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Crowded Skies Ahead

Does the new Apollo Beach Walmart mean drone delivery could be on the way?

We’ve talked about flying cars and Amazon’s drone delivery, but the future isn’t done yet. Walmart has entered the air chat in Florida.

We are just days away from the new Apollo Beach store’s grand opening, and Walmart has released news that might make the skies in Southshore a little more crowded. Plans to expand its drone delivery program have been announced, with Walmart in Wesley Chapel looking to be one of the first locations in the area.

Local regulations are one of the biggest hurdles when launching programs like this, but Southshore has already shown it’s open to the idea. With Amazon’s drones already zipping through the sky, I don’t think it’ll be long before Walmart eyes Apollo Beach or Wimauma.

So what does that mean for us?

More convenience, maybe. Faster deliveries and fewer trips to the store sound great on paper. But the reaction to Amazon’s drones so far has been mixed at best. Some residents complain about the noise. Others worry about privacy. And then there’s the part where packages are dropped from an average of 8 feet.

That makes you wonder how your eggs and milk will hold up when Walmart starts sending groceries down like Shaun White dropping into a halfpipe. Never mind your package rolling into a nearby lake or canal.

For now, Walmart drone delivery isn’t active in Southshore, but the signs are stacking up. With a new Walmart opening, expanding drone programs nearby, and convenience winning more ground every year, it may only be a matter of time before you look up to a sky full of speedy deliveries.

Whether that’s exciting or slightly unsettling probably depends on how much you trust a drone with your groceries and enjoy the Southshore skyline.

Stay tuned.

Monday Money Minute

When Convenience and Tipping Start Doing Too Much

Convenience used to be a bonus. Now it’s a line item.

Delivery fees. Service fees. Processing fees. Priority fees. Fee fi fo fum. And then, right at checkout, a tip screen asking for 20%, 25%, or 30% before anything has even happened.

None of these charges feel big on their own, which is exactly why they work.

Here’s what most people don’t realize. Many convenience fees are not tips and do not go to workers. They often go directly to the company to cover technology, logistics, or profit margins. That “service fee” you assumed was helping an employee often never reaches them at all.

Now let’s talk tipping.

Tipping used to be tied to service. Today, tip prompts show up for:

• Counter orders

• Self-checkout kiosks

• Online orders with no interaction

There’s nothing wrong with tipping when someone actually provides a service. But feeling pressured to tip before a service is performed, or when no service is provided, turns tipping into another hidden fee.

What you can do this week

• Look closely at your receipt. Separate fees from tips.

• Ask where a service fee goes. Businesses will tell you.

• Tip intentionally, not automatically.

• Don’t confuse guilt with generosity.

Being aware doesn’t make you cheap. It makes you informed.

Convenience is fine. Tipping is fine. Paying extra without knowing why isn’t.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Community Matters

Stepping out on your own doesn’t mean you’re alone

Rae’s Accounting

Starting a company is exciting.
The ideas. The freedom. The potential.

But behind the excitement is a reality most startups aren’t prepared for.

It’s not all late nights fueled by passion and big wins on social media.
It’s constant decision-making.

👉 Cash flow stress
👉 Tax obligations you didn’t know existed
👉 Compliance deadlines that don’t care how new your business is
👉 And the pressure of getting it right, because mistakes cost real money

Many startup owners wear every hat. Founder. Sales. Operations. Marketing. Finance. And taxes often get pushed aside until they become overwhelming.

That’s where problems start.

Read More

Arrr We Ready?

Gasparilla Season Is Around the Corner

If you’ve lived anywhere around Tampa Bay for more than five minutes, you already know the signs. Pirate flags start popping up. People begin planning outfits that involve eye patches and very questionable decisions. Gasparilla season is almost here.

While most of the main events take place closer to downtown Tampa, Gasparilla Pirate Festival has long been a tradition for the entire Tampa Bay area, including plenty of folks from Southshore who make the trip every year. It’s one of those regional celebrations that spills far beyond city limits.

Gasparilla dates back to the early 1900s and is inspired by the legend of José Gaspar, a mythical pirate who supposedly roamed Florida’s west coast in the late 1700s. Whether Gaspar was real or not is still up for debate, but Tampa embraced the pirate lore and turned it into an annual celebration that’s now more than a century old.

What started as a single parade has grown into weeks of events, including pirate invasions, parades, runs, art shows, music, and plenty of beads changing hands. The signature moment is the “invasion,” when a fully dressed pirate crew sails into Tampa, officially kicking off the festivities.

For Southshore residents, Gasparilla has become less about geography and more about tradition. It’s a reason to gather friends, make a day of it, and take part in something that feels uniquely Tampa Bay. Some go for the parade. Others go for the atmosphere. And some just want to see how many beads they can bring home without actually knowing how they got them.

If you’re planning to head out, expect crowds, traffic, and a lot of pirate accents. If you’re skipping it, you’ll still notice the ripple effects as celebrations ramp up.

Either way, Gasparilla season is one of those reminders that living in the Tampa Bay area comes with traditions that stretch across communities. You don’t have to live downtown to feel like part of it.

Southshore Spotlight

Seed of Opportunity & Success

Seed of Opportunity & Success is a Wimauma-based nonprofit focused on strengthening families through health education, economic development, and community support. Launched during the pandemic, the organization works to address issues like childhood obesity, diabetes prevention, and financial stability by bringing local partners and residents together to create long-term opportunity.

Nominate your local hero by emailing us at [email protected]

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Southshore Services

Need a painter? A plumber? Someone brave enough to tackle that lightbulb orbiting 30 feet above your living room? We’ve got you. And the best part, they’re all right here in our community.

(Updates are wrapping up. Our new and improved dashboard will be here soon, helping you find the best services Southshore has to offer! )

Interested in joining the list? Shoot us an email to [email protected]

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Your Restaurant

New menu items, promos, specials, events- feature them here. This is the place to tell 30,000 readers in Southshore what you've got. Only 20 spots for the year. Claim yours today.

If you’ve got a restaurant, food truck, or even a lemonade stand, it could be featured here. Email us at [email protected]

Local Sports

Our area high schools boast state champions and multiple division titleists. Come out and show your support for these teams and for our community.

Got news, events, or press releases that the Southshore needs to know about? Submit them here. (We’ll do our best to add press releases in our regular rotation.) If you’re looking to run an actual ad, go here instead.

Until next time,

Keep It Local.