My Sanford Magazine - Winter 2020-21

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE SANFORD FLORIDA LIFESTYLE

®

BILINGUAL MAGAZINE

DEC 2020–FEB 2021 • QUARTERLY

Sanford's Positive Community Magazine

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MYSANFORDMAGAZINE.COM

SANFORD FLORIDA | SEMINOLE COUNTY

Happy 6th Birthday!

MY SANFORD MAGAZINE

MEET

JENNA & RYAN

SANFORD’S NEW BRANDING GURUS ARE TAKING OVER GETTING TO KNOW

ART WOODRUFF

SANFORD CITY MAYOR VISITLOCAL EVENTS

DOWNTOWN SANFORD FOOD & DRINK MAP SEE INSIDE

SANFORD SANFORD LOCAL EVENT 365365 CALENDAR

B eautiful Sunsets • Fr iendly Faces • Family Atmosphere Great Locally-Owned Restaurants and Shops

Queridos Lectores,

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

Dear Readers, Please help me wish a very happy birthday to My Sanford Magazine! We have survived another year and what a year it has been. I just want to take a moment to thank each of the staff members and contributors who have helped us promote local businesses by creating content during this challenging year.

While we certainly did not host our traditional red carpet event due to COVID-19, we were still able to celebrate our annual Best of Sanford “Award of Excellence” with a live stream. We really look forward to our 2021 event with the public, hopefully, in the spring of 2021!

Lastly, thanks to those who continue to support our efforts. A big thank you to our sponsors who were able to help us achieve our vision along with generating exciting plans for the future.

We deeply appreciate every read, like, share and support of the magazine. We put a lot of work into what we do, and it often brings more challenges than anticipated. So, why do we do it?

Because, as founder and publisher, I continue to be inspired by our wonderful city. When visitors discover the gem of downtown Sanford through our publication, it is worth all the effort!!!

Si bien ciertamente no hicimos nuestra tradicional alfombra roja debido a COVID-19, aún pudimos celebrar con Stream Live nuestro evento anual emblemático Best of Sanford “Award of Excellence”.

Realmente estamos deseando realizar nuestro evento de 2021 con el público. ¡Ojalá suceda en la primavera de 2021!

Por último, gracias a todos los que apoyan nuestros esfuerzos. Un gran agradecimiento a nuestros patrocinadores que pudieron ayudarnos a lograr nuestra visión junto con muchos grandes planes adicionales para el futuro. Apreciamos profundamente cada lectura, me gusta, compartir y el apoyo a la revista. Ponemos mucho trabajo en lo que hacemos, lo cual, conlleva más desafíos de los que podríamos haber imaginado. ¿Por qué lo hacemos? Porque, como fundadora y editora, sigo inspirándome en nuestra maravillosa ciudad, nuestra comunidad y cuando los visitantes descubren nuestro tesoro Sanford, a través de nuestra publicación, ¡¡¡vale la pena todo el esfuerzo!!!

Feliz Navidad y Felices Fiestas, esperanzados de recibir un 2021 con paz y confort en nuestros corazones. Todos somos humanos y merecemos vivir en paz.

WRITE TO US | ESCRÍBENOS A EDITOR@MYSANFORDMAGAZINE.COM

ESTABLISHED 2014

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1

WINTER 2020-21 | QUARTERLY

This Issue was published by MY SANFORD MAGAZINE LLC, with project management by:

Editor in Chief & Founder Perla B. Crosby

Digital Marketing Director Brian R. Ambrosini

Associate Editor Caroline van den Berg

Social Media & Marketing Specialist Daniella Hume

Art Director Renée Blair Photographers Benevolence Photography Daniella Hume, Mastropieces Photography Barry D. Kirsch Nikki Namdar

Contributors: Amber Clore Perla B. Crosby Lisa Holder Daniella Hume Leon Konieczny Claudia Mundlos Nikki Namdar

Cover Photography Daniella Hume, Mastropieces Photography My Sanford Magazine disclaims all liability for any and all advertisements, promotions, articles, and other affiliated content contained within this publication. The opinions of the authors are those alone. We do not accept any liability for information or advice provided by any advertiser, sponsor, or associated business provided in this magazine.

PROUD MEMBER OF:

Perla is the founder, Editor In-Chief and publisher of My Sanford Magazine. Her goal was to produce a local magazine that would foster unity and promote good will in Sanford’s culturally diverse community. This was accomplished and the magazine has been declared a resounding success.

Perla also conceived and brought to fruition the Sanford Tourism Office and serves as its first Chairperson. Proceeding her long career as a Diplomat in Rome, Italy, she served as the Director General of Tourism in Italy where she also founded a successful tourist and business magazine.

ON THE COVER

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We hope you ring in 2021 with peace and comfort in your hearts. We are all human and we deserve to live in peace.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ryan and Jenna McNutt, owners of One Source Branding & Media.

FOLLOW US:

Photo Credit: Daniella Hume, Mastropieces Photography

ADVERTISING: 407.801.3432 advertise@mysanfordmagazine.com

COMMUNITY & PEOPLE

FOOD & DRINK

4 Meet the McNutts: Helping Protect the City's Culture Through Online Branding and Marketing

12 Sanford Information Center 16 Getting to Know: Art Woodruff, Sanford City Mayor

6 Here Comes the Sun in Sanford

LIFESTYLE

9 Get Out Now! 6 Ideas for Outdoor Fun in Sanford

24 It's All New in 2021

2 M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 - 21

19 Downtown Sanford Food & Drink Map 20 Craft Drinking Abounds in Downtown Sanford 22 Face of Downtown Sanford: Chef Nat Russel

BENEVOLENCE PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP LEFT)

¡Feliz cumpleaños My Sanford Magazine! Finalmente, hemos sobrevivido otro año y qué año ha sido. Solo quiero tomarme un momento para agradecer a cada uno de los miembros de mi equipo y contribuidores que nos han ayudado a promover las empresas locales creando contenidos durante este año desafiante.

New Year~New Beginning~New Hope

Looking Forward to Serving You in 2021! ~ 38 Years Catering to the Central Florida Community ~ ~ 12 Years at the Same Location in Historic Downtown ~ ~ 1 Year at The Emporuim on Park ~

The Corner Café – Home of Gourmet2Go...

Winner of Trip Advisor's Readers' Choice Award 2020

Located At the Corner of 1st St. and Park Ave. Historic Downtown Sanford 386-848-4132 • www.thecornercafesanford.com

COVERSTORY

MEET

THE McNUTTS:

Helping Protect the City’s Culture Through Online Branding and Marketing

BY NIKKI NAMDAR

A

new power couple is trying to protect our city’s culture through online branding and marketing. Ryan and Jenna McNutt, owners of One Source Branding & Media, were looking for something special that they couldn’t find in a corporate city.

“We’d look forward to those Tuesdays,” Jenna, 29, said. “In our area, there weren’t community-driven businesses that you could just pop into and work all day. It was a breath of fresh air, and good things started happening.” On their way back home one day in 2017, they decided it was time to move to Celery City. By Friday, they signed a lease and moved the next day.

Following a difficult life in Daytona, they were looking for a drastic change in their lives—both 4 M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 - 21

Jenna and Ryan McNutt

DANIELLA HUME, MASTROPIECES PHOTOGRAPHY

Every Tuesday, they drove from Daytona to Palate Coffee Brewery and spent hours working on their laptops. Ryan, 37, had a relative who lived nearby, and after several visits, it sparked something inside the couple. With every trip, they made a connection that helped their enterprise grow. One Source was made for small businesses, and Sanford is built on them.

personally and professionally. “Us not being a part of a community, we were not taking care of ourselves,” Jenna said. “We were just in this bubble.”

found each other at our lowest points in life, we hit rock bottom together, and we were able to use each other to build ourselves back up.”

So they took a leap of faith by moving to downtown Sanford in just 72 hours. When they did, it changed their lives. They developed an investments division within their company and built strong relationships with the townspeople. It turns out, all they needed was community.

From there, they continued building. They did their first employee interview at Palate, where it all began. “She was the first person to actually take a risk on us. She worked in my kitchen the majority of her first year,” Jenna said. As the company grew, they hired another employee right before the pandemic started. They quickly outgrew their downtown office, so they knocked down a wall and expanded to the unit next to them.

Jenna and Ryan started their business in 2016—a year after they met—right from their apartment. After feeling like they were getting nowhere in their hometown, they were surprised by Sanford’s warm welcome.

They partnered with Palate to spearhead Made in Sanford, a project that corresponds to a subscription box with products like branded cups, T-shirts, coffee—all made right here. The merchandise allows the community to share the city’s unique culture, while providing a second chance at life to human trafficking victims.

“Our family met Ryan and Jenna to talk about a possible coffee subscription. As we talked, the Made in Sanford box was born,” said Tina Kadolph, co-owner of Palate. “We thought this would be a creative way to bring small businesses together and continue the fight against human trafficking, as a portion of every sale goes to our non-profit, Love Missions Global.”

COURTESY NIKKI NAMDAR (BOTTOM RIGHT)

They have gotten their name out across the commercial historic district by rebranding companies like Raw Press Juice Bar, Shantell’s, the Healthy Buddha, and The Old Jailhouse.

But they aren’t done yet. These two plan to get to know everyone in town over time.

Ryan taught himself everything about websites during his 20 years in sales and marketing.

Being a business owner prior to starting One Source, he also understood the trials and errors that come with entrepreneurship. When they landed their first client together at $100 a month, he called Jenna to suggest she quit her job for the business to really work.

“I was really, really nervous,” Jenna said, adding that she struggled for about six months with the transition. “I'm also glad I came into a self-taught industry because I had to learn the wrong way first then the right way. It builds character and growth. If you knew me back in 2016, you wouldn't recognize me now. We both

With nationwide clients in countless industries, the couple has been able to scale their company to a million-dollar business. Locally, they use their forces to give back to the community. “Our main goal coming here was to do as much as we could for the community at a cost-effective price or for free,” Jenna said. “We did a lot during COVID. A lot of people weren’t building their presence online, so we tried to extend a helping hand when possible.”

“To know you took your little footstep is more valuable for us than finances because we love the community so much,” Ryan said. “We want it to survive so we can be a part of it and raise our children in it.”

When the Coronavirus halted the nation, Jenna and Ryan naturally had concerns about how local businesses would be affected, including theirs. Ryan told himself that “during this time the fearful will retract, and the fearless will expand.” Their team came together to discuss how to reconstruct and reformat their business model. Their philosophy is Ryan’s Four A’s: awareness, acknowledge, accept, and adapt.

“There’s no possible way I am going to let anything put us there again,” Ryan said, referring to when he lost his first business and only made $20 a week when One Source was established.

“A beautiful thing about our company is that we don’t require any of our clients to stay in a contract,” Jenna said. “In our minds, when COVID hit, we thought we needed to brace.

Thankfully, our great clients understood it’s not a time to pull back; it’s a time to gun it forward.

They were on board.” Once they started to help their clients get online, that’s when they started to provide services to Sanford. They built and optimized websites so the local businesses could be seen.

“It happened fast. In February, we were in the kitchen. Now, we own nine companies and have a team of seven,” Ryan said. “None of this came without obstacles, but we remained so focused.

Their mindsets are one they try to express, not only through their business, but on their social media platforms as well. Jenna’s Instagram (@Jenna_MarieFit) is focused on fitness. Ryan’s (@TheRyanMcNutt) is all about motivation and entrepreneurship.

“We’re your marketing and branding team, but we’re humans, too. We like to share the struggles more than the highlight reels,” Jenna said.

“We were just getting to that good mindset, but we had to crawl through the worst to get there.

Running a business is not easy. People don’t hire us just for our skills, but for our personal experience and ideals that we bring to the table.

We treat clients like family, not paychecks.”

Moving to Sanford made their priorities change.

Now, it’s constant work with no days off—the way they like it. When they do get time for themselves, you can catch them taking walks with their dog around town while drinking Palate coffee or coloring with their children at Healthy Buddha. Jenna loves that Sanfordites live like they are in their own little bubble.

They want the people of Sanford to know that they can trust One Source and feel at ease when building their digital footprints. In addition to expanding their investment portfolio, they also plan on releasing a podcast in January 2021.

Ryan will host and interview local small business owners to help get their message out.

It’s obvious that these two know a lot about taking risks, overcoming hardships, and sharing those experiences with the world, especially Sanford. “No matter where we go, this community is our hub,” the couple says fondly.

Ryan continued, “This area is headed in a good direction. People see it. People feel it. We have done a lot of traveling and moving, but I have never found a place like this. We always come back here. We have ideas that could take us anywhere, but Sanford is our home base.” n Nikki is a writer who enjoys telling stories that connect the community and spark emotion. In her spare time, she loves eating vegan food and sharing it to her Instagram, @OrlandoVegans, and spending time with animals.

MYSAN FORDMAGA ZI N E.COM | MY SAN FOR D MAGA ZI N E

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COMMUNITY & PEOPLE

HERE COMES

S

THE SUN

in Sanford

BY NIKKI NAMDAR

anford’s very first mural has been brightening up First Street. Painted on none other than the Hotchkiss Building, which houses Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery and Gallery on First, passersby look up and notice a large sun with its cheeks adorned with a yin-yang symbol and peace sign. The mural is appropriately titled, “Here Comes the Sun,” inspired by The Beatles.

“This is going to be an icon of Sanford,” Artist Mark Seppala said. “The next thing we're going to do is coffee mugs with this artwork on it. People will take a little piece of Sanford home with them.”

The Pepperland-colored piece is inspired by the illustrator, Heinz Edelmann, who drew the graphics for The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” film. Seppala is wearing a groovy face mask designed with a land of submarines and a Rolling Stones t-shirt with the famous rock ‘n roll tongue out as he relishes in memories about seeing The Beatles live three times as a kid in Boston. He was just 30 feet away from the legendary rock stars, including George Harrison, who wrote the 1969 hit song that is the namesake to the alleyway artwork.

“When I left Disney, that was my dream job. It was hard to leave, but l tell people, ‘Life is like a ruler; you only get so many inches.’ So, when John and I came to Sanford, we wanted community. That was our main goal—don't just relax. He and I are overachievers. People think we are crazy sometimes,” he said as he recalls planning ‘Art is a Drag,’ the first drag queen entertainment in Sanford history. They are proud to be integral parts of a more inclusive movement in Sanford.

During this project, which took roughly three weeks, the couple found exactly what they were looking for. Although it was his vision and drawing, Seppala’s mural dedication acknowledges key figures who were all aboard in making this drawing life-size in the heart of Celery City.

“Right in the middle of it, I had to go to the emergency room. I was Mural at the Hotchkiss Building

6 M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 - 21

continued on page 8

DANIELLA HUME, MASTROPIECES PHOTOGRAPHY (FAR LEFT); COURTESY MARK SEPPALA (INSET)

A former Disney artist, Seppala and his partner, John Sullivan, came to historic downtown Sanford seeking a small-town community.

'Here Comes the Sun' continued from page 6 bummed. But the gallery and the community pulled together to help finish this. I was really happy with that,” he said. There were three contributors who stood out, Stewart Jones, Julie Latayan, and Sullivan. “They were phenomenal. If it wasn’t for them, this wouldn’t have happened. Without John, this wonderful mural would have never come to fruition, and I thank him for being Nurse Ratched for weeks on end.”

The great part, he said, is when you go down First StreetLaundry now, you walk 1up to the sun and AD.pdf 09/05/2018 1:02

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ask what else is there? “Hopefully it'll help other businesses. There are a lot of blank walls around here. Maybe they can start doing something, too.”

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In addition to the new mural, about 50 butterfly wings have been painted all around the historic area. Their goal is to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. “I haven’t heard one negative comment about it at all.

People are just loving it,” he said. He smiled while watching observers take pictures in front of the wall. A group of little campers posed in front of the work. Seppala asked them if they liked it. Among the children’s chatter, you can hear, “I like the butterflies!”

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But mural paint isn’t cheap, so he can’t thank the sponsors and donors enough. “They paid for the paint and the damn lift that got us up 30 feet to the top. We could have never done this without that. This was the first large scale mural,” added Seppala, who has been creating illustrations since grade school (ask him about how he is with numbers, he jokingly says, “I can’t balance a checkbook! No good.”). “It’s an ongoing project. Sullivan is going to put up lights, so it looks like a little Italian village at night.”

“I hope everyone enjoys the mural and leaves with a smile. I’ve got so many things in the works. I’m busier than I ever was at Disney,” he said. “This is just the beginning.” n

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COURTESY MARK SEPPALA

Final look at the mural at the Hotchkiss Building

It took two years to get the mural approved and complete the concept and artwork, which includes flowers, butterflies, and about 10 hidden images of Louie, the gallery pup. Two of which Seppala can’t find anymore, he laughed as he told onlookers. People can play a game of, Where’s Louie? “It’s part of the fun,” he said. “Little kids love finding the Louies.” He supports art education for children to keep their minds going, which is why it’s his mission to always incorporate an artistic element in the town events. Through his artwork, a whole new generation gets to learn about the classic animated movie that demonstrated pop art at its finest.

6

Get Out Now –

COMMUNITY & PEOPLE

IDEAS FOR

OUTDOOR in Sanford FUN

T

here’s no need to ever feel “locked up” in Sanford. We have lots of options when it comes to outdoor fun and socially distanced activities. And with cooler temperatures, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the outdoors even more!

Outdoor Dining and Drinking

Last time we counted, Sanford had at least 10 amazing outdoor beer garden style drinking and dining options. One of our favorite new spots is, without a doubt, Hollerbach’s new rooftop Biergarten. Check out the full list below.

Be Active

CLAUDIA MUNDLOS

How about a hike at Seminole State Forest or the Black Bear Wilderness Area? You can also be active in Sanford by hopping on the Seminole Wekiva Trail or Sanford Riverwalk (soon to be fully extended!) for some biking, jogging, or walking. Enjoy the cooler temperatures and soak in the sun. Of course, as a bonus, sunsets over Lake Monroe are some of the most gorgeous in Central Florida.

Boating

Speaking of lakes and water, how about renting a boat and exploring Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River? Buzz Boats and the Boat Tree Marina offer some great options. At Wilson’s Landing (379 Malekean Trail) you can

BY CL AUDIA MUNDLOS

rent a paddle board, kayak or canoe and enjoy nature in its purest form on the Wekiva River.

Shopping

At the weekly Sanford Farmers Market, you don’t have to be shopping indoors. From produce to jewelry, home decor to fresh coffee, the market is growing. Every week there are new treasures to be found. Make sure to also watch out for upcoming dates of the Mini Sanford Indie that is hosted regularly at Tuffy’s Bottle Shop and Lounge.

5. Luisa’s Cellar 6. Henry’s Depot (pick your food and drinks inside and then enjoy the outdoor patios) 7. Tuffy’s Bottle Shop and Lounge 8. 119 French 9. The Breezeway 10. Fuel BBQ n

Come Out and Play

How about taking the little ones out to one of Sanford’s many playgrounds? We love Park on Park where you can sit in the shade of gorgeous trees while watching the kids play. The views of Lake Monroe from Fort Mellon Park are spectacular. Don’t forget our furry friends!

Just like us, they need to get out of the home to have some fun! Paw Park (427 S French Ave) is the perfect spot for that.

List of Outdoor Eateries and Beer Gardens: 1. Hollerbach’s Rooftop (outdoor dining

2.

3.

4.

also available on Magnolia Square and on the covered patio) Celery City Craft Wops Hops Brewing Company and Kitchen Buster’s Bistro

Claudia Mundlos fell head over heels with Sanford the day she moved here from Germany in 2004. As a local Realtor, she started actively selling the city she loves in 2006, one home at a time. Claudia's husband and business partner, José, have helped hundreds of families accomplish their real estate dreams. Her love for Sanford also shines through on her popular community-focused blog called Sanford365.com where she shares all things, Sanford, including events and things to do. The free Sanford365 mobile app has become a staple for local residents. Claudia is devoted to her family and friends as well. You can catch her around town and on social media showing us how #sanfording is done. Be sure to say hello! movingtosanford.com

MYSAN FORDMAGA ZI N E.COM | MY SAN FOR D MAGA ZI N E

9

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CARE

IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN CAR ACCIDENT AND HAVE SUFFERED an automobile injury, we strongly suggest that you come in for a chiropractic evaluation as soon as you’re able to, especially if you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms: back or neck pain, headaches, muscle spasms, stiffness or insomnia.

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10 M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 - 21

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M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | CO M M U N I T Y & P E O P L E • 14

MYSAN FORDMAGA ZI N E.COM | MY SAN FOR D MAGA ZI N E

11

COMMUNITY & PEOPLE business community move forward during a pandemic safely.

“We are excited about all the possibilities this new arrangement creates and about the cooperation and dedication shown by our partners from the Sanford CRA, Sanford MainStreet, Sanford Chamber and Seminole Cultural Arts Council in making this a reality,” said Tom George.

The Sanford Information Center saw 20,000 visitors last year and wants to keep this momentum going by supporting the positive energy of the local business community. The space uses an open concept with business resources such as a business café’ style operation, high tech training room complete with computers and classrooms, conference room, information and merchandise display just to name a few. These features will create an awesome environment and opportunity to make a great first impression on visitors to showcase beautiful historic downtown Sanford.

BY LISA HOLDER

I

t is all in the name. “Sanford Information Center” may sound simple, but it covers a lot of ground—welcoming, informative and helpful. Whether you are traveling to Sanford for a fun day-trip, living in Sanford, a business owner or interested in starting a business, there is a brand-new, one-stop resource center located in the heart of historic downtown. It will be your “go-to” for all things Sanford business and marketing. The City team has transitioned the former Sanford Welcome Center, a historic City building built in 1917, into the new Sanford Information Center (SIC).

The City of Sanford and the Sanford Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) thought there was no better time than now to open the doors to the new Sanford Information Center to promote our unique, historic downtown and its local businesses. The $60,000 investment in this beautiful building is focused on promoting eco-

nomic development by providing infomation and resources in an open and friendly environment.

This City-owned historic building has been transformed and repurposed to accommodate the Greater Sanford Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Seminole Cultural Arts Council and the rebirth of Sanford Mainstreet. All three agencies, in partnership with the City and the CRA, are working together in one building towards the betterment of historic downtown Sanford by bringing the convenience of business resources, destination marketing, and Sanford promotion to the people.

The project led by City of Sanford Deputy City Manager, Tom George, is the result of months of planning by City leadership to take an existing space, reconfigure it by offering the right combination of resources, offer a great first impression for visitors, and help our local small

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The Sanford Information Center is located at 230 E. 1st St. Sanford. It has been repurposed to support business in Sanford and create a single cohesive destination-marketing brand for Sanford. Next time you’re in historic downtown Sanford, stop in and visit the Sanford Information Center. You will be amazed and feel exhilarated to see the comradery and partnerships in motion. n Lisa Holder is the Communications Officer for the City of Sanford.

She holds a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelors of Science in Communications and is a Navy Veteran. Lisa hails from Miami, FL via New York, and was drawn to Sanford because of the beautiful waterfront and the city's endless possibilites. "If you dream it, you can do it."

CIT Y OF

FLORIDA sanfordfl.gov

sanfordfl.gov

BARRY D. KIRSCH (TOP LEFT); COURTESY LISA HOLDER (BOTTOM RIGHT)

SANFORD INFORMATION CENTER

Sanford Mainstreet will be responsible for the overall day-to-day operations of the SIC, having just hired an Executive Director to oversee marketing. This side of the space will include an information area for marketing, utilizing both digital campaigns and print brochures. There will also be an area for Amtrak AutoTrain passenger luggage storage, because the Sanford Free Trolley will continue to stop at this location after picking up passengers from the Sanford Amtrak AutoTrain Station.

Centro de Información de Sanford E

l nombre lo dice todo. Puede parecer simple —Centro de Información de Sanford— pero abarca mucho: es un lugar acogedor, informativo y muy útil.

Independientemente de si vienes a Sanford a pasar un día ameno y divertido, si vives ya en Sanford, si tienes un negocio en propiedad o te interesa empezar un nuevo emprendimiento, se acaba de inaugurar un centro de recursos integral ubicado en el corazón del centro histórico; un lugar de referencia para informarse de todo aquello relacionado con los negocios y el marketing de Sanford. El staff de la ciudad ha transformado el antiguo Centro de Bienvenida de Sanford, un edificio histórico de la ciudad que fue construido en 1917, en el nuevo Centro de Información de Sanford (SIC).

Para la ciudad de Sanford y la Sanford Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) este era sin duda el mejor momento para abrir las puertas del nuevo Centro de Información de Sanford, promoviendo así nuestro centro histórico único y singular, y apoyando a nuestros negocios locales en estos momentos difíciles. La inversión realizada en este hermoso edificio de 60.000 $ está dirigida a incentivar la creación de nuevos negocios y el desarrollo económico a través de la entrega de información y recursos en un espacio abierto y amistoso.

BARRY D. KIRSCH

Este edificio histórico propiedad de la ciudad ha sido transformado y reconvertido para albergar a la Cámara Regional de Comercio de Greater Sanford, el Consejo de Artes Culturales Seminole y Sanford Mainstreet. Las tres agencias asociadas a la Alcaldía de la ciudad y la CRA están trabajando juntas en un solo edificio con el fin de revitalizar el centro de Sanford, acercando a la población la comodidad y la conveniencia de los recursos comerciales, el marketing para destinos turísticos y la difusión y promoción de Sanford.

El proyecto liderado por el Sub-Administrador de la ciudad de Sanford, Tom George, es el resultado de meses de planificación por parte de los líderes de la ciudad para tomar un espacio existente, reconfigurarlo ofreciendo la combinación correcta de recursos, ofrecer una excelente primera impresión para los visitantes y ayudar a nuestra comunidad local

de pequeñas empresas a avanzar con seguridad en época de pandemia.

“Estamos entusiasmados con todas las posibilidades que abre este nuevo acuerdo, además de la cooperación y el compromiso demostrados por nuestros partners CRA Sanford, Sanford MainStreet, la Cámara de Comercio de Sanford y el Consejo de Artes Culturales de Seminole, para que el proyecto se convierta en realidad”, dijo Tom George.

El Centro de Información de Sanford recibió 20.000 visitantes el año pasado y quiere mantener este impulso, apoyando la energía positiva de la comunidad empresarial local. A través de un concepto de oficina abierta, los recursos comerciales incluyen un funcionamiento al estilo de un café de negocios, una sala de formación de alta tecnología con computadoras y aulas, una sala de conferencias y una muestra de mercadería e información, entre otras muchas propuestas.

Además de crear un espacio asombroso y la oportunidad de causar una excelente primera impresión en nuestros visitantes, podremos

mostrar el hermoso centro de Sanford.

Sanford Mainstreet se responsabilizará del funcionamiento diario del SIC, ya que acaba de contratar a un Director Ejecutivo para supervisar el marketing de Sanford. Esta area de la casa incluirá un área de información para temas de marketing, utilizando tanto campañas digitales como folletos impresos.

También habrá una consigna para guardar el equipaje de los pasajeros de Amtrak AutoTrain, porque el trolley gratuito de Sanford va a seguir teniendo una parada en este lugar después de recoger a los pasajeros del AutoTrain.

El Centro de Información de Sanford, ubicado en 230 E. 1st St. Sanford, se ha readaptado para apoyar las iniciativas comerciales de Sanford y para crear una marca de marketing de destino única para Sanford, respaldada tanto por la ciudad de Sanford como por empresas privadas. La próxima vez que visites el centro de Sanford, ven al Centro de Información de Sanford. Te sorprenderá y te alegrará ver el compañerismo y las colaboraciones que tenemos en marcha. n

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GETTING TO KNOW

ART WOODRUFF SANFORD CITY MAYOR B Y P E R L A B. C R O S B Y

F

ormer District 1 Commissioner, Art Woodruff, was appointed to serve as mayor following the resignation of Jeff Triplett. Mayor Woodruff was born and raised in Sanford as a sixth generation Sanfordite. Let’s get to know our new mayor and what he’s all about.

Q: Would you please tell our readers about yourself, your family, your background, and your childhood experience?

A: I was born in Sanford. My family has been here since 1844 when my great-great-great grandfather, Elias Woodruff, moved to the island at the east end of Lake Monroe. He later built a home and grove at Fort Reid.

After attending Southside Elementary, Sanford Middle and Seminole High School, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. I returned home and started substitute teaching for Seminole County schools while considering applying to grad school. A full-time job became available at Lake Brantley High School, and I took that for the last quarter of the school year. I was hired by Principal Wayne Epps at Seminole High School and went back to UCF to get a master’s in education.

I knew my wife Patti (Edgemon) when we were in high school, but we did not date until we both returned to Sanford after college.

She is a nurse and works for Kindred at Home as a patient care coordinator. We dated for several years and married in 1995. We had our first child, Daniel in 1999, and then Rachel in 2000.

16 M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 - 21

Q: Taking your previous role as a city commissioner into consideration, what goals do you hope to accomplish as mayor?

A: Going from commissioner to mayor, the goals do not really change. I have always focused on raising our development standards and working to get the best we can for the city.

NIKKI NAMDAR

I was originally hired as a chemistry teacher, but I have taught most of the science courses offered throughout my career. For the past 25 years, I have focused on physics. After fourteen years at Seminole, I transferred to Oviedo High School in 1999 where I am now teaching.

At Oviedo, I have been the Educational Technology Facilitator since about 2005, which means I help teachers get and use technology.

I split time between this and teaching. In 2016, I started teaching AP computer science courses. I was chosen as teacher of the year at both Seminole High School and Oviedo High School.

“I want Sanford to be a place that everyone can enjoy growing up, raising a family, and making a living just like my family and I have. I can tell a lot of stories about what that was like, but we need to make Sanford work for who lives here now.”

New development is a double-edged sword and I want to make sure the city benefits the best it can. I think taking care of what we have and doing good maintenance is important, so I will continue to encourage the use of reserves to work on our deficit in capital replacements. We have been spending about $500,000 per year beyond the budget for the past five years. This money has gone to fixing parks, replacing aged vehicles, and doing maintenance throughout the city.

Q: How do you prioritize your time between family, volunteering, being a teacher and being part of the city government?

NIKKI NAMDAR

A: This is tough. I did not plan on being mayor until after I had retired from teaching, and COVID-19 has made managing time more difficult. The hours at school are up considerably for teachers as we try to figure out teaching live and online at the same time. We have essentially doubled our class preparations because each course requires an in-person plan and a modification of that for online students. I am lucky that I have a very supportive administration and great colleagues that have helped me manage covering classes when I have meetings to attend. But odd things end up happening. I was attending an Airport Authority Meeting virtually, which ran longer than I expected, and I had a class starting.

Luckily, the assignment for the class that day was something that students were working on independently and the meeting only overlapped for about 15 minutes. But I had one earbud in for my online students, another in the other ear for the meeting, and had to be careful that I had the correct microphone muted when I talked.

One of the first conversations I had with our city manager, Norton Bonaparte, was how my school job did not allow the freedom of scheduling that Mayor Triplett had. Mr. Bonaparte and the rest of the staff have been great working around my schedule. What has suffered the most is some of my volunteer time.

For the past six years, I have coordinated our troops first year program that brings in the new scouts and gets them started. I had been planning to ease out of that, but this will be my last year because of the time commitment.

What I would really like to be able to do is join in on many of the other opportunities around

l-r: Patti, Rachel, Daniel and Mayor Woodruff

town and spend a little more time in areas of the city I am not as familiar with. If school settles down, and after January with scouts, I hope to be able to do that. One of the things I have enjoyed most about being mayor is going to the ribbon cuttings, the food distributions, and the Halloween events.

Q: Who or what inspires you to serve your community?

A: My parents always encouraged giving and service. In high school, I was president of the Interact Club. In college, I was a member of the APO service fraternity. I have always thought of serving as just what people should do — help others. I had long thought about running for office someday, but my jump into politics was really based on some land use decisions the city had made over the years and my experiences trying to influence those decisions. I got involved because I wanted to make sure we were developing Sanford for the people who live here.

During my first year in office, I was on the losing side of a lot of 4-1 votes over building a convention center on Fort Mellon Park. But eventually, the financial facts doomed that plan, and I was later able to help push through the redevelopment of the park as we were entering the 2008 recession, including the splash pad, playground, and basketball courts.

In the 1970s or earlier, a lot of property was rezoned to encourage development to increase

the tax base. Since I took office, we have put higher development standards in place. We rezoned Georgetown back to single family residential, and we are getting ready to do the same thing in Goldsboro. Both neighborhoods and the historic district had all been zoned for multifamily development even though they were single-family neighborhoods.

Q: What is your vision of Sanford as it transforms in the next 5 years?

A: To put it simply, I want Sanford to be a place that everyone can enjoy growing up, raising a family, and making a living just like my family and I have. I can tell a lot of stories about what that was like, but we need to make Sanford work for who lives here now. I want to target a couple of properties and areas. We need to help some of our big historic buildings become productive again. I want to make Historic Goldsboro Boulevard a new community redevelopment area. I want us to do a better job targeting redevelopment rather than developing new areas. We have recently seen a lot of housing built on vacant lots throughout the city. We need to encourage that and make it easier.

We have a lot going for us: the completion of the River Walk, an exciting downtown, a variety of residential communities, the airport, and a lot of industrial and business areas. We need to make all of those work for our residents, and we need to make sure all of the areas of our city and all of our residents are part of our success. n

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DOWNTOWN SANFORD FOOD & DRINK MAP 17

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Best Fish & Chicken Wings Buster’s Bistro Caffe Di Riverwalk Christo’s Colonial Room Restaurant El Zocalo Mexican Restaurant Fuel BBQ Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café Magnolia Square Market Moon’s Subs Mr. Z’s Sanford Negril Spice Jamaican Restaurant Palate Bubs and Ice Cream Raw Press Juice Co. Sanford Pizza Company Shantell’s St. John’s River Steak & Seafood

DRINK 18. Sushi & Seoul at Celery City Craft 19. Taste of Thyme Café 20. The Breezeway Restaurant & Bar 21. The Corner Café 22. The District in Sanford 23. The Healthy Buddah 24. The Old Jailhouse 25. The Smiling Bison 26. The Tennessee Truffle 27. Wondermade 28. Zorba's Greek Restaurant

1. 1st Street Lounge 2. Bitters and Brass 3. Celery City Craft | Celery City Cigars 4. Deviant Wolfe Brewing 5. Ellen’s Wine Room 6. Executive Cigar Sanford 7. Henry’s Depot 8. Inner Compass Brewing Co. 9. Loggerhead Distillery 10. Luisa’s Cellar Wine Bar 11. Palate Coffee Brewery 12. Sanford Avenue Tavern 13. Sanford Brewing Company 14. Suffering Bastard Tiki Bar

15. The Alley 16. The Basin 17. The Imperial Bar at Washburn Imports-Sanford 18. The Sullivan, A Public House 19. The Wet Spot 20. Throwbacks Sanford 21. Torch One Cigars 22. Tuffy’s Bottle Shop & Lounge 23. West End Trading Co. 24. Wop’s Hops Brewery

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FOOD & DRINK

W

hen it comes to indulging in adult beverages in Historic Downtown Sanford, the sky—and the imagination—are the limit. Sanford is home to a local distillery, a cidery, a wine mixery, and three craft beer breweries—with a fourth about to open any day now. Nearly every month in Sanford finds some special bar crawl, new craft-beer unveiling, or a street party with an amazing array of alcoholic choices.

November 2020 began with a preview of the holiday season with the Loggerhead Distillery Cocktail Crawl. Just have a drink at each of 10 local establishments, each of which created a craft cocktail using Loggerhead spirits, get your card punched, turn in your card, and get a free t-shirt, plus a chance for fabulous prizes. What Sanfordite can pass up a free t-shirt, not to mention the imaginative drinks, from the Hemingway to your dessert—an Apple Pie Moonshine Old Fashioned—and many variations in between, all crafted with Loggerhead spirits. Yes, I got my t-shirt!

in Downtown Sanford

BY LEON KONIECZNY The “Loggerhead Watermelon Moonshine Lemonade” from Throwbacks.

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Celery City Craft's "Old Fashioned Loggerhead Warm Apple Pie".

December brings the now-annual Sanford Historic Trust’s Holiday Tour of Drinks. A fundraiser for the Trust, they’ve partnered with 8 local bars, each one featuring a unique, specially crafted holiday drink—buy one (or two or three) during December and $1 is donated back to the Trust for their charitable work.

Not to be outdone, local breweries craft some special holiday season beers as well. Wops’ Hops recently released their seasonal White Chocolate Amaretto beer, perfect for a holiday dessert! And what goes better during the

LEON KONIECZNY

CRAFTY DRINKING ABOUNDS

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holidays than a cookie and beer pairing?

Deviant Wolfe Brewery has you covered in this regard with their upcoming Holiday Cookie and Beer Pairing. It’s a great way to experiment and learn the ins and outs of pairing great local craft beer with some of your favorite treats. A few blocks over, Sanford Brewing Company is a sponsor of the Sanford Avenue Block Party’s “Jingle All the Way” event—wear your best PJ’s and win $100!

above: “Loggerhead Willow Tea” from Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café. below: “The Loggerhead Hemmingway” from The District.

You do not need to be a brewer or maker of craft spirits to get in on the fun, either. Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café features their holiday beers in this season—St. Nikolaus Beer for those who are nice and Krampus Beer for the naughty. Both are brewed by a nearby brewery in Sanford’s southern suburb, Sanford-South (aka Orlando). You can also try Buster’s Bistro’s holiday special, the Cran-Apple Mule, along with so many more choices to be had.

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Enjoy our large open air taproom with a view into the brew house.

Savor handcrafted beers, meads, ciders and specialty sodas. Taste the fresh, locally sourced ingredients, made to order. Relish the sounds of our performing musicians. Soak in the quintessential southern hospitality, make new friends, discover history.

Sit outside, enjoy the beautiful Florida weather with your furry friends.

Bring you kids for mac ‘n cheese while you sip our handcrafted beer.

Sanford Bars, Breweries, and Restaurants all believe in safe drinking: know your limits, drink responsibly, have a designated driver, wear a facemask when not seated, and enjoy what the new year 2021 has to offer! Sanford has something for everyone. n

LEON KONIECZNY

SUN 12p-9p • MON-TH 11:30a-10p FRI 11:30a-12a • SAT 12p-12a Leon Konieczny is a local Central Florida foodie and food blogger who’s been writing about Sanford and Seminole County area “good eats” restaurants for the past seven years. He’s big into eating at local mom ‘n’ pop shops where high quality ingredients, love, and a dose of home cooking make all the difference. While he occasionally eats at the big chains, he claims it’s only to remind him where a real quality dining experience lurks — in the small restaurants which are the heart and soul of every neighborhood and community.

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FOOD & DRINK

The Tennessee Truffle Burger

FACEOFSANFORD

CHEF

From the Chef ’s Kitchen to Your Plate

BY DANIELLA HUME

W

hen you think of downtown Sanford, one of the first things that comes to mind is good food. There are so many unique restaurants and bars to choose from.

And when you are in the mood for fresh, Southern cuisine, The Tennessee Truffle is the place to eat. Winning Best Chef twice in My Sanford Magazine’s “Best of Sanford” Awards, Memphis-born owner and chef, Nat Russel, opened not one, but two restaurants in the heart of downtown Sanford. “I have been to different communities before, and I never felt love like I do in Sanford,” Nat tells us.

Before opening The Tennessee Truffle, Nat was working in Winter Park as the executive chef at Café de France. But after spending nearly a decade cooking on Park Avenue, he decided to venture out on his own and start a restaurant. He tells us the reasoning for opening The Tennessee Truffle was to spend more time with his daughter, Ella. So, when his restaurant first opened in 2016, Nat only served breakfast and lunch.

Nat said there was not much in downtown at the time, and it was quiet most days. A year later, he decided he needed to do more, so he started serving dinner. Dedicated to using fresh ingredients and supporting farmers, Nat says he pictured The Tennessee Truffle as a southern-style, high-end diner.

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Coffee BBQ Rubbed Berkshire Pork Lion with Kale, Sea Island Red Peas, and Apple Butter

Since then, The Tennessee Truffle has been thriving. “In Sanford, everyone rallies behind you and wants you to be successful. That is not something you see everywhere,” says Nat. “I am just thankful for getting into downtown Sanford at the right time,” he adds.

Speaking of the “right time,” some would say opening a new restaurant during a pandemic may be bad timing, but for Nat, it is just more of a challenge he welcomed. “Sean Kelley came to me with this idea of opening a place dedicated to burgers. I loved the thought since there was not a place focused on burgers already in downtown.” That’s when the two came up with, “What the Chuck.” Kelley owns the building and Nat runs the burger joint inside Henry’s Depot.

When they first opened at the end of September, Nat said the place was packed. It has since slowed down a bit. “Hopefully, we will get through this pandemic and more people will start showing up,” he said. Roughly one in five small businesses in the nation have closed since the start of the pandemic, but Sanford is trying to buck that trend by supporting local businesses during these challenging times. That has Nat feeling good.

“You see ‘Support Small Businesses,’ all over but Sanford really stands behind that, which is amazing,” says Nat, “I can’t see anything but continuing to grow with the community in the future.” n Daniella Hume owns a photography business located here in the heart of Sanford. Daniella graduated UCF with her broadcast journalism degree. She worked in local news for many years before leaving and starting her own company. While she isn’t working, Daniella loves to be at home cooking with her husband Jerry and playing with their dog, Luna. They love to go down to the Sanford Marina together and watch the sunset.

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