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FREE • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021
VOLUME 6, NO. 131
ONE DEAD, TWO INJURED IN JAN. 31 CAR CRASH Joel Orozco, 12, of Plant City, died from injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash in the early hours of Jan. 31. The driver of the other vehicle was arrested on several DUI-related charges. The other occupants in the vehicle with Orozco were injured in the fiery crash.
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ROOTS PREPARES FOR PROPAGATION
Roots Cellars, the new expansion of Roots Tap Room & Wine Bar, will offer high-quality retail wine, beers and “doodads” for the community. It has a soft opening tomorrow and its grand opening is next Tuesday afternoon. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Plant City is evolving. It’s evident by the residents that are moving to the city and in the growing focus on revitalizing downtown. And it’s evident in the new businesses springing to life around the community. Less than two years ago, Brandon Snyder took a risk and opened a wine bar in historic downtown. Plant City had nothing like it and Snyder joked many in the community weren’t sure if there would even be a demand for such a unique venue. Roots Tap Room & Wine Bar opened in Aug. 2019 and became a staple in much of the community’s routine within weeks. No longer did residents have to drive to Tampa or St. Petersburg to find a wine bar — a highquality venue was now right in their back yard. Interest in events, themed programs and private parties flooded in and Snyder soon had to juggle a packed schedule.
Then the pandemic hit and everything changed. “Whenever COVID started, I shut down for five weeks because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Snyder said. “Then I opened for retail only. I was talking to my reps and watching as retail sales of wine were skyrocketing across the country. I noticed that the people coming in for retail were a different crowd than the bar crowds. I suddenly had an entire new base of customers and their interests and wants were different from those that had just wanted to come and have a glass of wine or a beer after work. Then once people were allowed to come back inside, with of course 10 people or less, we suddenly got a lot of requests to host private parties and that led to private wine tastings. Private events started gaining big popularity because it allowed friends or those who kind of were in a bubble with each other to come and enjoy a night out without having to worry about strangers in a crowded bar.”
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