BY MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey
July 2021
Small businesses tend to come and go in the Greenbrook Plaza, a small, dated strip mall that abuts the entrance to our quaint little neighborhood off Old County Road 54.
There are some anchoring mainstays in the plaza that’s located on a short stretch of road that was once part of the major thruway now steered off the beaten path by development. Nowadays that mile-or-so drive is a shortcut to Little Road, a way to church and the LaneGlo Bowling Alley, or simply a way home for residents that live in a handful of developments along the way.
Among the hangers-on in the Greenbrook Plaza are Carmelita’s Mexican Restaurant, Trinity Yoga Studio, Pro Nail Shop, the Health Hut, a dentist, a jeweler, a hair salon, and a barbershop that has changed hands a few times over the years.
Broken dreamers and movers-on include a couple of pizza parlors, a pretzel shop, a breakfast place, a dance studio, a flower shop, and a gaming store that was here one day, gone the next.
So when the sign went up for the BAM (Bad-Ass-Morning) Bar, I admit to having low expectations.
This was to be a coffee/bakery/florist shop combo that would serve lunch as well as breakfast along with specialty coffees in an out-of-the-way location.
“A tad optimistic?” I was thinking, even if the catchy name had me pulling for them.
But before long the complimentary “You’ve got to try this place!” chatter popped up on neighborhood social media pages. The shop’s signature umbrella-shaded picnic tables went up under the tall oaks and stayed.
The photos on The BAM Bar’s Instagram proved to be enticing, with scroll-stoppers like an apple fritter that promises to be “bigger than your head,” the lavender latte that’s topped with honey cold foam, and a Father’s Day special inspired by a well-poured Old Fashioned called the Beef and Brew Bamwich.
BAM Bar Social Media Photos
And on a recent Sunday morning, the line was out the door when I stopped in to pick up sprinkled donuts for the grandkids and a couple of specialty donuts – the cream-filled Buttercream Baby for the old man and a very sinful Crème Brûlée for me.
So good.
Victoria Echevarria is a master of taste, so to speak, coming in early on weekend mornings to dress up the weekend-only specialty donuts made in a commercial bakery in Tampa, turning them into something a little out-of-the-ordinary and fun. She blends flavors, whips up culinary concoctions for special occasions, holidays, just the heck of it. The menu is somewhat fluid, says Victoria, so when a customer requests a substitution or an add-on, they’re willing to comply, maybe even turn it into a regular item on the menu.
Customer quirks aren’t a bother at all.
“It helps keep us creative,” Victoria said.
PHOTO | MICHELE MILLER
That seems the be the nature of this cool little outpost that offers visitors a cozy feel with live plants, trendy wall decor, and a pair of playful hanging swings in the inside dining room.
The menu is plentiful with options.
There are “Bamwhiches” such as the “Lox You Sox Off” made with salmon, red onion, meda feda (cream cheese), and capers, and the “Avocado Blu” made with avocado, bacon blue cheese, and a balsamic drizzle. Among the beverage offerings are “signature sips” such as the Shimmer and Shine tea and Lavender Lemonade. There’s the Mushroom MCT Latte, and the Banana’s Foster Bamshake mixed in with the more traditional cold brew, americano, and latte.
And if flowers are what you’re looking for, well you can call ahead for arrangements made to order.
The BAM Bar is a little girl’s vision come to fruition for Victoria. She’s the creative half of this fledgling mom-and-pop business that she shares with her husband, Dakota. The two entrepreneurs graduated from local high schools. He went to Mitchell High. She attended River Ridge High. They met on their first day attending Pasco Hernando State College. Now they’re married with two kids aged 4 and 6, and a new business to run.
“This has been years in the making,” said Dakota, while the couple wrapped up for the day with a few part-time employees. “We’ve been talking about it since 2013.”
But it goes back even further.
As a child, pretend play for Victoria entailed being the proprietor of a bridal shop, bakery, and a floral shop lined up in a row. She built on that dream, working for four years in wedding floral design and prior to that, at Sugar Darlings, a flourishing cupcake business that opened its first store in the strip mall across the street.
Whipping up specialty coffees came naturally, Victoria said. “I’ve always had a huge passion for coffee and baked goods. “It’s just my calling. Everything in life led me to this. I guess you could say I got what I wanted, just all in one.”
About a year ago, Victoria started scoping out commercial rentals. The couple settled on the Greenbrook Plaza for a variety of reasons – the location, the neighborhood feel, the accomodating parking lot, and the affordable rent.
Now just six months in, they can talk about their best sellers.
There’s the Black Beauty espresso sprinkled with charcoal vanilla glitter. The Everything Bagel. The cheesy hash browns, Victoria says, “Because everyone loves hash browns.” Add to that a rotating menu of specialty donuts and the coffee “Delight Flight”, where patrons can test out a variety of sample coffees.
That’s what drew Michele Rigogliso to bring her mom, Rosemary Wenk, in for a tasting of Caramel Affogato, Lavendar Latte, S’mores Cold Brew, and the Black Beauty.
“A friend posted this on Facebook,” Michele said. “And I just had to come in and try it.”
With its brightly lit dining areas inside and out, the BAM Bar is a sign of new life in the neighborhood. It’s a destination on a morning or afternoon walk. A place to take a coffee break, stop for a sweet treat for the kids, or for lunch with a friend. A place to come back to.
PHOTO | MICHELE MILLER
The BAM Bar is located at 8536 Old County Rd 54, New Port Richey. (727) 777-4650. Check them out on Facebook and Instagram.
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