Tampa's second-hottest housing market (and the more affordable one) is known for its great historic houses and eclectic mix of neighbors, but not exactly its retail presence. Many of its major thoroughfares are either bereft of shops (Hillsborough Avenue) or crowded with dirty, indie used-car lots (Florida Avenue). But if you look close enough, Seminole Heights has a growing retail strip that makes it worth the trip to this enclave north of downtown Tampa. Plus, it's a great excuse to stop for lunch at the "Taco Bus" (El Taconazo) at Hillsborough and Nebraska.
Green Shift Music and Comics (5226 Nebraska Ave., 813-238-4177). is indispensable if you're shopping for a 12-year-old boy, or anyone who acts like a 12-year-old boy (which would be any grown man). This maze of rooms features two main themes — musical instruments, drums, guitars and amps; and comic books, graphic novels and related collectibles. "We get people looking for the unusual," said owner Don Taylor. "That used to be our motto: The weirder, the better." Coolest nooks to explore: the toy room, with dolls from Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, and the antique radios and music gear room.
Now and Again II (4713 N. Florida Ave., 813-237-8994). Collectibles and antiques rule here, as owner Milton Lavoie has goods from 28 different dealers, each with a unique niche. You can find vintage postcards, old high school yearbooks and a wealth of political button memorabilia. Love that Nixon/Lodge campaign button.
Karen's Place (4707 N. Florida Ave., 813-231-2298). Features "antique and vintage, retro and shabby chic" in a collection of furniture, lamps and other household goods.
Covivant Gallery (4906 N. Florida Ave., 813-234-0222). Art doesn't have to be stuffy, and it doesn't have to be expensive. Covivant mixes a variety of cutting-edge visual art media under the guidance of owner Carrie Mackin, who returns to exhibiting new pieces of her own in the gallery's current show, A Sweet Kiss Goodnight, through Dec. 5. Covivant is open on Saturdays and Sundays only.
Sherry's Yesterdaze (5207 N. Florida Ave., 813-231-2020). Sherry Taylor King fled the high housing prices of South Tampa and brought a strong addition to the Seminole Heights retail district along Florida Avenue. Her store of collectibles and vintage clothing is a feast for the retro in us all. All this and kitschy kool trinkets, too.
This article appears in Nov 16-23, 2005.