While driving around Tampa searching for a dwelling, I happened upon the West Park Village Town Center, which seem to be an integrated shopping area, with a courtyard and clock tower at the end of a row of shops on either side of the road entrance. Behind the bell tower are apartments, townhomes, and regular houses within easy walking distance of the shopping plaza.
I stopped when I drove near the plaza’s Starbucks on the west corner of the entrance. I parked and wandered around.
On the east side, there’s a variety of shops including two expensive restaurants, a laundry cleaning service, a children’s clothing store, a bar, and a YMCA fitness center with a daycare center. On the west side, I found a wonderful ice cream shop, One Scoup or Two, with the best cookies and cream (sadly not mint cookies and cream) I have had to date. I also sampled a couple slices of pizza from the neighboring pizza joint, Bona Pizza, which were actually quite superior, even reheated. I must return and sample a fresh pie. Alas, there was no place to sit inside, but outside on both the east and west side of the street there are tables aplenty.
Judging from the huge number of women I saw with small children, West Park is seemingly a very safe neighborhood to raise children. In the ice cream shop I saw no less than three mothers talking as their children played. Outside, too, even though it’s grown dark, some children still play under the watchful eyes of nearby parents. The neighborhood seems populated primarily by young families and the occasional single looking young person.
Later, much to my amusement, a young woman parked her car on the opposing side of the of the courtyard near the bell tower and wandered off. She then returned, disappeared inside her car, then after ten minutes left her vehicle in a different set of clothes. Much to my disappointment, her car had very darkly tinted windows. It’s somewhat amusing the things you notice when you merely observe what happens around you.
Much like West Park Village itself, Linebaugh avenue in Westchase appear to have no end to people biking and walking, with pets, children, or both nearby. If you’re in the Tampa area, I certainly recommend you stop by the West Park Village Town Center plaza for some good ice cream or excellent pizza.