The Lost Southshore Town Center

Want to get your business in The Southshore Circle?

Let’s Talk!

Featured Story

This Could Be Us, But We Don’t Have a Town Center

If you’ve lived in Southshore long enough, you’ve pretty much heard all the promises. The mall. The Super Target. A movie theater. The list goes on. Unfortunately, it seems developers are hell-bent on covering Southshore in car washes and storage units. Sprinkle in about 30 Publixes and 15 Walmarts, and we’ve got a master community plan that would make Switzerland jealous. Seriously, though, how did we get drone deliveries and our fourth Walmart before a town center?

There’s been talk of the Promenade in Apollo Beach. If that turns into something more than an empty lot and speculation, I’m all for it. But like a lot of locals, I’m jaded. I’ve had my heart broken too many times before. And honestly, I think we deserve more.

A town center, aka a mall, is the mark of a real community. It’s when you know you’ve made it. You’re official. And I don’t mean a few shops and restaurants clustered around a grocery store or a Costco. I mean a proper town center.

Brandon’s got one. Sarasota’s got one. Wesley Chapel is working on their third. St. Pete, Clearwater, and Tampa are all shopping destinations with legit town centers. So what about us? Where is our mall?

Now granted, the traffic out here needs serious attention. Roads need widening. An expressway probably needs to point in this direction. But once all that’s handled, I don’t think I’m alone in wishing my holiday shopping could be split between local shops and a mall that doesn’t require a full tank of gas, black coffee, and monk-level patience.

So, where do you fall on this? If the Promenade gets built, does that satisfy your shopping needs, or do you want to go big? Let us know if Southshore deserves an actual mall, or if the headache of even more traffic just isn’t worth it. Side note: The traffic ship has already sailed, we can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube or the new people back in the city they came from. So, we might as well get a place to buy overpriced jeans.

Email us your thoughts at [email protected] 

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

The Best Holiday Gift Has Four Legs

While many of us are busy wrapping gifts and arguing about where the elf should sit this year, hundreds of dogs and cats in Hillsborough County are heading into the holidays still waiting for a home.

At the Pet Resource Center, some pets have been in care far longer than expected, with many waiting months for a family to choose them. Behind every kennel is a personality ready to shine, whether it’s a dog that lives for belly rubs or a cat that just wants a warm lap and a quiet corner.

To help clear the shelters this season, adoption fees are being waived, and holiday events are giving families a chance to meet their potential new best friend. There’s also a foster program that lets people take a pet home for a short holiday stay, giving animals a break from kennel life and a taste of home.

If you’re not ready for a long-term commitment, fostering still makes a big difference. And if you are ready, this could be the year your holiday memories include an extra set of paws.

Sometimes the best gift doesn’t come in a box.

Southshore Spotlight

F.E.L.T. INC Feeding Empty Little Tummies

Feeding Empty Little Tummies (FELT) is a nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger by packing and delivering weekend meals to food-insecure students in Manatee County one backpack at a time. Their volunteers and community partners work together to make sure kids who rely on school meals still have food to eat on the weekends.

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

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Kuma Plumbing & Drain

Choosing the right fixtures for a small bathroom can make a huge difference in both style and functionality! Whether you need faucet repair or to tackle a leaky drain, our team at Kuma Plumbing and Drain is here to help with professional plumbing services.

Known throughout the Tampa Bay area for reliability, we're experts in handling plumbing repair tasks that improve and optimize compact spaces. Our expertise ensures your home not only looks modern but operates efficiently, thanks to regular drain cleaning and swift water heater repairs. Proudly serving Ruskin, Brandon, and Riverview, our family-owned business treats every plumbing job with care, just like we would for a neighbor's home. Want to transform your bathroom? Connect with the experts today!

Search for other service professionals here -

Southshore Services

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Eggs Up Grill

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.