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Everybody's Business

Artsiphartsi hits high-tech highway

The Kennedy Boulevard art gallery will close May 15 and move its distinctive wares to the virtual world.

By MICHAEL CANNING
Published April 15, 2005

Artsiphartsi, an eclectic art gallery and gift shop on Kennedy Boulevard, is going posh.

Artsiphartsi owner Carmen Smith plans to close her store May 15 and sell the historic house to Carmen Lee Sargeant, owner of Posh beauty salon at 3120 W Bay to Bay Blvd. Sargeant plans to transform the 4,400-square-foot house into a clinical day spa affiliated with Posh.

In the meantime, Smith is converting Artsiphartsi to a primarily online business, www.artsiphartsi.com A June 1 launch date is set.

After running Artsiphartsi for 14 years, Smith contemplated semiretirement at the end of this year. She decided to put the house up for sale, find a smaller location for the store in South Tampa and get someone to run the business for her.

Several months ago, she considered moving into Rita Carlino's new cafe and catering business at MacDill and Palmira avenues. Instead, she hatched the online idea and plans to find a place in South Tampa for storing Artsiphartsi's stock, taking phone orders and receiving customers by appointment.

She has also thought about opening another Artsiphartsi near Clayton, Ga., where she owns a mountain cabin.

Smith hasn't ruled out finding someone to take over the business. But for now she's looking forward to working less once the Web site is up and running. "I want to travel and see the world and take advantage of having a mountain house," she said.

Sargeant said she has extensive renovations planned for the house at 2717 W Kennedy Blvd., where 1930s baseball star Dizzy Dean once lived. "But it's so charming I want to use the old with the new," she said.

That will include converting the two-story house built in 1917 into a swank clinical spa offering Botox, Restylane facial filler treatments, laser hair removal, photo and oxygen facials, medical grade skin peels, a hyperbaric chamber for oxygen therapy, along with traditional salon services.

Sargeant hasn't decided on a name but said it will likely have "Posh" in it. It will have a staff of about 15, including a medical doctor and nurse practitioner, she said. She hopes to open by August or September.

ESTELA'S EXPANDING: Davis Islands neighborhood favorite Estela's Mexican Restaurant recently opened a third location and seems poised to open a fourth.

The third location opened March 25 at 4015 S Dale Mabry Highway, across from Britton Plaza. The building was previously home to Cesar's Palace and Strohmeyer's German restaurants. The other Estela's is in Brandon.

Restaurant namesake Estela Pimentel Jorgensen said she and her husband, Scott Jorgensen, picked the location because, "We like the neighborhood around here. I like the people."

Not surprising, considering that many of her regulars on Davis Islands live in Virginia Park.

Estela added that the new location is convenient for MacDill Air Force Base personnel who "love my food," she said.

Scott Jorgensen said he and Estela recently sold franchise rights for a fourth Estela's restaurant, possibly in Carrollwood or St. Petersburg.

The new Estela's is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

JAVA JIVE: Corcovado Coffee and Jazz at 4019 S MacDill Ave. is just what the name implies. It's a coffeehouse during the day but stays open late for jazz on Fridays and Saturdays.

"We have swing, Latin, just about everything except smooth jazz," said owner Jackie DeBeer. "It's not that we have anything against smooth jazz, we just feel like that's pretty much covered by other places."

Corcovado, which is named after a classic Stan Getz tune, opened about six weeks ago on MacDill near Azeele Street. It's featuring well-known local professionals and students from the jazz program at Hillsborough Community College, DeBeer said.

The jazz cranks from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. There's no cover charge.

Times correspondent Marty Clear contributed to this report. Do you know something that should be everybody's business? Call 226-3394, or e-mail mikecanning@hotmail.com

[Last modified April 13, 2005, 16:39:09]