:

JULIANNE’S COASTAL COTTAGE
As expected, this fun gift shop’s window is anything but typical. The festive Christmas palm tree and whimsical ornaments guarantee smiles from those that behold it. Julianne's Coastal Cottage is located at 135 E. 4th Avenue.

This isn’t the first time these three businesses have won the competition and their annual efforts are appreciated by those that visit downtown Mount Dora for its holiday spirit. The number of honorable mentions in this contest are many, so visitors are encouraged to stroll past the many shops to gawk at the winners and discover their own favorites. Find more holiday events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. Download the free Mount Dora Buzz mobile app here and follow the Mount Dora Buzz Facebook page.

HUGE ANTIQUE EXTRAVAGANZA LURES COLLECTORS TO MOUNT DORA THIS WEEKEND

11/12/2018

Vintage lovers and treasure hunters are getting giddy.

Once again, Mount Dora will play host to Central Florida's massive and eclectic shopping experience November 16, 17 and 18.

Three times a year Renningers Antique Center organizes the Antique Extravaganza, the motherlode of vintage and antique shopping, set in the rambling hills under majestic oaks. Read more

CELEBRITY CHEF SPLITS FROM MOUNT DORA'S 1921

11/8/2018

The celebrity chef that placed Mount Dora on Florida’s culinary map has moved on.

Chef Norman Van Aken, a James Beard award-winner and author of several cookbooks, is no longer affiliated with the Central Florida city’s restaurant “1921 by Norman Van Aken.”

The celebrated chef partnered with Mount Dora resident Ken Mazik, principal of Main Street Leasing, to open the downtown restaurant in a renovated historic home built in 1921. The location had previously housed the iconic Garden Gate Tea Room.

1921, a 150-seat restaurant, opened just over two years ago in August, 2016. Prior to its opening, Van Aken stated he envisioned Mount Dora like an early version of Napa Valley, yet the realities of the demographics were vastly different.

Recent rumors of the parting made the announcement not completely unexpected. Now the restaurant's name will just be 1921. Meanwhile, Van Aken will continue his culinary mission at the acclaimed Norman’s restaurant in nearby Orlando.

Mazik’s company owns several historic buildings in downtown Mount Dora and he was the founder of the area's Carlton Palms educational facility and the Modernism Museum.

For updates on restaurant openings in Mount Dora, Tavares and Eustis, click here. Subscribe to the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz for the area's local news and events.

Subscribe to Mount Dora Buzz

MOUNT DORA APPROVES DOWNTOWN OPEN CONTAINER POLICY

11/6/2018

(Photo by Mount Dora Buzz)

It’s been discussed by residents, visitors and city council members for years. Last night, Mount Dora City Council followed what Eustis and Tavares did years ago.

After a 4-3 city council vote, the quaint Central Florida city became the newest Lake County municipality to allow patrons to carry alcoholic beverages in plastic cups on the street in its designated ‘Entertainment District. This allows downtown visitors and residents the ability to patronize a restaurant or bar and then walk with their beverage to see the sunset at the docks or enjoy one of the city’s festivals with a drink in a plastic cup.

The ordinance has significant rules to prevent public safety issues and abuses including:

Drinks must be sold by a licensed and registered bar or restaurant located inside the Entertainment District.
Drinks must be in plastic cups that hold 16 ounces or less.
Plastic cups must have a marking that identifies the registered establishment where they were purchased.
Establishments can only dispense one open alcoholic beverage to any one person at a time.
Patrons can only possess one open alcoholic beverage at any one time.
Customers cannot purchase and consume the open alcoholic beverage between 2:00 am and 7:00 a.m.
It will remain unlawful to walk in the district with an open alcoholic beverage in a can, bottle or glass.
All state laws still apply.

The policy will be monitored over the next year to determine its success or any issues that may arise. The city council approved the measure knowing there were no extra costs to the city and that they can terminate the policy at any time. An effective date has yet to be announced.

Mayor Nick Girone and council members John Tucker, Cathy Hoechst and Marc Crail voted in favor of the ordinance, while council members Laurie Tillett, Cal Rolfson and Harmon Massey opposed it.

(Click to enlarge map of district)

The free registration process for licensed establishments in the Entertainment District requires a Mount Dora occupational license, a State of Florida liquor license, a certificate of liability insurance, as well as their identifying mark on their plastic cups.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz.

SIGN UP FOR FREE UPDATES

FLORIDA HOSPITAL WATERMAN ANNOUNCES NEW PLAZA IN MOUNT DORA

10/23/2018

Above: Northwest view

The plan was announced today to build a 22,260-square-foot medical plaza on U.S. 441 near the intersection of Wolf Branch Road in Mount Dora. The two-story $13 million medical plaza, located at 19735 U.S. Hwy 441, will be the first of its kind in Lake County. It will house eight primary care physicians and will provide convenient walk-in primary care and extended office hours.

The medical plaza will be the first of its kind in North Lake County and is well-positioned to care for the growing Sorrento and Mt. Plymouth areas. The contemporary and efficient design on the large property can accommodate expansion and add additional services, as the second floor will be shelled for future use.

“We considered many locations in the Golden Triangle area and noticed a true need here. We are confident this new medical plaza will give the surrounding residents increased access to excellent healthcare services,” said Abel Biri, Florida Hospital Waterman Chief Executive Officer. The Tavares hospital is also currently expanding its emergency department to keep up with the growing demand.

ABOVE: Northeast view

The architect is Gresham Smith and the main contractor is Robins & Morton. Construction will begin in January 2019 and is expected to be completed by September 2019.

In December, Florida Hospital Waterman will host a groundbreaking to celebrate with the community this new access point for quality health care.

“This new investment will afford us another opportunity to care for our community at every stage of life, in every stage of health, and builds on our continued commitment to serving the growing needs of our community,” Biri said.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz.

PARKING GARAGE PITCHED TO MOUNT DORA

10/1/2018

A seed was recently planted in Mount Dora. One that could significantly grow the number of downtown parking spaces.

At a September 27 workshop, representatives of G3 Development presented the City Council with a preliminary public-private partnership (PPP) proposal to build a parking garage with 488 spaces. The site combines contiguous lots currently being acquired by G3 with the city’s existing parking lot adjacent to the railroad tracks between Tremain and Baker Streets. The small part of Baker Street that dead ends and sits between the parking lot and the soon-to-be G3 lots would be the only other property included. Read more

MOUNT DORA TEEN ENCOURAGES STORES TO SWAP PLASTIC FOR PAPER

9/1/2018

ABOVE: Zoe Mueller

The little things can make a big difference. Zoe Mueller, a 13-year-old Mount Dora Girl Scout, noticed how many plastic bags her family brought home from the grocery. The curious eighth-grader began to research the use of these bags and became disturbed about the problems they pose to marine life and the environment.

“I was struck by how plastic bags are so hard to get rid of, so as time passes the problem gets bigger,” said Mueller.

Mueller jumped into action and created a proactive approach to reduce the number of plastic bags and increase awareness of the environmental problem. The bright-eyed teen went to work to design a website, logo and decal to place in windows of local retailers who adopt a policy not to use plastic bags. Many downtown Mount Dora merchants already only provide paper bags and they, too, will be given the decal.

The eighth-grader plans to kick off the program the first week in September by approaching downtown Mount Dora businesses and handing out decals. The impressive teen is hoping her local effort will be used as a pilot program for other communities.

ABOVE: Logo designed by Mueller to appear on window cling.

Mueller, who has been in the Girl Scouts for six years, earned a Silver Award, one of the highest awards the organization bestows, for creating this program. The award requires scouts to identify a problem in their community and create a sustainable solution.

Waste Management immediately signed on to sponsor Mueller’s effort by printing the decals and offering her assistance.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

NEW MOUNT DORA RESTAURANT BRINGS THE CARIBBEAN TO DOWNTOWN

9/1/2018

Owner Joan Reidenbaugh in front of Jamaica Gardens as renovations are in progress.

(UPDATE: Jamaica Gardens opened on October 26.)
Tropical cuisine, fruity cocktails adorned with umbrellas and the relaxing beat of reggae music are headed to Mount Dora. Jamaica Gardens, a new downtown eatery, is expected to have its soft opening in October.

Like a lot of visitors to the quaint Central Florida town, Joan Reidenbaugh fell in love with Mount Dora when she married her husband, Mark, twelve years ago at the historic Lakeside Inn.

“I saw a need for a great Caribbean-style location in the beautiful city and have been dreaming about this since,” said Reidenbaugh.

Fast forward and she is now busy transforming the large space at 322 Alexander Street into Jamaica Gardens, a restaurant offering authentic Caribbean cuisine. After painters finish turning the drab exterior into a vibrant sky blue, Reidenbaugh will add new awnings and a “beach area” to the outside to help bring an authentic island vibe to the location.

The cuisine will be mostly Jamaican with a touch of other Caribbean flavors. There will be plenty of the traditional jerk dishes, along with curried goat, Jamaican-style oxtails and Escovitch fish and conch fritters, plus coconut shrimp, fried chicken, salads and soups.

Reidenbaugh, a certified chef who majored in hotel and restaurant management, will be the primary chef until she trains a replacement. The Jamaican native of Christiana, Reidenbaugh said her authentic Caribbean recipes draw from her island roots just like her other restaurant in Longwood.

The interior of the restaurant, formerly The Pineapple Place, is also changing to provide an atmosphere that diners would find in Jamaica. The bar will feature specialty cocktails and a happy hour on Monday through Thursday. Jamaica Gardens will feature a live reggae band and steel drums Wednesdays through Saturdays.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

WATERMAN HOSPITAL CELEBRATES CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE

8/23/2018

The $70 million Florida Hospital Waterman Emergency Department Expansion and New Patient Tower which broke ground in July 2017 marked a major milestone last week. The highest structural element was put in place and the hospital hosted a "topping out" celebration, a traditional construction ceremony. Guests were invited to sign the structure’s highest beam before it was lifted by a crane into place. As part of the tradition, an evergreen tree was lifted with the beam and placed on the top of the project.

The project will more than double the hospital’s emergency department capacity by adding more than 111,000 square feet of patient care space to the hospital. This includes an expansion of the emergency department to 58 beds and a 24-bed women and pediatrics unit. Floors three and four of the new patient tower will be shelled for future growth, and the structure will support an additional expansion up to six floors. Construction is scheduled to be completed by April 2019.

“This is a big day for Florida Hospital Waterman,” said Abel Biri, the hospital’s CEO. “As our community continues to grow, and more Lake County residents choose us for their care, we have expanded to meet that demand.

“We are committed to delivering the most advanced and efficient care possible in our community, and we are blessed to have the opportunity to build on our historic commitment for the future,” continued Biri.

Abel Biri, the hospital’s CEO, and guests signed the project's top beam.

Florida Hospital Waterman will soon be AdventHealth Waterman. The 269-bed hospital was founded in 1938 in Eustis by Frank Waterman, president of the Waterman Fountain Pen Company, as an 18-bed facility in a defunct hotel. The hospital joined the Adventist Health System in 1992 and moved to its current Tavares location in 2003. With more than 1,700 employees and nearly 280 physicians on its medical staff, the hospital cares for more than 15,000 inpatients a year.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here.